Costco membership deal for NEW members

[omni550]

Costco is offering an exclusive new membership deal ONLINE (good thru 12/31/17). After the $20 cash card, your cost is effectively $40, plus they throw in a few goodies for free. NOTE: To qualify as a new member, an existing Costco membership must be expired at least 18 months or more.

https://www.costcomembershipoffer.com/purchase/open/visasocial

$60 gets you:

• 1-year Costco Gold Star membership
• $20 Costco cash card
• Coupons that will make these items free:
  • Kirkland paper towels create-a-size (12/160 count)
  • Kirkland Vitarain Zero flavored water (24/20oz)
  • Food court whole pizza

 

[audreyh1]

Is their membership down do you think? Wouldn't know it from how busy things are here!

Well - the membership rate is not down, it's growing slower than recent past.

And apparently much of the pressure on the membership fees is due to the stronger US dollar.

http://fortune.com/2015/12/09/costco-membership-slows/

Interesting - according to that link they've actually raised their membership fee from $55 to $60 and then give a $20 discount.

And executive membership has gone from $110 to $120.

That started on June 1. https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/03/02/costco-raising-membership-fees/98663916/

 

[omni550]

Oops...probably should have posted this in Other Topics forum.

omni

 

[Rosie]

Thanks for posting this! DH and I have been thinking about joining Costco, we'll probably pull the trigger now.

mmmm, pizza ...



Ed.: On second thought, we might give this offer a pass. I'd be giving out my address, email and phone number to some company that is not Costco, probably some marketing organization. I get enough junk mail and spam calls as it is, thenkewverymuch. But we still might go ahead and join Costco.

 

[Sangiovese]

I belonged to Sam's for several years, then switched to Costco when they built one right across the street from my w*rk. It seemed more expensive than Sam's for basically the same stuff. After retiring I switched back to Sam's and confirmed that all of the basic food and household staples are cheaper there. I know several people who LOVE Costco, but I just don't get the attraction. This comment is not meant to stir up any trouble. I'm sincerely confused about why people love Costco so much and avoid Sam's completely. That said, I did consider this pretty good offer before deciding to take a pass.

 

[GoBears]

mmmm, pizza ...

They changed the pizza recipe. A lot more crust. We don’t buy it anymore.

 

[audreyh1]

I belonged to Sam's for several years, then switched to Costco when they built one right across the street from my w*rk. It seemed more expensive than Sam's for basically the same stuff. After retiring I switched back to Sam's and confirmed that all of the basic food and household staples are cheaper there. I know several people who LOVE Costco, but I just don't get the attraction. This comment is not meant to stir up any trouble. I'm sincerely confused about why people love Costco so much and avoid Sam's completely. That said, I did consider this pretty good offer before deciding to take a pass.

Years ago we had a Sam's membership. I don't agree that Costco sells 'basically" the same stuff. Costco is more expensive because it sells better quality stuff IMO. But if you don't perceive a better quality of goods then of course you prefer Sam's.

 

[sturbridge]

why people love Costco so much and avoid Sam's completely.

Some people prefer Costco because they treat their employees better, offer them health insurance and the like, and Sam's, being owned by Walmart, does not.

 

[braumeister]

Some people prefer Costco because they treat their employees better, offer them health insurance and the like, and Sam's, being owned by Walmart, does not.

I prefer it mainly because of the Kirkland branded items, which are reliably top notch quality at a very good price.

 

[Aerides]

Here's 10 pages of why ppl do (and don't) love Costco. Got way more than I bargained when I asked that question!

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/costco-what-makes-it-awesome-for-you-87222.html

 

[audreyh1]

I prefer it mainly because of the Kirkland branded items, which are reliably top notch quality at a very good price.

That is a biggie.

But they also do consumer reports type testing on a huge number of items and that helps them decide what is the best value to carry. I know if they carry an item it's probably a decent choice.

Their perishable edibles are rarely Kirkland branded but I usually find them to be excellent quality. Costco is also one of the very few left in the US who still inspect their meat. Apparently not just that - food safety overall is a big deal. Costco Wholesale: Food Safety from the Top Down

 

[Amethyst]

Thanks for posting!

We got a very cheap BJ's membership($25) this year. We have never used Costco, because it's a less convenient trip than BJ's (and opens later and is far more crowded, to boot), but we might consider it at the discounted price. Especially since they have a gas station and the BJ's does not.

 

[VanWinkle]

Some people prefer Costco because they treat their employees better, offer them health insurance and the like, and Sam's, being owned by Walmart, does not.

I recently switched my membership from Sams(20 years) to Costco. I can't confirm your claims of more fair treatment, but I will say the employees at Costco seem more customer friendly and hard working. This may be due to the management treating them more fairly, or just a better training program for the employees. I do believe that both Costco and Sams(Walmart) offer group health insurance to their full time employees.

VW

 

[NYEXPAT]

Here in Peru I can get the kirkland pima cotton t'shirts for about $5.00. I think they only ship these to the stores in OZ though.

 

[Ready]

Sam's Club has their own private label called "Members Mark". I haven't had much experience with those products, so I would have to rely on someone who purchases them regularly to comment on their quality. But in general I don't hear people raving about how great the Members Mark products are the way Costco fans rave about the Kirkland brand.

 

[W2R]

Oops...probably should have posted this in Other Topics forum.

omni

OK, I'll move it there.

 

[Sangiovese]

Here's 10 pages of why ppl do (and don't) love Costco. Got way more than I bargained when I asked that question!

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/costco-what-makes-it-awesome-for-you-87222.html

All good points. I may reconsider the membership offer for savings on gas and tires. The Costco I used previously didn't have a gas station and I forgot about the low gas prices. There is another Costco located on our route to church that does have a gas station. I could fill there once a week and not have to go out of the way.

 

[Sangiovese]

Years ago we had a Sam's membership. I don't agree that Costco sells 'basically" the same stuff. Costco is more expensive because it sells better quality stuff IMO. But if you don't perceive a better quality of goods then of course you prefer Sam's.

Hmmm, I guess all of that shopping at Aldi and Wal-Mart has lowered my standards.

Also, I should rephrase my statement to say that "I buy basically the same stuff" at both places. Name-brand cereal, Tide, Charmin, Uncle Ben's rice, One-A Day vitamins, Dove Soap, Morton water softener salt, etc. That's why I perceive no difference in product quality between the two stores. But I do perceive a price difference for the same items.

 

[audreyh1]

Hmmm, I guess all of that shopping at Aldi and Wal-Mart has lowered my standards.

Also, I should rephrase my statement to say that "I buy basically the same stuff" at both places. Name-brand cereal, Tide, Charmin, Uncle Ben's rice, One-A Day vitamins, Dove Soap, Morton water softener salt, etc. That's why I perceive no difference in product quality between the two stores. But I do perceive a price difference for the same items.

I buy a lot of meat/seafood/dairy and fresh produce at Costco, something I never bought at Sam's.

Oh yeah and wine.

 

[skipro33]

I have both SAMS and COSTCO memberships. Costco for big ticket items because they will double the warranty if you use their credit card. TV upped from 2 years to 4 years for example. Sams because it virtually empty every time I go in and very easy to do my shopping. Sams house brand, Members Mark, is good quality for stuff like laundry detergent. I think they have great prices on meat as well.

 

[CoolChange]

I buy a lot of meat/seafood/dairy and fresh produce at Costco, something I never bought at Sam's.

Oh yeah and wine.

Based on over a decade of professional experience with major beef, pork and other commodity producers in the USA, I am equally comfortable buying my meat at Sam's, Costco or BJ's. Also based on this experience (what the clubs demand from producers), I am more comfortable buying food at these clubs than most any other retail outlet.

I have switched between Sam's and Costco over the years, mostly based on convenience, including pricing & availability of specific big-ticket items. We do not have BJ's in my area; so, I have never actually been a consumer there.

 

[Amethyst]

The meat at our BJs has always been fresh and good quality. I think the turnover is so fast in these club stores that stuff doesn't have a chance to get "old." Even the candy is fresher than grocery store candy.

I have switched between Sam's and Costco over the years, mostly based on convenience, including pricing & availability of specific big-ticket items. We do not have BJ's in my area; so, I have never actually been a consumer there.

 

[CoolChange]

The meat at our BJs has always been fresh and good quality. I think the turnover is so fast in these club stores that stuff doesn't have a chance to get "old." Even the candy is fresher than grocery store candy.

I have also never seen any of these clubs play the same kind of games with fresh meat that you might encounter at other outlets:

• Mechanical tenderizing (I consider this dangerous since I like my beef on the rare side.)

• Saline injections (Frankly, I think this is just a way to get uneducated consumers to buy very expensive water.)