Costco Business Centers Offer Huge Savings. But Can You Shop There?

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You can buy 72 Kellogg’s Eggo Waffles for $13.99 at Costco Business Centers. Find out whether you qualify for exclusive bulk savings. 

Costco Business Centers can feel more exclusive than Costco Executive memberships. There are 24 locations clustered within 12 states, sweetening the in-store shopping experience for only a few lucky locals.

Are you one of them? Check out whether you’ve got a Costco Business Center near you:

Phoenix, ArizonaCommerce, CaliforniaHawthorne, CaliforniaHayward, CaliforniaNorth Hollywood, CaliforniaSacramento, CaliforniaSan Diego, CaliforniaSan Jose, CaliforniaSan Marcos, CaliforniaSouth San Francisco, CaliforniaWestminster, CaliforniaDenver, ColoradoOrlando, FloridaMorrow, GeorgiaHonolulu, HawaiiChicago, IllinoisMinneapolis, MinnesotaHackensack, New JerseyLas Vegas, NevadaDallas, TexasStafford, TexasSalt Lake City, UtahFife, WashingtonLynnwood, Washington

Business Centers offer huge savings to bulk shoppers. But can regular members shop there? And how are they different from regular Costco locations? Read on to find out more.

Regular members can shop at Business Centers

You just need a standard Costco membership to shop. Bring the card, and you’re golden. No, you don’t need to own a business to buy that cheap snack pack you’ve got your eye on.

You can shop in-store or via the Costco Business Center website. Delivery takes just two days to select areas (check your address on the site). Before ordering online, know this: Business Centers only deliver to commercial addresses. So, you can’t order direct delivery to your home.

Or can you?

Technically, you can get Costco products delivered to your doorstep. But you must go through Instacart, the online delivery service (no membership required). Prices will be higher than shopping in-store, but you can still take advantage of bulk discounts.

Costco Business vs. regular Costco

It’s true — Business Centers offer huge savings to regular Costco members. But there are differences between the two warehouses.

More than 70% of Business Delivery products are different from those found at a typical Costco warehouse, according to the Costco website. Think office supplies, quality furniture, and snacks. Lots and lots of snacks, in bulk. You can buy 50 bags of Lay’s Potato Chips for $21.69!

Costco Business Centers cater to businesses, no surprise there. Hotels might actually need packs of five dozen Kirkland eggs for $11.19, or two dozen washcloths for $24.79. Restaurants might appreciate three-gallon beverage dispensers and stainless steel serving spoons.

That said, cheap is cheap. Regular members enjoy the extensive selection of drinks, candy, and chips. You won’t find much (if any) in the way of jewelry or clothing, but you’ll be spoiled with frozen meats and kitchen equipment.

Prices vary. Business warehouse items may be slightly cheaper than identical products at regular Costcos. It’s worth checking out the website for in-store prices.

Save extra on purchases

Online shoppers can save money on checkout by buying in bulk. Costco Business Center charges $25 for orders under $250. If you only plan to purchase one or two items, consider shopping in-store to avoid the hit to your business checking account.

You can save more by buying pallets or truckloads. Business Centers can deliver enough insulated cups and stir sticks to last a year for your office. Not sure what a “growing family” would do with a truckload of Costco soap, but the website says it’s happy to deliver that, too.

In-store customers can save money by checking out with a cash back credit card. The best of these offer up to 5% back on purchases. It’s an easy way to shave $5 off a $100 purchase.

TL;DR: Costco Business Centers offer huge savings to Costco members. Products are different from regular Costcos, and they’re sold in bulk. You don’t need to own a business to shop there, but business owners may benefit most. Happy shopping!

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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.Cole Tretheway 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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