I guess it depends on the individual. I don’t use delivery services like Instacart because I like to select my products (especially fresh produce and meats) myself. I did try delivery service twice and didn’t like it either time. Oh well, I’m glad that it works for others and it is available for those who need or want it. Looks like you got great deals, @Data10!
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Many people have similar feelings, which relates to why there are often such good deals on delivery, motivating people to give it a try. Like Instacart, Uber Eats, and others; Costco also occasionally offers this type of motivating delivery deal, as I noted in my earlier post. I agree that delivery works far better for packaged items than for fresh produce. I also prefer to choose produce myself, so I generally buy as little fruit as possible in delivery orders. I included produce in the order above because I didn’t want to make a separate shopping trip for just fruit.
In addition to cost savings, I like delivery for time savings. I find this time saving is particularly helpful for Costco delivery, as Costco is a greater distance away and takes more time to shop. This relates to why Costco removing Instacart gift cards a few weeks ago is such a big deal to me. Costco is on Instacart, and Costco Sameday is powered by Instacart. With both delivery options, you could previously get a 20% discount by paying with Instacart gift cards purchased at Costco. This 20% discount made delivery slightly less expensive than shopping in store (prior to savings from gas + wear on car), as the 20% discount more than cancelled out the markup. Now that gift cards are gone, I’m left with the unpleasant choice of either having to shop in store on days I’d prefer to use my time for something else or paying an extra close to 20% markup on my order.
I just returned from Costco. This was my first in-store trip in more than 3 months. I intentionally went during normal work hours (arrived at 12:30 on Friday), thinking the crowds would be smaller during work hours than weekend. It may have been lighter traffic than the weekend, but Costco was the busiest I have seen the store in a while, with the giant parking lot at completely full capacity. Changes or unexpected outcomes include:
- For the first time, my items were prescanned while waiting in the long line to check out. There was no moving/removing anything from cart to belt. Instead I was given a prescan card that the cashier scanned. Costco checkouts seem to be run more efficiently than other stores.
- Earlier in the thread I mentioned Doordash gift cards are no longer available. Doordash gift cards were sold in store, even though they are not sold online. Unfortunately Instacart gift cards are not available both in store and online.
- Pet supplies were moved to the opposite side of the store. This is a reasonable location for pet supplies, but moving things to the opposite side of the store from one visit to the next can make it difficult to find what I am looking for, particularly when aisles don’t have labels and there are a limited number of employees to ask.
- For the first time I was told they could not clean my hearing aids while I shopped. Instead if I wanted them cleaned, I’d need to return back at 4pm, > 3 hours later to pick them up. Perhaps this relates to the increased number of shoppers in store.
- Bounty paper towels are on sale for $5 off this month, but the sticker price at my store had increased by nearly $5 since my previous purchase in February. I haven’t seen Costco increase sticker prices to support a greater discount like this before. I hope this is not a new policy.
Everything I wanted to buy was in stock, and aside from the Bounty towels mentioned above, everything was the same price as my previous trip. The huge crowds made the shopping experience less pleasant for me, as well as more time consuming. The trip took 1 hour 20 minutes – 30 minutes driving + 50 minutes shopping. Overall it was a negative experience, and I’d prefer to spend my time doing something else.
My updated plan is to stock up during the month my membership expires, let my membership expire, then rejoin when my Costco supplies start to run low… most likely a few months later. If Costco starts selling something new that I like or has a genuine sale on something I like (not a discount from recently raised prices), I may rejoin earlier.
@Data10 — that’s pretty much the strategy we employ at Sam’s Club. It’s not convenient to our home, so we rarely go and I only buy a membership when they are having a sale making new membership free or practically free. We let the membership lapse and then don’t bother to get another membership unless there’s something that we REALLY want and my siblings don’t pick up for us at our request with their membership (like the chewable fiber gummies that Costco no longer carries)—my sister works right next to Sam’s and picked it up last time we were running low. Most of my sibs are members of both clubs but since we rarely ever go to Sam’s we let it lapse a lot.
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We live just a few miles from a BJ’s and our closet Costco is 40 minutes away, but I’m thinking this benefit alone might be worth it. I hear they have more vegan products than BJ’s so I’m going to check it out.
S23 is at CSU and they use his roommates card to stock up on toilet paper and essentials. I might just get our own membership and give him the second card.
What did we say the basic membership is? $60? For that price I feel you can pretty easily make the membership worth it if you got 10 times a year and get gas there regularly.
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Costco is a zoo. I only go when it first opens (usually on a weekend). If not, I just dont go.
Im also not waiting in line 5 minutes to save 5 cents a gallon on gas either.
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So interesting! Even when busy our check out lines are usually no more than 5-7 mins long. And our gas is consistently 20-30 cents lower per gallon.
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You probably dont live in a state where a new Raising Canes caused traffic jams requiring police to direct traffic.
The same state where Chick Fila also created a traffic jam when it opened several years ago.
And Costco? Yeah. Good luck.
Actually in the city of one of ours, YES, exactly as you state - long lines into the road for chicken.
If Costco is not for you that’s ok.
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Ditto here. I detest Chick… for that particular reason. They have zero parking. Hence people using public streets to line up.
Costcos here can be a zoo, but there is always ample parking to accommodate all shoppers. And no skinny “compact” spaces. 
Not sure what the gas savings there are as we fill off our roof.
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Do we live in the same place? Whenever a new fast food place opens, police are required to direct traffic for the opening weekend. Then it backs into traffic on its own for the next 3-6 months!
Of course we don’t have a Costco, so probably not the same place! But I’m driving 50 miles each way to save a few cents on gas either
People have not yet discovered the Costco that opened in Scarborough, ME (outside of Portland) in ‘23, so DH enjoys that one. When was the last time you saw a Costco with an almost empty parking lot and almost no one inside? It will be interesting to see if it has caught on yet when we return next month. I think the relatively sparse population and the fact that New Englanders have BJ’s memberships might account for the low volume at this store. I’ve been there with DH three or four times and have never seen the parking lot even 1/4 filled.
Costco increased membership from $60 to $65 in September 2024.
Like other products, Costco has little markup for gas. This typically results in lower prices than most gas stations, but not all gas stations. A minority of gas stations have near zero markup or even sell gas at a loss. Convenience store products typically have a huge markup, so gas stations may be able to make a net profit while selling gas below
their cost and below Costco’s low markup.
Some specific numbers for SD are below. In the first post of this thread, I mentioned stopping at 2 of these locations (La Jolla Post and Son’s) when I happened to be driving by. At the time, they were 40-45 cents lower than my nearest Costco. However, if I instead stopped by the gas station that is within walking distance of my home, price would be $4.99 – 50 cents more than my nearest Costco. Costco is ~40 cents less than the average gas price in the county. This is the usual pattern in my area. If I make an effort to find low priced gas, I can find something lower than Costco that I will drive by from time to time. However, if I compare to typical gas stations in my area, Costco is lower.
Lowest Prices That I believe Are Correctly Reported for CC Payment
Horizon – $4.09 (Indian reservation)
La Jolla Post – $4.19 (Indian reservation)
Super Star – $4.19 (recent Lake Murray Blvd price war)
Mohsen Oil – $4.24 (sometimes requires cash)
Express Gas – $4.25 (recent Lake Murray Blvd price war)
Son’s – $4.27 (decades long price war with United Oil)
United Oil – $4.29 (decades long price war with Son’s)Current Costco Gas Prices
La Mesa – $4.19 (may be matching Super Star that is located ~1 mile away)
Santee – $4.24
La Jolla – $4.39
San Marcos – $4.39
All Others (typical price) – $4.49
Mission Valley – $4.59
I respect your numbers and data. The average shopper is not taking that all into account and other things may fall into the benefit category that are not saving $5 here and there.
$65 still reasonable and most people can still afford to get the $1.50 hot dog! (Which I still haven’t had yet).
I would also venture to say that Costco is a form of entertainment for a lot of people. Visit any day when the retirees are there! It’s an occasion! And cheaper to waste 2 hours there than 2 hours at a movie theater - you can pay for that $65 membership in a couple of trips to the movie for 2 people !
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I remember reading somewhere that if your membership expires and then you reapply they backdate when your membership starts to that date. You would not be getting 12 months from when you start your “new” membership, but 9 using your example. I would double check if your thoughts about getting a “new” membership would be subject to this rule as it may not get you anything.
For us, the warehouse store is all about convenience. It’s near our house, has great meat and fish. The hanging plants are a bargain. Gas is cheaper than most other places and we have a credit card that gives us 10 cents off their price. In the winter, their produce is consistently great.
So…we go there.
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It’s backdate up to 60 days after renewal, and if >60 days, switch membership to actual renewal date. You would indeed be getting 12 months in your example, as your example is more than 60 days. You can also get a refund of membership if unsatisfied for any reason, so if you complain about backdate, you could get backdate changed and/or full refund.
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I’m sure I don’t save much at Costco, if anything I spend more. But I’m spending more on products I can’t buy anywhere else unless I drive an hour to TJ or Whole Foods. H likes the tire and wine departments. I get a rebate from an executive membership and a Costco Visa. I prefer to purchase smaller amounts of fruits and vegetables as spoilage can be an issue. Sampling a product before you buy it is also a plus for us.
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Yikes on the CA gas prices. Costco gas at our local AZ store is $3.40/gal. (I know, I know, everything is more expensive in CA.)
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