<p>I’ve used the Costco discount codes for booking car rentals.</p>
<p>The best thing bout Costco car rental is that it always includes the second driver. Saves lots of money. I use Costco exclusively now for my car rentals.</p>
<p>I have had a Sam’s membership for years and I really like it. It is much closer to me than Costco. I know the store so I can get in, find what I want and get out. I just was not impressed the couple times I have been to Costco with a friend. The prices seemed higher than Sam’s. I also really am happy with the quality of meat at Sam’s.</p>
<p>I used to be a retail analyst and in my opinion, Costco is the best retailer in the world. They treat everyone from suppliers, employees, customers, shareholders & bondholder with equal respect. Can’t say that about WalMart, Sam’s owners. </p>
<p>They have a simple strategy - price everything for a 12-15% margin and control administrative costs. For the 9 months ending May 2012, membership fees accounted for 76% of operating income. This means to me, they are running the business to maximize value to customers. I was sold at an analyst meeting over 10 years ago when the CEO/founder shot down a hot-shot Wall Street analyst telling them they needed to buy back shares to boost stock price by telling him it wasn’t all about share price - he ran a business. </p>
<p>The quality of the private label products is great. Regarding meat, compare the labels - WalMart is known to amp up weights with saline solution at their supercenters; not sure if Sam’s does it. </p>
<p>If you can find one with wine. it’s the cheapest around. </p>
<p>Here’s a great story on them if you have the time to watch it. (watch it on a plane a few weeks ago)</p>
<p>[The</a> Costco Craze: Inside the Warehouse Giant - CNBC](<a href=“http://www.cnbc.com/id/46603589]The”>The Costco Craze: Inside the Warehouse Giant)</p>
<p>I know this sounds very shallow but one thing that I have noticed is that Costco seems nicer inside. Sams just seems too much like a backstreet warehouse. I know they are both warehouses but the general feel is better at Costco. It must be the displays or something. I feel the same way about Target over Wal Mart. I have both memberships but really shop at Costco 97% of the time over Sam’s.</p>
<p>toledo - Thanks! Great article. I have been a member of Sam’s for the past 5 years and I didn’t know they fixed flats! I will try to take my car in this weekend because one of the tires seems to be losing air faster than the others.</p>
<p>nj2011mom - you said, “If you can find one with wine. it’s the cheapest around.” I’m assuming you mean of the state law allows the sale of wine in a grocery store, but otherwise Costco carries wine right? I came from LA where liquor and wine are both sold in grocery stores, but in Texas they only allow wine. I rarely buy liquor, but when I do it’s inconvenient to have to go to a separate store to get it.</p>
<p>I’ve been told you can get your prescriptions filled at Costco even if you are not a member. For some reason “they have to”.</p>
<p>Oh, and I haven’t been to Sam’s in a very long while, but Costco meats and Kirkland products are VERY good quality. kirkland Ice cream is actually Haagan Das. In my county there is just no where else you can get “prime” grade beef.</p>
<p>Not all Costco’s carry wine. As many states, NJ has some arcane liquor laws, so the 3 Costsco’s I go to do not, but there is one about 30 minutes aawy that has a full liquor store. Friends of mine say it’s worth the trip for a big enough party.</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, me & many of our extended family originally were members of both Sam’s & Costco. Finally most of us dropped Sam’s because we found we mostly were shopping at Costco because their clothing & much of their merchandise seemed somewhat higher quality to us, plus their location was nearer our homes (within 5 miles). The three of the four family members who retained their Sam’s memberships work less than a mile from Sam’s or live within 5 miles of a Sam’s.</p>
<p>I have been very happy using Costco for car rentals and generally find prices that our travel agent can’t match, which allow a second driver at no additional cost! Costco travel also has pretty good rates for cruises, which our friends used. Have not much experience at Sam’s; have been there as a guest about half-a-dozen times. They do have reasonable furniture–we bought several nice wooden dining chairs from them.</p>
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<p>I love Costco (and BJs), but Hotwire.com has unbeatable rental prices–even if you have to pay for a second driver. You have limited flexibility if you want to change or cancel, and you can’t select a particular car, but the prices are a fraction of any alternative.</p>
<p>Have never used HotWire because we want to KNOW what rental company we will end up with and with HotWire often you don’t until after you purchase. I personally have been unhappy with Enterprise and will do what I can to avoid them. Am also leary of Fox and have never used them. Have had mostly positive experiences with other companies. ;)</p>
<p>Toured a Sam’s Club recently because there is no Costco in the town. Not impressed. But Costco can be every bit as hard on suppliers as Sam’s Club. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.ou.edu/russell/UGcomp/Cascio.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ou.edu/russell/UGcomp/Cascio.pdf</a></p>
<p>Costco, without a doubt and for hundreds of reasons, not the least of which is the way they treat their employees. Hubby started with them pushing carts in 1985 (Richmond, VA., then Price Club) and has never looked back.</p>
<p>We belonged to Pace warehouse which ultimately became SamsClub. We also belong to Costco. Stayed members of both SamsClub and Costco for many years, but fuinally cancelled Sams Club a few years ago. I think SamsClubs bakery was better (and they pipe the smell from the bakery to the entrance! Nice trick!).</p>
<p>Was at Costco today dealing with returning a brand new Dell laptop ordered online that had a broken key. They were very nice. A neighbors son works there and says the benefits and pay are phenomenal.</p>
<p>Just went to Costco today, for the 3rd day in a row. Got some of my glasses adjusted, even though they were purchased at a different Costco–very cheerful personnel. Also bought suitcases made by Briggs & Riley at nearly 1/3 of the list price–$139 instead of the listed $399! Amazing, to me! S paid $189 or more for them just shortly before this & I saw them listed at $189 there 2 weeks ago!</p>
<p>The Costco returns people are extremely nice and often they call you afterwards to be sure you had good service. I do NOT purchase optical/glasses elsewhere–service and price can’t be beaten (as admitted by our optician).</p>