What do people think of Costco?

gimme on 27/11/2013 - 08:16

I'm just curious what hard core price savvy consumers (ie Ozbargainers) think of Costco.

I went there for the first time last weekend to see what the fuss was all about.

People were climbing all over each other to buy all sorts of stuff, including piles of toilet paper!

I'd say over 95% of the items were actually more expensive than what you can get on special at Woolies/Coles on a regular basis.

I just get the feeling that people are getting carried away in the hype and thinking just because something comes in BULK or a LARGE size it's actually cheaper, where in fact a quick /kg or /item conversion demonstrates that it's not.

Since I had driven all the way there, I ended up getting a couple of items that were marginally cheaper but promptly got my membership refund on the way out as there's almost zero likelihood of me returning.

May be I was expecting too much but from my experience outside of the one-off specials that may pop up every now and again, Costco is pretty much a waste of time. I'm not really a regular shopper at Aldi but from what I've seen you get overall much better value with a lot less inconvenience.

General Discussion

Related Stores

Costco Wholesale
Costco Wholesale

Comments

  • msmhw on 27/11/2013 - 08:23

    Some people prefer to buy in bulks to save time and fuel not just the money.

    • gimme on 27/11/2013 - 08:27
      +17

      I realise that but you can also buy in bulk at Woolies/Coles if you choose to.

      • Parentheses on 01/12/2013 - 21:03
        +2

        You haven't seen bulk until you've seen Costco bulk… Woolworths/Coles/Aldi don't even rate a mention where that's concerned.

      • GMarko123 on 01/12/2013 - 21:26
        +12

        When Woolworths/Coles have their weekly specials particularly the 1/2 price ones they are great.
        I have been to Costco and was really impressed with the size of the operation but NOT THE PRICES.
        Most items were more expensive than the major supermarkets or on par. I don't think it's worth the membership. I've heard those who buy in bulk never end up using it all anyway- they throw it out as by the time they get to the bottom of the jar for example -it's out if date. There go all the $avings….
        Too much hype in my opinion. I agree with the OP.

  • shiraj on 27/11/2013 - 09:08
    +1

    I agree. I was there in Ringwood on launch day. People were shopping like it was the Boxing Day sale! Most of the items you would get cheaper at Coles or Woolies, some on special and some on normal price.

    I did get a 3 pack glen 20 that was priced wrongly though along with a couple of other things.

    However, what impressed me was the platters. These will definitely come in handy for my Kids birthdays.
    I will keep the membership - I am sure there will be specials coming up at Costco, savings of which will negate my $69 expenditure on the membership card!

    Also, 18 free eggs on opening day!!! BONUS!!

  • zrach on 27/11/2013 - 09:18
    +1

    Some items are really cheaper compared to woolies/coles even when they're on special.

  • berger on 27/11/2013 - 09:32
    +2

    One advantage is you don't need to wait for Woolies/Coles to have a special.

    Coke cans are around $14 for 24 cans every day of the week, which is not great(compared to a good special at woolies/Coles) but you know its always around that price. Costco do them for $11.99 regularly too.

    The meats seem expensive, buy you buy it in bulk, and its pretty good value, instead of buying 500gm pack, you buy 2kg+

    There is a lot of groceries you cant get at a supermarket too.

    Also, when its time to buy a new TV, or help a friend buy one, wait for the quarterly coupons as there is always a good special. if you search Costco deals here, there's been some really good deals.

    • retiredfeline on 27/11/2013 - 09:45
      +3

      Aren't they 330 ml cans rather than the 375 ml elsewhere? That should be factored in.

      • berger on 27/11/2013 - 09:54

        if it was 330ml i would have mentioned it.

      • inlina on 30/11/2013 - 08:03
        +1

        They stopped doing 330ml cans and switched to 375ml.

      • GMarko123 on 01/12/2013 - 21:29
        -3

        You are 100% correct greenpossum. People don't take that into account. They are getting less for their money.

        • berger on 01/12/2013 - 21:33
          +5

          You have just made this comment, and myself and inlina have both said 375ml. He is 0% correct, maybe 18 months ago.. But it's now 375ml

    • McLarenHonda on 01/12/2013 - 23:30
      -2

      its 20 cans

  • Baghern on 27/11/2013 - 09:43
    +3

    Heh I got a Costco card just to get a new tv.

    Walked around, not everything is a bargain, but there are a lot of good deals there.

    A friend used it to cater a Christmas party, platters are alright, not something you'd have every day, but it past muster.

  • Forfiet on 27/11/2013 - 09:46
    +8

    I'll think better of costco when my state get one!

  • Prettyinpink on 27/11/2013 - 09:57

    Thank you for this thread. I have been wanting to visit it but never got around to doing so.
    I am interested to see people's responses.

    Has anyone bought Goji berries from Costco?

    • SydBargainer on 01/12/2013 - 11:36
      +6

      You can buy goji berries from Chinese/Asian shops or health food shops. At Chinese supermarkets they're called their other name, wolfberries, and they're about half price of Coles/Woolies.

      Also, superfoods are a marketing scam.

    • lancedefrance on 01/12/2013 - 19:33
      +2

      I bought some Goji Berries just to try them, they sell them in 1KG bags for $19.95. Hope this helps.

    • mb0005 on 02/12/2013 - 18:03
      +3

      goji berries?? haha i keep hearing they can cure cancer and people sell them for $$$$$$/gram, i only just realised that my gradma and mum had been making soups from this stuff for ages and i doubt they paid more than a few cents for them at the asian grocery store!

      • Bilbo Bargains on 03/12/2013 - 09:34
        +3

        Lol same. Mum uses it to make black chicken soup all the time

        • mparf on 03/12/2013 - 10:15
          +1

          Black Chicken Soup is the best!!

  • BuyoTheCat on 27/11/2013 - 10:23
    +2

    Someone mention the quality of the meat they have there is better than Coles/Woolies. I should go take a look sometimes.

    • SydBargainer on 01/12/2013 - 11:37
      +1

      They have amazing steaks that are about 40 bucks a pop. Ridiculous fat marbling though.

  • mskeggs on 27/11/2013 - 10:26
    +12

    My take is Costco is great for non-hardcore bargainers.
    They can go buy their stuff there without any thought or bargain hunting and know they are getting much better prices than if they did the same shop at Woolies/Coles.
    But if you are prepared to buy generics or ALDI brands and plan your shopping around sales specials you can do much better, without forking out for costly memberships.
    For me, it would be costly and pointless to have a membership, but if I had a friend who was a member I might visit once in a blue moon.

    • cloudy on 30/11/2013 - 08:22
      +4

      I think this is the by far the best way to describe it. Most things seem a touch cheaper, so if ur too lazy to actually grab a bargain, then it's not bad shopping here for the piece of mind u are probably paying less coz ur buying in bulk.

      But if ur a ozbargainer, no way is forking out the membership fee a forgone conclusion that u are grabbing a deal.

      Ozbargainer are probably too savvy to shop at Costco.

  • [Deactivated] on 27/11/2013 - 11:46
    +27

    I signed up just to comment on this thread!

    I was a Costco member for one year; after my membership expired about six months ago, I didn't renew it.

    For me, the cons outweighed the pros. At that time, the only store in Melbourne was in Docklands - the Ringwood one may not have some of these problems.

    Lets start with the pros:
    1. Items are always "relatively affordable". Not necessarily the best deal ever, and you can probably find things cheaper when coles/woolies have specials, but if you need something Right. Now. you won't do too badly on price.
    2. OMG. Food. Delish. Massive black forest cake for only $30ish - about double what Michel's and similar sell for this price, and sooo well done with the layers and just… yummmm…. Plus, Danishes. Massive croissants. Massive pizza slices for only $2.50, cheap hot dog and coke, and just… yummm. Sorry, I'm drooling too much to explain properly but I'm sure you understand…. Yummmm….
    3. Decent customer service most of the time. I've seen excellent service, I've seen meh, and I've seen not so great.
    4. Some things are a bargain. When the husband needed sunnies, we checked out their selection, which seemed good and cheap. Unfortunately, the D&G sunnies we liked were sold out when we went back the next day to make the purchase. But my husband got another, no-name brand thing which was pretty cool - one of those glasses (he needed new glasses) with magnetic clip-on shades. You can take off the shades entirely, not just flip them up like the dad-glasses. (Hope that makes sense!) Free eye-test and relatively cheap, nice-looking and practical sunnies/glasses - and it was convenient to be able to get it all done at once, no wandering around various different stores. I hear they've got good hearing aids too.

    Now, the cons.

    For me, one of the tests of a place is what kind of people go there.
    Just take a look around when shopping in Costco - everyone's rude, pushy and just uber-self-centered. Not a nice feeling.
    Look around when you're eating in the food court - the average weight of the people there is surely much higher than that of the average weight of non-Costco-member-Aussies. Yeah, they have delicious food, cheap prices and massive servings - but the food is incredibly unhealthy. During the time we were Costco members, the husband and I ate far more unhealthily than I'd have liked. Forget about their prices, inconvenience, etc - this is the biggest strike against Costco for me. I have very little self-control, and I don't want to be scarfing down a massive cake every month.

    Shopping there was just plain difficult. On weekends, parking was a mess, the store was crowded. You can go weeknights, but that's not a good time for us. I'd rather shop at Coles/Woolies and pay a bit extra if needed, than spend 30 minutes or more looking for parking. And there've been times when we went, the car-park was packed and you weren't allowed to drive in, so we had to park in paid parking - negating any possible savings made when shopping.

    And finally, prices. I don't think prices are much cheaper (if at all) than Coles/Woolies sales prices. e.g. you can buy bulk frozen berries from Woolies for cheaper than Costco.

    I also dislike their selection. We don't use their brand of TP. I'd rather get my meat elsewhere. They sell whole fish and won't cut it up for you. There's really not much choice - you get what they've got and that's it.

    Finally - take a look at the food (canned, juice, etc) and check out the ingredients. They use some fairly bad preservatives that are allowed in the US but not generally used in Australia. (Sorry, my memory's a bit fuzzy on this one - I can't recall the exact example, but I looked up the ingredient number which I'd never seen on an Aussie product and threw away the can.) US food standards are pretty lax compared to Australian standards.

    So, that's my rant on Costco :)

    Of course, some people love Costco and get heaps of benefits from it. If you've got pets, babies or throw massive parties, I'd assume you'd benefit more.

    • cloudy on 30/11/2013 - 08:20
      +3

      I have to agree with most of your comments, except for the point about about the black forest cake. Now this is a preference only, but the cakes are just massive slabs of cream and mass baked layers of cake slapped together and held together with more cream.

      We bought one for a birthday once with 20 people, and we only ate a quarter of it, partially coz it's massive, but mostly coz it was just tasteless. It's really a quantity with no quality to it. It's cheap, but yuck.

      Again opinion only!

    • blitz on 01/12/2013 - 22:26
      +4

      OMG. Food. Delish. Massive black forest cake for only $30ish - about double what Michel's and similar sell for this price, and sooo well done with the layers and just… yummmm…. Plus, Danishes. Massive croissants. Massive pizza slices for only $2.50, cheap hot dog and coke, and just… yummm. Sorry, I'm drooling too much to explain properly but I'm sure you understand…. Yummmm….

      GOD DON'T STOP NOW

      • [Deactivated] on 02/12/2013 - 10:12
        +2

        Sounds like you need to get yourself down to Costco ;)

    • [Deactivated] on 02/12/2013 - 10:14
      +2

      +10 on my first post? Aww, now I feel all warm and fuzzy inside :)

    • cainn on 02/12/2013 - 10:23

      Costco might be Costco, but if they're doing business in Australia then they are subject to Australian law. As such, if any of the products they sell do not meet the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, then they'll get into trouble for it eventually.

      That's not to say that everything that is legal is automatically safe, or that some manufactures aren't more careful than others.

    • samfisher5986 on 02/12/2013 - 15:20

      Just FYI:

      Many American ingredients/preservatives etc are the same as Australia but named differently.

      You can google the name and it will show up the other ways to call that preservative etc.

      I'm not sure about your situation though, I do agree that the US put some horrible ingredients in their food and I hope Costco aren't importing that junk.

      • ItsMeAgro on 02/12/2013 - 18:53

        Costco has crazy high standards for food quality and stuff. They used vitamin-fortified flour for their baked goods and Kirkland brand stuff beats most name brands for quality in most categories.

        • [Deactivated] on 02/12/2013 - 19:02
          +2

          Vitamin-fortified flour? Will that improve my chakra?

        • sourdawg on 03/12/2013 - 23:51

          In Australia it is actually mandatory that all bread be fortified with folic acid and thiamin, this has nothing to do with Costco's "crazy high standards"

        • ItsMeAgro on 04/12/2013 - 11:17

          Cakes and biscuits too?

    • [Deactivated] on 03/12/2013 - 09:33

      @wintergirl
      Just take a look around when shopping in Costco - everyone's rude, pushy and just uber-self-centered. Not a nice feeling.

      Same problems in ALDI,Coles, woolworths
      Ozbargain, at work, schools,
      Selfish people everywhere
      A sad sad world

      • Baghern on 03/12/2013 - 09:37

        welcome to the western world…

      • [Deactivated] on 03/12/2013 - 14:05
        +1

        I should correct that - not everyone in Costco is rude, pushy, etc. But the percentage of people there who are, is much higher than the percentage of rude etc people elsewhere. My theory is that people become rude and pushy when their personal space is infringed upon - and at Costco (at least in Docklands) there are usually just So. Many. people in this one tiny space.

        But hey, now that Christmas shopping season has begun, the pushy people have taken over the world.

        Yet another reason I prefer online shopping.

        And if you haven't guessed by now, my own interpersonal skills aren't all that great, so maybe your perception of people's rudeness and pushiness will be different.

        • ItsMeAgro on 04/12/2013 - 11:19

          Yeah, it's the crowds that set people on edge. When it's not so full - daytime on weekdays, etc, you don't get the rudeness.

  • dannyhc on 27/11/2013 - 12:30
    +1

    We forgot to put in the co-ordinates for the Ringwood opening into our GPS, not to worry we just followed the obese mobs who were exiting and told the car park gestapo staff we had circled around three times to allow access to the Carpark (we didn't suckAZZ). Can't complain got some free eggs and now other luxuries, not cheap but I highly recommend the Kedum Grape Juice, it's like Hubba Bubba Grape Bubble Gum in a natural drink!

    • [Deactivated] on 04/12/2013 - 08:18
      -1

      Obese mobs? That would pretty much fit the description for 90% of Australian population.

      • Baghern on 04/12/2013 - 11:14

        Going off on a tangent here… did anyone see that article of a so called average woman 163cm 70 kilos being called fat and the outrage that it ensued.

        Unless she's big/heavy boned or muscled up (not by the picture i could see), or has a very special genetic disposition, she's fat.

  • inlina on 30/11/2013 - 08:31
    +4

    I will preface this with 'I am a Costco Fanboy'.

    I did a post on Loaded Trolley a while ago that was born out of the question 'Does Costco actually save you money?' I used to get a lot of people asking me about it when they found out I shop there no less than fortnightly. I also wanted to sort out the truth from fiction when people (particularly on Whirpool Forums) were stating 'Costco is not cheaper than Coles/Woolies' and 'You have to know your prices'. The original articles are here:

    http://loadedtrolley.com.au/a-basket-of-goods-from-costco-au…
    http://loadedtrolley.com.au/a-basket-of-goods-from-costco-au…

    Since then I have tried to regularly compare my own shop at Costco to the big two and you can see further examples of it on Loaded Trolley. All in all Costco is cheaper week in, week out for my shops and the original articles above showed they were no less than 15% cheaper than Woolies and 18% cheaper than Coles for the complete shop.

    The main response to that from the anti-Costco part of the community (including A Current Affair) is that you can get the same price or better from Colworths when they on special as you get at Costco. Coke and toilet paper are prime examples. My two responses to that are; 1) I am a busy person so I don't have time to figure out where the best price is on the day, I just want the best price; and 2) I cannot wait a week to poop, I want toilet paper now.

    A note on Coke as someone made above…when Colworths do not have a special they typically price Coke at about 67c a can. When one of the big two have an advertised sale they will typically come down to the bottom end of the market to compete. I am sure they do it on more than just Coke too.

    The fresh fruit and veg, the meat and the fish is better quality than you will find at the supermarkets and typically a better price. Yes, you can go to some wholesale butchers, grocers etc and get a good price and good quality, but again there is the time factor for trapsing across the city to find the bargains.

    And for me it is more than grocerys. The satisfaction guarentee that works as a pseudo lifetime warranty is great for those big/expensive electrical purchases which I make about once a year. I love their Kirkland business shirts…$20 for the some of the best quality shirts you will find. And then there is all that other stuff in the middle…we have bought a Coleman family size tent for under $200 where others sell similar for arounf $400 and an super bright GE LED lantern as cheaper or cheaper than the dodgy Chinese ones the camping stores sell. I could go on about the stuff we have bought that I consider a bargain but I shouldn't…as I said, busy guy.

    That's my, perhaps biased, take on Costco.
    CG

    • gimme on 30/11/2013 - 11:42
      +4

      "I'm a busy person" - I hear this all the time yet in many cases in means I'm inefficient or unable to plan.

      e.g - The amount of time it took you to write that post is as long as it takes to look at the weekly specials.

      Also, you don't need to buy toilet paper on a daily basis. A little bit of planning goes a long way to make sure staples are stocked up at home when they're on special.

      Of course it's entirely your choice and Costco's business model is most likely for people like you who simply value convenience over planning, which is fair enough.

      My take is that, regardless of how busy I am I can set aside half an hour a week to plan and get the maximum value out of my income (this is OZB after all). I've also noticed that people who are constantly claiming to be busy (not you per se) are generally wasting a lot of time doing it wrong and their actual output is a lot less than someone with better time mgmt abilities.

      • inlina on 30/11/2013 - 13:16
        +1

        Trust me, we plan up the wazoo in my house…there is no choice between all the work, sport, project and volunteer commitments we find ourselves in around here (our familly planner is set out with 5 months+ in advance). It's things like getting told to be on a plane to China tonight with a weeks notice that really blow away most of our planning.

        By staples do you mean things like rice, potatoes, bread, mushrooms, proteins etc that I am still yet to see Colworths beat Costco on consistantly?

      • Eivad on 01/12/2013 - 17:20
        -1

        I'm a busy person

        I buy my groceries online or in bulk because I work 18-21 hours a day

        Not about being efficient/inefficient

        • Windows7forever on 02/12/2013 - 12:28
          +2

          Do you even sleep?

        • [Deactivated] on 02/12/2013 - 19:04
          +4

          Works in investment banking obviously.

        • outlander on 03/12/2013 - 11:53
          +1

          Why are you even shopping? Outsource that sheet

  • tonka on 30/11/2013 - 09:25

    Costco is good for me, I live pretty close to a new one. Since it opened my regular Coles has loaded me with loyalty type promos. Stacked all my Coles vouchers for $30 off $50 shop yesterday. Plus I bought the Duracell coppertops for $18 to get a $10 off for next shop.

    So today I should manage $40 off a $50 shop.

  • savit on 30/11/2013 - 09:50
    +2

    Been there(at costco) once. Wasted 1/2 day of my life to get in/get out etc and $60 for membership. Bought once $9 oysters (for the whole year) and never returned.
    Aldi rules. Great specials, really low prices and best in AU return policy. A lot of stores in suburbs and no bloody memberships gimmicks.

  • humdingaling on 30/11/2013 - 12:19

    things to take into consideration

    distance from the store
    if you live far away from the store the appeal of driving great distances on the weekend to get goods is an outing and you far less likely to make your moneys worth out of your membership

    size of family
    larger families benefit from bulk buying far easier than couple with no kids
    this is especially the case of fresh produce or things with short expiry

    as many have pointed out already
    savings are generally better than the regular colworths prices on most goods
    sometimes even when colworths goes on special, it may not be priced better (per serving)

    problem with costco is there no internet price listing, you cannot compare prices in a sensible timely manner
    leading to much impulse buying

  • gimme on 30/11/2013 - 12:25

    There's a reason they don't have internet pricing. They don't want people to make informed decisions and proper comparisons by planning ahead. Once there people see the very LARGE items and those who aren't good at maths (most) aren't generally capable of comparing them to Coles/Woolies. Impulse buy!! >> profit

    • Repi on 30/11/2013 - 21:42

      They have prices listed per unit like other supermarkets. I am generally an Aldi person, but for Brand names Costco is pretty good.

      • Prettyinpink on 01/12/2013 - 05:35

        Apart from soft drinks and chocolate what brand names do they sell?
        I've never been and I am deciding if the trip is worth it.

        • mousie on 01/12/2013 - 10:34

          Generally the market leader in each brand and for general commodity type products a house brand called Kirkland signature which is of comparable quality to Woolworths select

  • exit on 30/11/2013 - 14:58

    Some things aren't cheap, some things are. Costco is much bigger than a supermarket such as Coles/Woolworths. Lots of the things they sell there aren't much cheaper but there is still tons of cheap stuff scattered throughout it. Overall, it is probably the cheapest supermarket and also the most convienient. If you go there on a regular basis you'll end up saving much more overtime.

  • antzz on 30/11/2013 - 17:02

    Costco sometimes is good. Especially electronic special and they are like aldi who have no question ask refund.

    For me personally no there is no positive value for me to join costco. I refund my membership after 11 month.

    However, both aldi and costco are shown reducing normal price of coles and woolies (price down campaign)

    This has in return gives us cheaper no sale price at coles and woolies and for that alone I found costco is giving me value.

    • nanukenga on 30/11/2013 - 21:19

      Did you get a full refund of your membership after 11 months? Or was it pro rata?

      • antzz on 01/12/2013 - 14:40
        +1

        You get full refund but can not re join for the next 12 month

  • Pooky1 on 30/11/2013 - 18:33
    +2

    The membership price is a deal breaker for me. Also I have no storage space/freezer space for large purchases. Overall I couldnt be bothered, I reckon I have saved at least $50 a week just by switching to Aldi.

    • elguapo on 30/11/2013 - 18:56
      +3

      So have you actually been to a Costco?

  • Stevecro on 30/11/2013 - 23:03
    -4

    " I am a busy person so I don't have time to figure out where the best price is on the day"

    To me that means I'm a typical extra large lazy Aussie with 101 excuses….

    I agree with 'gimme' on this one, Costco is for those who are too lazy to shop around, who believe they are 'too busy' with life and who are extremely poor at planning. Most of the food Costco sells is processed rubbish, so who needs 10 tons of processed crap per shop? I go to Flemington markets, only 5 mins down the road from Costco Auburn and the price of fruit and veges is about 1/4 of Costco's price.

    I have been there a few times with a friend. All I see gigantic people in the food court and at check outs. Trollies full to the brim with packaged and processed rubbish! You see very little of what I would call 'food' in those trollies. It’s all just junk and more junk. So for those who love to eat tons of junk, processed foods, convenience foods it might be worth joining up!

    • lord henry on 30/11/2013 - 23:46
      +6

      "I'm a typical extra large lazy Aussie with 101 excuses…"
      Most people like to think they are getting a fair or slightly better than fair price - and not everyone feels their time is best spend scouring the internet and driving between supermarkets for bargains.
      Just because someone doesn't have the same priorities as you, doesn't mean they are fat or lazy - they may just enjoy spending time with their family more than they do shopping.

  • floorpie on 30/11/2013 - 23:16
    +3

    I'll go to Costco just as soon as they start paying me membership fees.

    • gimme on 01/12/2013 - 10:29

      They do. Just cancel in 11.5mths get a refund and get another family member to sign up. The cycle continues.

    • GMarko123 on 01/12/2013 - 21:38

      I'm with u floorpie!!

  • overlook on 30/11/2013 - 23:49
    +2

    So this post is not an informative neutral post but rather just another bashing post. Why do you even try to act like you are neutral and asking for opinion?

    • cloudy on 01/12/2013 - 10:02
      +3

      To be fair to the op and every other person in this forum, no one was born a pro Costco or a anti-Costco person.

      Preferences are formed based on experience and opinion. The and op has been, established a opinion based on his or her facts, and wants to establish if they in the majority or minority.

      So I dont really see anything wrong with it…

      • Baghern on 01/12/2013 - 10:22
        -1

        To me its stating the obvious, at the same time ignoring the fact that a lot of people balance "opportunity cost" differently…

        Also asking a question that is not relevant, since the people in this forum are generally different minded to the people who are more easily influenced by lost leading.

      • GMarko123 on 01/12/2013 - 21:39

        Great comment. Spot on cloudy.

    • gimme on 01/12/2013 - 10:27

      Informative and 'bashing' (as you put it) are not mutually exclusive. I made no secret that Costco isn't for me but I was just interested how others felt.

  • [Deactivated] on 01/12/2013 - 07:08

    SAXA salt 2 Kg is $1.69. Cheap? Yeah.

    • rmamila on 16/12/2013 - 13:49
      +1

      yeh.. buy 20 kgs then, stock up for the rest of your life ;)

  • pull the lever on 01/12/2013 - 07:41

    love it though the members fees are quite steep.
    Even their fresh pro due is worth buying because its quality is quite good.

  • Stevecro on 01/12/2013 - 08:40

    Lord Henry I didn't say that EVERYONE who shops at Costco is fat and lazy, that certainly not the case.

    All I am saying it's a good shopping model for those who think they are getting a good deal because they are buying significantly more. When I compared prices, some were cheaper than Colesworths regular shelf price. However when most items go on special at Coles, Woolies or IGA they are significantly cheaper than at Costco. Then you have Aldi as well. I’m not a Coles or Woolies supporter.

    When you factor in the following Cons, Costco isn't value for money in my opinion:

    • Membership price: $60 which is non-existent for other supermarkets.
    • Distance: Most people who shop at Costco like convenience, however there are very few Costco’s around, so it’s unlikely you live next to one, so it’s inconvenient!
    • Fuel Costs: Most people don't live near a Costco, yet they don't factor this into their 'savings'.
    • Range: Very limited compared to the other supermarkets.
    • Meat: Significantly more expensive than my local butcher in all cuts of meat. While it seems good quality, that is subjective of course. The meat I get from my local butcher is as good as the meat from Costco, again that's subjective so you can’t use the quality argument as it is very difficult to measure.
    • Fruit and Veg: Again significantly more expensive than the Fruit and Veg Markets, I find better deals at Fruit n Veg Market, local fruit n veg shop, Aldi, Coles and Supa IGA (occasionally).

    I was only telling you what I experienced. I’m not a super health nut, like I said all you have to do is look around a little at the checkouts and you see the type of people Costco appeals to. Most are middle age overweight or obese couples/parents who have their trollies loaded to the brim with packs of crap really like massive trays of muffins, croissants, cheeses, packets of chips and sweets. Sometimes I stand there in awe and it doesn’t surprise me when you look at their size/condition, they look so out of shape. Again it appeals to people whose apparently don’t have 'time' and just want everything in front of them at one place. Those same people like to live a life of convenience, where everything has to be instant (as is the food in their trollies) and convenient (don’t like anything that requires effort, it’s just too hard).

    • exit on 02/12/2013 - 15:35
      -1

      How is the range very limited if Costco is much, much bigger than coles/woolworths/aldi/iga?

  • minniethemoocher on 01/12/2013 - 09:54

    Costco's return policy is excellent! My understanding is that if you maintain your membership you can return an item any time if you are unsatisfied for any reason. I was looking at a purse but it was packaged & I look at it properly so I asked the staff if I opened the packaging after I bought it and didn't like it if I could return it. They even said I could use it for 6 months and then return it if I wasn't satisfied. I have heard of people in the states returning a TV 10 years old after it breaks down, & after problems returning faulty goods with other retailers I'll definitely be buying my electrical goods from them from now on. Although in the states they gave cracked down on this policy for electrical goods but in Australia it still stands.

    • mini2 on 02/12/2013 - 20:28
      +1

      Absolutely freaking loved their return policy - it's pretty much no questions asked.

      Wanna try a new sauce/marinade etc? Buy a bottle, try it and flip it back to them if you don't like it.

      Wanna try those peanut butter pretzel but not sure if you will like it? Think I ate 1/3 of the bottle and ended up returning it saying it taste weird….

      I think I've once returned some Reese's cup that's been sitting in my cupboard for 6 months and those thingie have gone stale. Returned them, no questions asked again.

      Heck I think I've done similar with the wiper blades. Thrice.

  • mousie on 01/12/2013 - 10:50
    +2

    On a line item or Sku basis you will have harder specials if you carefully manage buying up of specials in Coles or Woolworths. But Costcos model is different. Few stores whole container or pallet buys from the supplier and limited lines I.e. stock only the market leader and maybe one or two other options. Who gives a rats what the other shoppers are buying? Meat is expensive but worth the price and is comparable to say a Bush's meats. Excellent impulse buys particularly in the toys and household wear. Cheap levis or diesel jeans and very generous returns policy. If you have a 3+ person household and can break a weekly shopping habit, shopping at Costco once a fortnight will save you 30% on items which aren't on special. Coke, devondale milk and whiskas tin cat food are all things I still buy in bulk at Coles and Woolworths. We have 3 adults and two infants and go through everything.

  • burningrage on 01/12/2013 - 18:14
    +6

    I am a current member of 3 years.

    I believe Costco Membership is worth it on average for the following reason:

    1. Things ARE generally cheaper than the likes of Coles/Woolies. However, I will admit when nappies are on sale (usually Huggies at $29 per box) it will beat Costco. However, Jasmine Rice 25kg Golden World is $40 when outside it will be easily the cheapest $46 and at most $50 above. A1 Milk is definitely cheaper at Costco vs Coles/Woolies. Things like Softdrinks are 50-50 especially when compared to when Coles have a $2 special for 1L bottles. Batteries are generally cheaper (Duracell) vs Coles/Woolies especially when Costco has coupon discounts. They sell tyres too (bridgestones) and are cheaper vs other place (like Bridgestone Select). I remember I used to buy camcorder from them which is $400 cheaper than at Teds at the time (HDR-XR 250)

    2. Things at Costco are DIFFERENT than other supermarkets. You won't find Hersheys, Fanta Strawberries, or Asian Delights (like those Wonton Noodles in a box of 4-5 I can't quite recall) or NA-AN/Pita Bread complete with Tika Massala sauces already packaged and in Ready-To-Microwave form. You also won't find exotic seafood such as Japanese scallops they are having at Costco Ringwood at the moment and seafoods ranges are quite good. They sell good brand clothes (Nautica). They sell cubby house. They sell surfboards. They sell Sheds. They sell hearing aids complete with testing rooms to try. In other words, Costco has vast ranges from Kirkland (home brand?) to other international brands.

    3. They have satisfaction guarantee. I know supermarkets are too but theirs are a "no-questions asked" basis. You can refund the membership as well as the product if not satisfied and this guarantee is quite long so I would think things like Consoles / Cameras / Camcorder would be handy.

    4. Their food canteen is super cheap. I mean $2.50 for a hot dog and soft drink? Man, student's heaven even if you have to pay $60 pa. Healthy argument is a matter of choice. If you don't want it, don't buy it.

    5. They give SAMPLES. Man, the samples are awesome at times like sampling cooked pork roast, fanta strawberries, cooked noodles, cheese, brie, etc etc. When they hand out cooked pork samples like last week at Costco Ringwood, think of how much money they give away ($16 per/kg) and I'd like to see if supermarkets do the same (and I don't think so).

    These alone are good enough reason to join. Obviously YMMV.

    The bad things about them are the following:

    1. Not a complete range of a category. I mean you only find selected brands of Baby Formulae (usually only Karicare or S something) but Karicare is always around $20 whereas other places are like supermarket ($23) and phamarcies ($21 to $23). TVs are generally Samsung / Sony bias. Maybe there are panasonics.

    2. Parking is a bit a nightmare especially Docklands. Queuing to pay is equally lame.

    3. Trading Hour a bit lame. I mean 6pm on Saturdays and 5pm on Sundays? Good for during the week though (8.30pm)

    4. Not everything is super cheap obviously at costco when you think of the fuel you have to waste driving to Docklands. eg: Huggies, Karicare, Juices, Tissues. Sometimes I wonder if they're being deceptive to say their only profit is on membership.

    5. Payment policy is super lame and a source of complaints/abuse. I mean, to pay, you need to have a credit card with the same name as the membership cardholder and they do make an issue if spouse pays when the card has a face of the hubbie. This is probably my biggest negative to Costco.

    But on overall, I like them and they are a good positive for me because it gives the fear of God to the supermarkets (and good for Aldi as well) and soon, Costco will be entering the petrol market.

    THat's my opinion.

    • cuteduck on 01/12/2013 - 21:21
      -1

      Sorry to disagree with point 4..

      Must be mad paying A$60 just to have A$2.50 hot dog and drink
      You can have it everyday @ IKEA - A$1 hot dog and A$1 soft drink plus FREE coffee (with Ikea Family card)

      • OzJD on 01/12/2013 - 21:23
        +7

        But with IKEA you can't ask for a full refund for your hot dog and soft drink money a year later.

      • auna on 04/12/2013 - 00:50
        +1

        I hope you are goddahm kidding. The IKEA drink is abysmal and can not be compared. The hot dog is far worse and the bun is much bigger. You no longer get diced onions in IKEA. No relish either.

  • DeWalt on 01/12/2013 - 21:04

    Great discussions. Thank you to all for taking the time. I've learned a lot about Costco.
    Can anyone compare it to Campbell's?

  • tap on 01/12/2013 - 21:52

    Costco is good for:

    Beef jerky
    Vegemite tub
    Croissants
    Fruit pastry croissant things
    Garlic

    The rest of the stuff looks cheap but really isn't when compared to normal Coles/Woolies prices. It just looks cheap because the package is so big. If you compare the per/dollar it works out the same (sometimes more expensive!). Example: MyDog tinnies, Up and Go's, etc…

  • rmamila on 01/12/2013 - 23:53
    +2

    I totally agree with OP. Same as most other places known for saving Costco too just become a hype when it comes to Australia. I used to be a regular customer at Costco when I used to live in US for more than 5 years. I can remember once I bought over 30 kilos of all branded chocolates and ended up paying less than half of what I could have paid at Walmart. Btw chocolates were not for my consumption, they were bought as treats when I visited my home country back then ended up giving them to my previous work colleagues, neighbors and relatives. Buying from Costco make sense in US even though the overall prices are far cheaper in other big retailers like Walmart compared to here.
    Once I've been to the store at Docklands with a friend and found the prices were pretty average. So I'd never bother visiting Ringwood store even though it's pretty close to me. At the end it's Costco but still on Australian soil so the price has to be high :)

    The only difference I see with them is that they list a normal price for the items where in most places in here we can see the normal price shown as 50% discounted price and still say that the item was twice more expensive which is the "Ridiculous Retail Price" so people tend to buy thinking it's a half price and pay the price they actually should have paid for the item. So at Costco you can buy items for this realistic price without seeing the ridiculous price. So you may not even consider it as a bargain.

    • rmamila on 02/12/2013 - 00:00

      Having said above I'd still pay $60 for the membership if I see something that I am looking to buy at the time goes for very special price at Costco. Then I know I can recover my membership fee in that one purchase. So it doesn't matter if I don't get any special discount for any other purchases. I've seen this once in here when I was looking for a POS camera however the stock was gone before I made my mind to buy it.
      At least Costco should consider giving a very special price for one item once a year where people can recover their membership fee so no one would be unhappy thinking they might never recover their member fee in the year. They can easily do this with their bulk purchasing power and by selling an electronic item for their cost price once a year.

  • AmericanDad on 02/12/2013 - 14:07
    +1

    As someone above has posted, Costco is good for certain people, eg people with large families/people who always have parties etc. I had two dogs who consumed more a 12kg bag of dog food every two weeks and one of them had sensitive skin. After investing in HillScience and looking at getting Eukanuba which are both quite pricey, I found that Kirkland brand of dog food is very good and also good value for money because it doesn't use corns etc as stuffer. Its also extremely cheap - I found that in one shop just by getting a few bags of their dog food I have saved more money than my membership.

    In general things are cheaper than major supermarkets, but not when things are on special in supermarkets. I personally love their Kirkland brand products because they are cheap and are quality stuffs. Convenience is also another factor - I like buying certain things in bulk, including as above laundry powder and toiler paper. Been using their laundry powder for 2 years now, I only need to buy them once/twice a year.

    At the end of the day it varies depending on your lifestyle and spending habbit. Personally I do keep a constant look out for weekly specials at Coles and Aldi but it does make life easier to cross a few groceries out of the list.

  • fz7hny on 02/12/2013 - 14:31

    Is there an online catalog of their specials?

    • inlina on 05/12/2013 - 01:32

      When they have 'coupon specials' there is a banner ad at the top of the Costco Australia website. They don't always tell you the final price though.

  • samfisher5986 on 02/12/2013 - 15:18
    +3

    Its a hard decision.

    Woolworths/Coles started the 50% off catalogue specials to compete with competing supermarkets with actual lower prices (Aldi, Costco etc)

    Now do we reward Woolworths/Coles who rip us off unless its on special, or do we shop at Aldi/Costco who always give us low prices.

    Hard to know, I don't mind bulk buying when woolworths/coles have a 50% special.

  • JohnHowardsEyebrows on 02/12/2013 - 15:28
    +1

    The good news for supermarket shopping is that next year, Aldi's better quality peer, Lidl, is opening its first store in Melbourne.

    With two discount no-frills in addition to CostCo in town, things should heat up a bit.

    • berger on 02/12/2013 - 17:41

      Is there more information on Lidl?

      I remember seeing them in Europe… Heard they may come here..

      • JohnHowardsEyebrows on 02/12/2013 - 22:56

        Keeping a low profile - not much about Australia, but it's confirmed there'll be one opening in Melbourne thus year.

        Lidl has more branded stuff, and nicer private label stuff.

  • Davo1111 on 02/12/2013 - 15:45

    It's the cheapest "everyday" price, in bulk. So loss leaders and specials at coles might beat it. (emphasis on might).

    I was kind of dissapointed that i nearly bought a digital camera there for $125. DSE were offering the exact same camera with a $25 gift card for $100.

    • inlina on 05/12/2013 - 01:36

      Yeah…I was disappointed to see that too. I was looking for an Samsung Tablet and DSE's sale was about a 20% saving on Costco. I don;t know if Costco price match, but if you do buy something and then see it cheaper you can always take it back. Also if Costco drop their price withing 30 days you can also apparently get a refund of the difference. They don't advertise that but I know someone did it with a TV purchase.

  • Architectonic on 02/12/2013 - 17:50

    Not nearly as nice as the prices at Costco in the USA…

    • mxp on 02/12/2013 - 22:56

      Correct. The US prices are way better in general…
      We found the fruits to be cheaper at your local supermarkets (when on sale of course).

      One thing to note is that the Costco staff regularly adjusts their prices. Not sure what drives this behaviour- perhaps their customers alert them?

      Take for example: Today, the Stella Artois beer was up ~$39, a week ago it was ~$37

      Another example: Today, the Moccona Classic med roast instant coffee 2 x 400g bottles was $31.99 and last week, it was $39.99! The price difference today was huge!

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