Are There Any Benefits Of Buying Apple Products From Costco?

Costco offers its members a huge range of products, including electronics from leading brands like Apple. Whether you're looking for a new iPhone or the latest MacBook Air M4, there's a good chance that you'll be able to find it either at your local Costco store or on the retailer's website. A similarly broad range of products is also on offer at other Apple-authorized retailers such as Best Buy and Target, but there are a few key reasons why buying Apple products from Costco might be a better option than buying them from those rivals.

The first reason is Costco's generous electronics return policy, which gives customers the option to return purchased products up to 90 days after they bought them. This is significantly longer than most other retailers of Apple products: Target, for example, only offers a 14-day return window, while Walmart offers a 14 day-return policy on phones and a 30-day return policy on other electronic products.

Best Buy customers with a My Best Buy Plus or My Best Buy Total membership are offered a 60-day return window for some products, but "activatable" devices like phones, tablets, and wearables are all subject to the store's standard 14-day return policy, as well as a $45 returns fee in certain locations. The official Apple Store is one of the least generous retailers for returns, offering a 14-day return policy across all of its electronic products.

Costco's return policy is arguably the biggest benefit to buying Apple products from the wholesaler, but it isn't the only benefit. From the date of purchase, Costco also offers its customers a two year warranty on computers, although it doesn't extend that offer to touchscreen tablets or mobile devices. If you're planning on purchasing a MacBook, you'll benefit from the extended warranty at no extra cost, but if you're looking to buy your next phone from Costco, you'll only receive the standard manufacturer warranty.

Apple laptops, desktops, and tablets also come with lifetime technical support at no extra cost if you buy them from Costco. The wholesaler has its own dedicated support team, who can be reached through its Technical & Warranty Support Services hotline at 1-866-861-0450 for U.S. Costco members.

Pricing for each product can vary between different Costco locations and the wholesaler's website, but if you spot a price reduction on a certain product within 30 days at the same location that you bought it, you can ask for a price adjustment. Buyers who bought their product online will need to head to the brand's website to request an adjustment, while buyers who bought it in-store will need to head to the store.