Costco.com is getting big improvements

For many people, joining Costco is a smart personal finance decision. The savings you can achieve through membership benefits can more than offset the cost of your annual membership.

Now you have options when shopping at Costco. You can purchase items directly from your local warehouse club store, or purchase them online and have them delivered to your door.

Of course, the problem with shopping at Costco.com is that you almost always pay more than you would in the store, assuming you can buy it both online and offline for a particular item. For example, a bulk package of tissues worth $20 may cost only $18 in the store because shipping is usually included when purchased online.

However, purchasing a specific Costco.com item at your local store does not mean that option exists. Costco’s online inventory can be more extensive than its in-store inventory, especially in certain categories. So, you may end up paying online prices for whatever you want because the item isn’t available locally.

But wouldn’t it be nice to know for sure whether a particular item is or isn’t available in your local store? Soon you will have that information at your fingertips.

Good changes are coming to Costco.com

Certain items on Costco.com are designated as online-only items. So in this case, if you want the item in question, your only option is to buy it online and have it delivered.

However, in some cases, there is the potential to save money by purchasing certain items at a local store instead of online. The problem is, what do you do if you’re not sure you can find the item locally?

Recently, Richard Galanti, Costco’s newly retired CFO, said the company was aiming to fix this problem. On the company’s most recent earnings call, he said the company would soon make its warehouse club inventory available online. The feature is not yet available, but will be in the near future.

Here you can see if a specific item is available in a store near you. You can then decide whether it is worth it to make the trip.

As Galanti explained, once this new system is fully set up, you’ll be able to “look at something you want to buy online, and if it’s available in one or two locations in your zip code where you typically shop, that is, where you physically shop, we’ll let you know that you can buy it there.” .And in most cases, it will be cheaper to go and buy it in person because online prices can be higher.”

If possible, I recommend shopping directly at Costco.

If you don’t have access to a car, shopping at Costco.com can be much easier than shopping at your local store. But otherwise, shopping in person at Costco has its advantages.

First of all, the credit card tab is usually smaller than when shopping online. But you can also get a better understanding of what you’re buying by seeing it in person.

Costco is also known for its free food samples. Trying this will give you more confidence when taking your groceries home.

If you tend to shop at Costco online because you don’t like crowded stores, you should know that weekday crowds tend to be lighter than those seen on the weekends. Another good strategy is to go to Costco when it first opens.

One downside to being the first one in the door is arriving too early to enjoy the variety of samples. But the good thing is that you can get your shopping done much faster.

It’s good to see that Costco is investing in improving its website experience. Finding out what your options are when purchasing the products you need locally can save you money.

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