Costco is one of the few American wholesale retailers that operate based on membership. In the previous years, more than 30 million people became members of this eminent grocery chain. This article will shed light on the membership levels, each of their prices, and the pertinent question of if it’s even worth the money. Let us know about “Is Costco Membership Fee Worth It?”
If you’re looking for a short answer, then YES, the membership fee is worth it. Synonymous with most things, membership has its pros and cons. However, in this case, the pros outweigh the cons. The Costco membership fee atones itself once you realize the discounts and deals you can get because of it. Sure, maybe having to pay upfront seems dubious but the bargains you get later help you earn back that amount, if not more. At the end of the day, it is entirely up to you!
Costco Memberships And Their Prices:
There are two main categories, business and personal. Each of these can either be the standard or the executive version. The payment of the memberships is an annual affair. You are free to cancel the membership if it isn’t satisfactory and get a refund. The refunded amount will depend entirely on how long it has been since the purchase of the membership.
Personal Memberships:
The Gold Star (standard) membership permits you access to Costco stores, both at physical locations and online. You will also be conferred with 2 membership cards.
Cost: $60/year
The Executive membership grants additional benefits that include a complimentary subscription to the company magazine and 2% rewards on a few select merchandises.
Cost: $120/year
Business Memberships:
The only distinction of this membership from the personal ones is that it authorizes the bulk purchase of the goods that can be resold by small-scale retailers.
Business membership cost: $60/year
Business executive membership cost: $120/year
Please keep in mind that Costco is a wholesale seller, i.e. most products are available only in bulk.
Merits Of The Membership
Lower prices: Members can save a good chunk of money because of the relatively lower-priced items.
Automobile benefits: Costco members are entitled to buying used cars or their parts at comparatively inexpensive rates. They also have access to gas stations with affordable gas prices.
Delivery: At most locations, Costco delivers to its members without any additional charges.
Travel: Costco offers travel bargains and discounts through ‘Costco Travel.’
Lesser trips for grocery hauls: Buying in bulk will facilitate reduced visits for grocery shopping. This is immaculate for the purchase of things that won’t spoil over time.
Return policy: Costco is extremely generous with its return policy and takes care of it in a hassle-free manner.
Additional Benefits For The Business And Business Exclusive memberships:
- Specialized deliveries: Member businesses that purchase from Costco are permitted an exclusive stockpile at discounted rates and custom deliveries.
- Health insurance: Costco imparts health insurance for business members.
- Water benefits: Business members cater to the water needs of businesses by providing bottled water at a discounted rate.
- Printing: Costco bestows cheaper printing prices to its business members to print advertisements, cards, flyers,
Demerits Of The Membership:
- Higher waste: The diminished prices might lead to you buying more than you might need. This can be especially wasteful when it comes to perishable products.
- Storage: If you live with your family with more than one mouth to feed, buying in bulk makes sense. However, if you live by yourself, in a compact space, buying in abundance might not be the best idea, particularly if you don’t have enough space to store any of it.
- Minimal payment options: Costco mainly accepts Visa credit cards, cash, or debit cards. This might be worrisome if you use MasterCard or American Express and do not have any alternates at hand while shopping.
- Crowds: Maximum people are free on the weekends and find it an ideal day to get done with their shopping. This leads to an influx of people on these two days making the stores crowded.
How To Get The Best Out Of Memberships?
If you have made your mind up about buying a membership, here are a few recommendations that will help you get the best out of it.
- Days: The premium days to shop at Costco are Monday to Wednesday. Maneuvering through hordes of families to get to the products you need gets tiring pretty quickly. You might want to avoid Thursday as well because fresh deals are announced every Thursday making it a tad more crowded than usual.
- List: The subsidized prices might tempt you to shop for more than you’ll need. Curating a list and sticking to it will help you economize better and save a ton of money over time.
- Items: Perishables are better off bought from someplace else. Storing them is a nuisance and more often than not, the excess will go bad, forcing you to throw it away. Buy merchandise you can store without inconvenience.
- Deals: Check the weekly deals. Plan a trip when there are deals that cater to your needs and maximize your benefits. Take advantage of the discounted gas prices and travel rates.
Conclusion,
Now we have learnt “Is Costco Membership Fee Worth It?”, the Costco membership fee is worth it if you prefer buying in bulk, do not mind crowded places, and live with your family in a place with adequate storage facilities. The most important part is to do whatever maximizes your satisfaction and have a happy shopping experience!
