Before having kids, I was more of a once-a-month Costco shopper -- maybe twice a month at most. These days, however, I go to Costco every week to load up on groceries and household supplies. And while I'm a huge Costco fan, I don't always look forward to visiting the store. Sometimes, I kind of dread it.
I've never been a fan of big crowds. And that's something Costco is known for. Also, sometimes I just don't want to deal with having to wait for a spot in the parking lot or stand in a long checkout line.
At times, I've been tempted to do my Costco shopping online instead of in the store. But then I remind myself that Costco.com isn't nearly as good a deal as Costco itself. Here's why.
Many of the items you'll see on Costco.com can be shipped to your door at no cost. But while you may not pay a separate shipping fee per se, you'll pay in the form of a higher per-item price. Instead of charging for shipping separately, Costco inflates the cost of its online inventory.
And look, I don't blame Costco. It's more expensive to have someone pull my order from a warehouse, box it up, and ship it out than it is to have me cart my own items around the store and load them into my own trunk. But the whole point of shopping at Costco is to save money. If you do your shopping at Costco.com, you may not save nearly as much.
Many grocery items you'll find on Costco.com are eligible for free two-day shipping. But to get that, you need to meet a $75 order minimum.
During the pandemic, when I was even less eager to go to the store, I relied on Costco.com's two-day shipping on numerous occasions. But there were times when I had to add an extra item or two to my cart to meet the $75 minimum. You might run into a similar trap if you do your shopping online.
Buying non-perishables on Costco.com may not only mean having to meet a $75 order minimum. It might also mean getting items that don't have the best sell-by dates.
Even though items like crackers and pretzels can last way longer than refrigerated food, eventually, they can go stale. And when you're buying a bulk supply of products like these, that risk is higher.
But when you order non-perishables from Costco.com, there's no saying you won't get the products with the closest date. At the store, you can compare sell-by dates and choose the ones that are the furthest out.
It's OK to turn to Costco.com in a pinch if you can't make it over to the store. But for the most part, I recommend doing your Costco shopping in person. That way, you can spend less per item and you won't have to feel pressured to purchase things you don't need. You might also end up with products that last a lot longer.
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3 Reasons Why Costco.com Isn't Such a Great Deal was originally published by The Motley Fool