Costco Wholesale

I went in and got a Costco membership for a year because they had something that BJ’s didn’t. All in all, I guess I still favor BJ’s more, maybe it’s due to familiarity. Strangely enough though, the one thing I do like better at Costco is the clothing selection. I mean, honestly, I don’t go to these places seeking out clothes, but for some reason, I couldn’t help myself here. I found some good long-​sleeved pullovers and sweaters for my husband, and a comfy nylon workout shirt for myself; that still gets confused for Lululemon or Under Armour to this day. Score!

Note: I only went in for food, I was shopping at IKEA next door earlier. Craved pizza randomly…
The food is delicious and super cheap. $ 3 chicken bake, $ 10 18″ pizza, $ 1.50 hotdog/​soda combo and $ 1.xx ice cream sundae. Best prices anywhere!
The pizza was cheesy and thick crust. Very filling and satisfying. They did not skimp at all on any of the toppings and still manage to charge half the price of any other pizza joint.
Hot dog was ¼ pound, all beef. Bigger than most places. Came with refillable drink. Nothing anywhere can beat that.
Chicken bake and ice cream were both super yummy. Actually went back and got more.
Best of all, didn’t even need a membership.
Only complaint was the cashier. The first one was nice and patient. The second one when I went back for more chicken bake was curt and annoyed. Need better training for her definitely.

Since I don’t live anywhere near the general vicinity of Costco, the supreme budget shopper in me was dying to try it out after an IKEA trip. Since Costco is constantly raved and praised by lit. everyone I know (especially their locations in Japan) I was ready to check out the hype machine and take a look around.
It was alright.
I was disappointed right off the bat to find out that unlike other wholesale chains that they don’t offer a trial membership. Since we were traveling back and forth to IKEA for a big project I was ready to jump on the opportunity and make some purchases. Alas, it was not to be.
After looking at prices and the food varieties they offered, I really wasn’t blown away. Most, if not all of the prices I looked at in their meat department were comparable or in a couple cases, more, than what I normally pay at my local stores. Granted I live out of state and for all I know, the prices may generally be more than where I live so in that regard, I give them the benefit of the doubt.
The rest of their snacks, canned goods, pasta, etc were also generally the same deal as the meat. I spied a very large box of morning blueberry biscuits the hubby loves for about $ 10: I had purchased the same bulk box in the same variety a couple weeks before at my local Job Lot for $ 4.99. I honestly didn’t find a single deal that blew me away.
I will however, give them the 3 stars for their AMAZING snack bar. $ 1.50 for a giant hot dog with all the fixins? YES PLEASE. Their ice cream sundaes are also equally amazing.
Overall, I suppose I can see the appeal depending on local prices. I for one, have always preferred to shop around to find discounts so someplace like Costco isn’t really for me.
I do give them huge props for treating their employees well!

Love this store. Prices are great, prepared foods are wonderful, the selection of meats and liquor in particular are unparalleled in terms of other club stores. The staff is also helpful and friendly. The free samples are just an added bonus! Totally worth the money for a membership.

Slightly smaller costco with very few shoppers and usually a lot of free samples compared to west coast stores. Very friendly and helpful staff.
Zero line at yhe pharmacy on a saturday

Love shopping here! Samplings of food and drinks as you shop. A pack of prosciutto is like $ 10, 36 eggs for $ 5, and lamb rack at $ 12/​lb. Great deals!

Nice Costco I like it. I like shirts, cheeses, baby diapers, laundry stuffs, dry fruits, pastas and other food, juices and cleaning stuffs are amazing. Costco have nice reasonable 1hr photo service.

I am very happy that they are selling more organic food products.
I would not get your cartridges filled there. They may be cheaper but your printer can detect that it is not new and does not print as efficiently.

Love the Avon, MA Costco. Much quieter than the Dedham, MA Costco, but you have to get there within two hours after they open on a weekend to avoid the crowds — especially right by the free samples aisles. Also fun for people watching. Take my word and go there. Major plus is that you’re next to a huge IKEA if you get bored or need cheap furniture for your trendy apartment. ;)

I guess I’m used to the Costcos on the West Coast being twice the size of this one. There are some items I love buying at Costco, but I could not find them here. Furniture selection is pretty much obsolete. The fruits and veggies were not fresh. It was good to stock up on some basic necessities, but I wasn’t really impressed with the savings.
I’m giving 3-​stars because I love Costco. However this one is very lackluster compared to other Costcos out there.

It’s a pretty good CostCo that’s convenient if you are stopping at Ikea or the other various stores in the area. I love the bulk foods, love the samples, love the gummy vitamins, love the liquor selection. The Kirkland vodkas are both good; the pricier one that says it’s made in France is supposed to be made by the same people as Grey Goose so you get the same for less! Better on a weeknight than on a weekend but I’ve never had too much problem getting in and out in an okay amount of time. They have pretty good dog food, too, no grain options!
I love me some CostCo. Take your friends to shop for themselves too! As long as they will pay with AmEx or a debit card you’re good to go.

This is a pretty decent Costco! They have more stuff in stock than some other locations, and it’s never all that busy.

I regularly buy many basics there. I have the room and like to have stuff on hand and not shop so often.
But I must resist buying fruits and vegetables there. This week I boughta rotten pineapple and a box of moldy strawberries.
Last time it was the cucumbers that were bad.

Bulk food. Bulk prices.
Walk in with strangers, sample.
Cash for your hot dog.
I adore Costco. I’ve never actually had my own membership, but I’ll go in with anyone as long as I can experience THE BEST $ 1.50 hot-​diggity-​dog IN THE WORLD! Seriously, Costco hasn’t changed the price of this 1lb hotdog since 1996 and you cannot go wrong on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Sorry Ikea…

Better living with Costco
For all those who have never stepped foot inside a Costco because of a fear of bulk packaging or concrete floors, let me share some secrets. Costco does two things well that really set it apart from the other big box stores: quality product selection and margin cost pricing. If margin cost pricing brings flashbacks of sweaty college final exams for you, relax: I was an economics major and can guide you through this one. Costco adds a relatively low percentage over its costs when pricing the goods it sells. That’s it. It does not try to get the highest dollar or «market» price, and the results are much lower overall prices. And Costco applies this policy to name brand, quality products and you enjoy the benefits. The result, for example, is that you can buy a fantastic bottle of 2010 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir for $ 23 that the wine shop down the street carries for $ 36. Look at the jewelry case and find Michelle watches for hundreds of dollars less than elsewhere.
And that Pinot Noir and Michelle watches bring up the second point: Costco does a lot of the product selection for you before something hits the shelves, so you won’t be confronted with dozens of different choices leaving you feeling slightly flummoxed about which product to buy, maybe a little unsure that you purchased the «right» one after you leave and certainly wasting your time in the process. Instead, Costco puts excellent products on its shelves and in its refrigerated cases with somewhat limited choices, and when you put something in your cart there is a high degree of confidence that you will be happy with your purchase when you get home. And if not, Costco will just as happily refund your money. In years shopping there, I have never had a problem returning anything.
Among the things you may not have been expecting to find at Costco: roses, meats, fresh fish, cheese, fruits (huge pineapples for a couple of bucks), and rotisserie chickens (which are large and simply delicious). There are also slowly rotating seasonal items, along with all the staples. So, lots of toys around Christmas, replaced by furniture after the holidays, outdoor living gear in late spring, etc. Every Costco is a little different, and the best way to see if you actually like your nearest one is to grab one of those oversized shopping carts and take the plunge. You’ll find me in front of the King Crab display with a couple bottles of a nice German Riesling in my cart.

Waltham location is not my usual Costco store (Everett one is), but I like it more, since it is probably the best maintained and laid out one in the area. I also like garage parking, so you don’t have to rush to pack your items in the car while it is raining. Big plus, when you got a kid with you.

I have been a member here for a long time; I usually can find what I am looking for, if it is from a TV to movie tickets to K-​cups coffee to laundry detergent.
They also have samples on food Demo items every afternoon.
Most items do come in bulk, so prepare to have it for a long time.
They also have a pharmacy here, which I do not use. But, I like to get my allergy medicine here; it is much cheaper than going to a regular pharmacy.

Like I said before… this place is worth every membership dime. We love to stock up here on our basic items. If you share the membership cost with another family member it really can make a difference. Yummy Einstein bagels galore! And the pizza here is AMAZING! Who would have thought Costco pizza could be that good?!!

In the 2006 satirical comedy, Idiocracy, 500 years into the future, the world has degenerated into a dystopia where commercialism and anti-​intellectualism run rampant. Part of the film takes place at Costco which is depicted as a city-​sized store with its own transit system. I don’t think we’re quite at that point yet, but one could argue that we are well on our way towards it.
There is a stereotype about shopping at Costco where if you do you have to buy sixteen gallons of mayonnaise or 42 pairs of tube socks. True, a lot of things are packaged to buy in bulk, and whether or not that is the best for you is your own decision. Costco might not be the right place for everyone, and to get the best value from your membership and the biggest bang for your buck its all about what and how you buy.
We are all consumers, whether shopping as an individual, for a family, or a small business, and you will encounter all three of these at here. Before you consider shopping here you really need to be aware of what your purchasing habits are and what products you frequently use. For some people buying in larger quantities at Costco is just not going to be as cost effective as the traditional method of shopping at a groceries or discount retail store.
Nobody can deny that Costco is a unique store, they offer a variety of goods and services and have a little bit of everything; food, health & beauty, laundry detergents, household items, electronics, bicycles, alcohol, clothes, and the list could just go on and on. They offer a photo lab, bakery, pharmacy, and eye care as well.
One thing I almost always pick up on a trip to Costco is their rotisserie chicken, it’s always fresh off the cooker and the chicken is always moist & delicious. Sometimes one just isn’t enough, so I’ll pick up two and get a few meals out of ‘em.
If you enjoy your wine and spirits you’ll feel like a kid in a candy shop when stepping into their alcohol section, they have a decent selection of common top shelf brand name liquors (Grey Goose, Absolute, Smirnoff, Jose Cuervo) as well as a variety of beer & wine, all for prices lower than what your local packie can offer.
I have always enjoyed perusing the electronics as well as the media (books, DVDs, Cd’s, video games) sections. They don’t have an extensive collection but they’re always getting in the latest new releases and will always have a variety of older & newer releases. They will also often have bundles, multipacks, etc.
My family and I have been members at Costco Wholesale since 1994 and while there have been changes big & small it has almost always been for the best. The store is always brightly lit & clean and the bathrooms are usually spotless. The employees are very friendly; a lot of them have been working there as long as I’ve been going there.
Possibly my favorite part of a visit to Costco is stopping at their little snack bar. It makes for a nice pit stop on the commute home or for some midday munching. The menu is very basic, but everything is delicious and you definitely get your money’s worth.
You can get a giant hot dog and soda for a buck fifty (at least as of my last visit there, its been a couple months). They also have pizza, Italian sausage, Cesar chicken bake, frozen yogurt, fruit smoothies, super pretzels, and cinnamon sugar churros. Also if you call ahead you can get an entire deluxe pizza to go for less than ten bucks!
Sometimes it’s nice to just stop and relax for a few minutes (especially after walking a mile through the store) and watch all the comings & goings. The seating is your basic picnic bench style, and occasionally it goes unattended, so I always grab a few extra napkins just in case. This is nowhere near fine dining, but for the price and convenience you simply can’t beat it. Heck, there have been occasions where I’ve stopped in simply to pick up a hot dog.
Back to the store… there is ample parking, but the lot it can often be a nightmare. You have to watch out for people in their own little world walking up the middle of the strip completely unaware of their surroundings, old ladies, large shopping carts, larger SUVs, slow drivers, and maniacs. Like at most stores it seems that most people want to try and grab the closest parking space to the entrance as possible and will circle around until they find one. Myself, I park over by the tire shop, I might have to walk an extra ten or twenty yards, but I’m guaranteed a spot and its easier to get in & out as I don’t have to worry about people walking behind me or cutting me off.
To reiterate, Costco is really a store where your mileage will vary, it all depends on your shopping needs and what you buy. If savings is your bottom line (and really, these days, who’s isn’t) you really need to know your prices. Its not a store for everybody, but in my experience as a member and customer over the last 16 years has been positive.

I hadn’t planned on joining Costco, but after pricing my daughter’s new prescription glasses (and of course stylish frames) at a variety of places including Costco, it was actually still cheaper to join Costco and get the glasses there.
Bonus-​this location has alcohol (DiSaronno 750 for $ 19 and change-​good deal). The selection is pretty limited, but the prices are good. They do have a variety of Yellow Tail (ehh) in the large bottle & a few micro brews by the case.
I’ll go 3.25 stars-​the cheap liquor bumped up the mega store a little. Lost .75 star because walking around in these places makes my head hurt. And my feet. And my wallet. Must go home and enjoy a warming glass of DiSaronno…