Is costco worth it?

shaggy

i managed to get a day temp pass to have a look around the local costco's and to be honest wasnt that impressed. The groceries are generally overpriced, and the only things that really grabbed my attention was the pastries and the bargain tastic birthday cakes, and also the tyres section. I didnt pay that much attention to the electrical goods prices - are they really that much cheaper than other stores???

dawnybabes

Yes - just bought a huge Samsung LCD telly from their - £400 cheaper than currys/comet and about £50 cheaper than anywhere on line BUT all their TVs come with a free 3 yr warrenty. Also spotted the new Tefal fryer for £99 cheapest I can find it is £130 online

Agree with other posters the food is excellent quality and I can recommend the meat.

ckerrd

Although I am a big Costco fan, and do a lot of bulk buying there for ease, it is always worth checking prices on specific items.

Was looking at an ipod docking station thingy the other day - £135 inc vat at Costco, but available on the web for just under £100. So not always cheapest but if you do some research it can be a great place to shop.

Edit - as others have said the food is excellent

roses

I went to day to the Chingford branch and they are getting very strict. They wouldn't let me take my Sainsbury's carrier bag into the store. I had to leave it with the security guys & collect it on the way out!

Have they been hit with a lot of thefts? I always find it strange that they insist on having security check your receipt and purchases on the way out.

aspinallkate

roses wrote: »

I went to day to the Chingford branch and they are getting very strict. They wouldn't let me take my Sainsbury's carrier bag into the store. I had to leave it with the security guys & collect it on the way out!

Have they been hit with a lot of thefts? I always find it strange that they insist on having security check your receipt and purchases on the way out.

they check receipts on the way out of macro aswell, must be the norm

judderman62

shaggy wrote: »

i managed to get a day temp pass to have a look around the local costco's and to be honest wasnt that impressed. The groceries are generally overpriced, and the only things that really grabbed my attention was the pastries and the bargain tastic birthday cakes, and also the tyres section. I didnt pay that much attention to the electrical goods prices - are they really that much cheaper than other stores???

Yep that has been my experience - had a card for one year - went about 3/4 times and didn't renew the card - very overpriced in my opinion - and they are meant to be a wholesaler :rolleyes2

Buttonmoons

OH's mum has a costco card, so we go maybe 3/4 times a year, sometimes more because I just generally find it a fun day out!

Some things they aren't that cheap on, like a 48box of wotsits, is about £7/£8 pound, but when the supermarkets have 2 for £3 on 12 packs, it works out cheaper that way. You just have to have a good look and try and spot some good bargains!

We always buy our loo roll and washing powder from there, I LOVE their muffins, and they have these gorgeous looking cupcakes in right now....so tempting. Their birthday cakes are V good quality, I can't reccomend them enough!

I got my sister one of those Kidzoom digital cameras from there, I paid £34 including VAT, and it sells for £50+ in stores. My daughter saw Kota the triceratops, and I thought it was pricey....about £150/£160, and then when I got home I had a look online and it sells for well over £220!!

I may go back in just before Xmas and see if there is any more bargains to be had! I love costco! Their cafe is dead cheap too, I can't think of ANYWHERE that sells a huge slice of pizza for £1.15 or something!

shaggy

judderman62 wrote: »

Yep that has been my experience - had a card for one year - went about 3/4 times and didn't renew the card - very overpriced in my opinion - and they are meant to be a wholesaler :rolleyes2

I also found their membership rules really annoying and cumbersome - enough to make me want to NOT join up. I have a Limited Company and took along all the documentation. They complained my bank statements were addressed to my house which is not the same address where my company is registered. I then got the bank to send statements to the company office instead, and a few wks later went back to try and join again.

This time they complained that none of the statements have my own name, instead they are addressed to the 'Directors'. I gave up at this point because if they really want to find out who the 'Directors' are they can verify in one min by checking on Companies House web site.

I havent been back since because these stupid rules make them sound like they are some exclusive club, when in reality the majority of their items are overpriced. As I said above, only the cakes are really worth going for, but they alone do not justify the £30 or so membership per year.

PixiePie

shaggy wrote: »

I also found their membership rules really annoying and cumbersome - enough to make me want to NOT join up. I have a Limited Company and took along all the documentation. They complained my bank statements were addressed to my house which is not the same address where my company is registered. I then got the bank to send statements to the company office instead, and a few wks later went back to try and join again.

This time they complained that none of the statements have my own name, instead they are addressed to the 'Directors'. I gave up at this point because if they really want to find out who the 'Directors' are they can verify in one min by checking on Companies House web site.

I havent been back since because these stupid rules make them sound like they are some exclusive club, when in reality the majority of their items are overpriced. As I said above, only the cakes are really worth going for, but they alone do not justify the £30 or so membership per year.

We found it incredibly easy to join on a trade membership with our company - we used bank statements addressed to my partner whom is the Co. Director, so don't know why there was an issue with that for you - perhaps you got a newbie or something whom was being a bit too strict?

I've lost my card about 4 times as well, and they are always really helpful - I just take in my passport and they give me a new one.

The meat makes it worth the cost each year alone - we pay so little compared to the supermarket or the remaining butcher here (and the butcher is such bad quality now), the birthday cakes really are super value, and a lot of the electricals are great value, you just need to know your prices. Clothing can be good value as well, again know your prices for label clothes, the other clothes generally look quite cheap and cheerful but have lasted and lasted me. Their own label, Kirkland, is super. They used to have more nice gift type sets at Christmas, but there are still a few nice pressies for people if you look.

Toilet roll and washing powder are much cheaper than other places. The Books Aisle can be very good value (have brought a few of the CD language courses far cheaper than I've been able to find anywhere else for various family members) and the new magazine rack is great for I think the 20% off you get - the range of titles is very good imho and it's the latest titles, so crazy not to buy them from there if you would usually buy them from the supermarket etc anyway.

The only thing I find annoying are the really silly people whom park their trolleys right in the middle of a row and stare at you gormlessly if you say 'excuse me please' and try and get past, or try and ram you as if 300 boxes of something are going to jump off the shelf in the 10 seconds it will take them to reach the shelf after you have moved and they will miss out on that product.

fitorbust

Hi - I LOVE Costco - so long as you know your prices they can be very good value.
BTW - the TVs now come with a 5 year guarantee.
And they have always stopped people taking bags in and checked receipts as you leave.
Our house is stocked like a corner shop courtesy of Costco, and even though somethings maynot seem cheaper, they are always the best quality so you are getting premium goods for supermarket prices. Incidentally a lot of their groceries are actually Waitrose things - Charlie Bighams canapes, their ginger beer, and one of the dog foods are just a couple that come to mind.