Maybe “some” would switch memberships if a price increase occurred, but it’s unlikely IMO that many would, and a 5 or 10 dollar membership increase would likely bring more to their bottom line than would a hypothetical 15- 50 cent increase in the cost of the hot dog deal.
Adding on to my previous post:
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100%! I would never switch from Costco to Sam’s Club. If Costco membership prices ever rose high enough to give me pause (highly doubtful) I might consider canceling if I feel it’s no longer worth it based on my shopping needs, but I would never consider switching.
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We are all primarily Costco members but I admit to buying Sam’s when they have sales making membership $0-$20 (after credits). Sometimes it’s just handy to be able to go to Sam’s to buy things Costco doesn’t stock. Costco is a 5 minute drive from our house and has very nice staff, so it’s definitely my preferred place.
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Both Sams and Costco are equidistant from our home. I tried Sams this year when they had a membership special. I bought only one small-ticket item on sale when I was checking out the store. In general, I did not see enough reasons to renew, and Costco was a much friendlier experience.
For those of you with both memberships, what types of items does Sams carry that Costco does not, making it worth two memberships?
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Many years ago I had both memberships. The one thing I remember liking at Sam’s was salsa. They had a kind I really liked. They also had a traveling show thing with cheese, and had a huge barrel of chese thing they were shaving pieces off. My daughter was about 2 and LOVED it. We kept having to stroll by it and everyone was laughing as she was definitely eating her weight in cheese samples.
Sam’s isn’t close enough to have a membership be worth it.
I like Costco for the non-grocery things they have, like eyeglasses, travel (just booked a rental car), phones, computers, often because of the extended warranty.
Honestly, the product offerings are just slightly different “flavors” of the same products. For us, it’s not worth having 2 memberships. What’s even funnier, our local HEB grocery store carries the same items we buy in bulk for the same or cheaper than Costco or Sam’s.
My parents at one time had a membership to Costco, Sam’s and BJ’s. It was just the 2 of them, but there was something at each store that they liked. I also think it gave them something to do in their 60’s-80’s during retirement; it was an outing to drive to the warehouse and walk around for an hour or so!
Dad’s coffee was only at BJ’s, he liked the large muffins which at Sam’s you could get a pack of mixed flavors, whereas at Costco you could only get one flavor per half dozen. At some point they dropped BJ’s and Sam’s, which were farther from their home. Mom still has Costco as she has their Citi Visa, but she hasn’t been in the store for at least 6 months.
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We’ve been members of Sam’s Club for years, and recently joined the newly built Costco in our area. We like Sam’s because we can order online for pickup (much quicker, and less temptation to buy things that aren’t on the list), free shipping, and Scan & Go. We have an upgraded membership, which is mostly paid for by the amount of cash back we earn each year.
Our Costco is closer than our Sam’s (10 minutes vs 25). We’re enjoying it for the ability to run in and quickly buy fruits and veggies at better prices/quality than the local grocery stores.
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Store the lychees in the fridge! My husband left them on the counter, and they got moldy in 2 days. 
But they were yummy before that. We also had cherries for $5.99 for a 2 pound pack.
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The cherries at our Costco yesterday were $8/pack! But I also picked up some lychees - I love them. So here is a question: I always thought prices were consistent across all the Costcos, but that is apparently not the case. Does anyone know the answer?
We have been to Costcos in several states (and also in BC and Cancun!), and while some items are priced the same across the board, there is definitely price variation. I guess it depends on local delivery costs etc. Costco magazine never lists prices likely for this reason.
Prices vary on some (not all) items. I expect there are different operating costs at different warehouses. Competition with a nearby Sam’s Club also can influence prices. Costco’s website states the following:
Many factors play into why there can be price differences on the same items at different Costco warehouse locations. Our location managers and buying teams keep a close watch on inventory and pricing. At times, our suppliers may adjust item prices on additional shipments. Sometimes, local competition might affect the price of that item.
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There are 8 regions. Within each region, you will find similar items and pricing.
Costco has buyers based in each of its eight regions who are tasked with determining the best mix of products for their respective areas. This allows them to respond to regional tastes and preferences, and offer more of what members in those communities like.
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Here’s an interesting article on Costco
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Sometimes an item will be on clearance at a very low price at one Costco while at full Costco price at their store 10-15 miles away.
Prices in HI are often somewhat higher than on continental US. Prices are still generally significantly lower than other local markets, especially meat and produce.
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At this point, the cherries I bought are coming from California. I bought some yesterday at our local fruit market.
They should be and may already be in season in Washington state. So they should be cheaper on the west coast than the Midwest.
When cherries are local here in Michigan, I pay a king’s ransom for them. Strawberries also but the season is over before it starts.
Local produce should be cheaper because of shipping costs. Isn’t always but it seems like it should.
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Could your local version be organic and the others not? I know sometimes I’ll see organic and nonorganic versions of fruits in my local Costco with different prices but sometimes they only seem to have one or the other version in stock. This is especially true for berries.
Our cherries (Ohio) were also around $8/pack. Which I am HAPPY to pay as they are big, firm and delicious and still WAY cheaper than buying them by the pound - here in Ohio anyway! Not one of them goes to waste.
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