Big Improvements Are Coming to Costco.com

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There’s good news for Costco shoppers who use the site and also visit the store. Read on to see what it is. [[{“value”:”

For many people, joining Costco is a savvy personal finance decision. The savings you reap from the perks of your membership might more than make up for the cost of your annual membership.

Now when it comes to shopping at Costco, you have a choice. You could buy your items in person at your local warehouse club store, or you could buy them online and have them shipped to your door.

Of course, the problem with shopping on Costco.com is that you’ll almost always pay more for a given item than you will at a store, assuming it’s available both online and in person. A $20 bulk package of tissues, for instance, might cost just $18 at the store because with the online purchase, the cost of shipping is typically built in.

However, just because you’d rather buy a given Costco.com item at your local store doesn’t mean that option will exist. Costco’s online inventory can be more extensive than its in-store inventory, especially in certain categories. So you may end up getting stuck paying the online price for whatever it is you want by virtue of not having the item available locally.

But wouldn’t it be nice to know for sure that a given item is definitely available — or not available — at a store near you? Soon, you may be able to get that information easily.

A nice change is coming to Costco.com

Certain items on Costco.com are designated as online-only items. So in that case, if you want the item in question, buying it online and having it shipped is your only choice.

But in some cases, there’s the potential to save money by buying a given item at your local store instead of online. The problem is, what if you’re not sure you’ll be able to find that item locally?

Richard Galanti, Costco’s newly-retired CFO, recently said that the company is aiming to solve that problem. During the company’ most recent earnings call, he shared that soon enough, the company will have warehouse club inventory available online. And while that feature isn’t available yet, it should be available in the near future.

From there, you’ll be able to see if a given item is available at your nearby store. And then, you can decide whether it’s worth it to make the trip or not.

As Galanti explained, once this new system is fully set up, “If you look at something to buy online and we have it in the location or two in the ZIP code where you typically shop — in the location you would shop physically, we’ll let you know you can buy there. And in many cases, it will be cheaper if you go pick it up yourself because the online costs might be higher.”

It pays to shop at Costco in person, if you can

If you don’t have access to a car, then shopping on Costco.com may be worlds easier than shopping at your local store. But otherwise, there are benefits to shopping at Costco in person.

For one thing, you’ll generally incur a smaller credit card tab compared to shopping online. But also, you may be able to get a better sense of what you’re buying by seeing it in person.

Also, Costco is known for its free food samples. Trying those out can give you more confidence in the context of bringing home grocery items.

If you tend to do your Costco shopping online because you don’t enjoy crowded stores, you should know that weekday crowds tend to be lighter than those that tend to emerge on the weekends. Another good strategy is to get to Costco when the doors first open.

One downside of being the first person in the door is that you may be there too early to enjoy a variety of samples. But on the plus side, you might finish your shopping much faster.

It’s good to see that Costco is investing in improving its website experience. Getting to see what options you have for buying the products you need locally could result in a world of savings.

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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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