Originally Posted by Lynnesail (Post 2397013)

How do you shop at Costco in a golf cart?

Originally Posted by coralway (Post 2396958)

Check Costcos stock price, that will answer your question

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox (Post 2396849)

I have never been in a Costco store, but many on this forum wax lyrical about them.

What are the main differences between a Costco and the other two?

Thank you

Originally Posted by FloridaGuy66 (Post 2396956)

I've been a Costco member for 30+ years. I've also been a BJ member for a year (didn't renew) and I'm an active Sam's member (2+ years) but used to "borrow" a friends membership for a decade before that.

Costco is unparalleled. You're essentially getting only top quality goods at a great price. They're return policy is probably the best in the US among all retailers. They will take anything back without question in most cases.

Sam's is good. Definitely better than 5-10 years ago. They sell good stuff but sometimes a little lower end things than Costco. When the Costco gets built here we might keep our Sam's membership for the great car wash and a few meat items that we like to buy sometimes at Sam's.

BJ's is like a mini version of both. Much less food selection. I don't see how they will survive here when the Costco opens up.

Originally Posted by FloridaGuy66 (Post 2396956)

I've been a Costco member for 30+ years. I've also been a BJ member for a year (didn't renew) and I'm an active Sam's member (2+ years) but used to "borrow" a friends membership for a decade before that.

Costco is unparalleled. You're essentially getting only top quality goods at a great price. They're return policy is probably the best in the US among all retailers. They will take anything back without question in most cases.

Sam's is good. Definitely better than 5-10 years ago. They sell good stuff but sometimes a little lower end things than Costco. When the Costco gets built here we might keep our Sam's membership for the great car wash and a few meat items that we like to buy sometimes at Sam's.

BJ's is like a mini version of both. Much less food selection. I don't see how they will survive here when the Costco opens up.

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox (Post 2397009)

Thank you for all of your insights - if Costco offers a "free" membership like BJ's did we'll try it for a year

Originally Posted by biker1 (Post 2397001)

By your own admission, you don’t regularly shop there so you probably don’t really know about the quantities. I guess you could consider buying 4 tires at their auto center to be buying in a large quantity ;-). There are many other available items that nobody would consider a “large quantity”. It is a good place to buy a TV, and other electronics, and you don’t have to buy a dozen TVs.

Originally Posted by JerryLBell (Post 2396893)

I've been members of all three. Sam's Club and BJ's are pretty good, having cheaper gasoline and pretty good quality meats (in bulk, of course!). Costco is usually bigger with more choices, perhaps a shade lower in prices. What I notice mostly is how enthusiastic and helpful Costco employees generally are in comparison to the employees at the other two. I guess you get that when you pay a better wage, offer better benefits and don't try to keep employees under 40 hours a week to keep them from getting benefits. Or maybe it's the fact that the CEO of the company makes something like 7 times as much as the average employee (I may have the number wrong; it's from a special I saw on them years ago) instead of 50 or 100 times as much.

Some people just freakin' LOVE the $1.50 quarter-pound hot dog-and-a-soda deal that Costco has had for years. I tried it once and I thought it was a tube full of gas instead of meat. But then, I'm annoyingly particular about hot dogs.

Originally Posted by JerryLBell (Post 2397039)

Don't hold your breath on getting a "free" membership. Costco charges a fixed markup on all their sales and that markup is just enough to cover the cost of doing business (the building, the employees, power, etc.). ALL of their annual profit comes from the sales of memberships. Expecting them to give those away is like saying, "I'll only buy from store X if they make absolutely no money from my purchases."

Originally Posted by JRcorvette (Post 2397027)

In my opinion you can get a higher quality of items at Costco. As for food about the same but I believe that Costco has better meats. I don’t care of BJ’s at all and it is way too far from us. They picked an awful location.

Originally Posted by asianthree (Post 2396916)

BJ’s has some deals, But one has to clip coupons, in the beginning no signage that that item was less cost with a stupid coupon. Once I returned home opened the ad book, I could have saved $36) Not a fan of their deli products, basically 4 items at snack bar. Good thing, nobody in the store and less lines for gas. Best thing for BJs WaWa’s in right in front. It was a one and done.

I have belonged to both Sam’s and Costco since opening in our area. Sam’s always easy to find parking, less people, our business membership got us in at 7am. Sams has certain items not found at any other box stores. Save on pets food, I like to buy just one meat, poultry, or seafood item counter. I buy their Salmon, office supplies. I don’t eat anything at their snack bar. Staff is few and far between if you need help it’s not at Sam’s.

Costco best return policy than any retailer. My Dyson ($450) stopped working at 15 months. I asked at the desk if still available. Desk looked up my account saw the purchase, told me to return for full refund, and shipped same item to my house. I like their chicken, salad and soup better than Sam’s. We use their optometry department 2 pairs of glasses a year, buy tires, batteries for all 3 cars. Most of the items I buy aren’t bulk that some seem to think. Over 20 years, never paid a yearly membership, because my year end check is more than membership fee. I grab their chicken Caesar salad and frozen latte at the snack bar, on my way out to fuel up for the ride home. Their customer service is worth every penny.We had 7 Costco within 20-55 minutes from our house. So no matter where I had to be there was a Costco near by.

If I had to only pick one it would be Costco. (I buy my eggs at TJ’s if farm is not available)

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox (Post 2396849)

I have never been in a Costco store, but many on this forum wax lyrical about them.

What are the main differences between a Costco and the other two?

Thank you