Is It Cheaper To Buy Costco Kitchen Appliances Online Or In Store?

You might already be familiar with Costco's cheap food, $1.50 ready-to-eat hot dogs, and bulk toilet paper. If you're a savvy shopper, however, then you know that it's possible to furnish your entire home from Costco. A short walk through any warehouse is sure to reveal a plethora of deals on furniture and home improvement products. On top of that, this big-box store is a treasure trove of kitchen appliances, including microwaves, refrigerators, dishwashers, and tiny appliances made to fit small kitchens, like mini air fryers.

Costco might beat big store prices on kitchen appliances, but if you're going on a shopping spree, you'll want to look for some ways to save money, as the prices can quickly add up. As of this writing, Costco has more than 600 warehouse locations across the U.S., but like many wholesale clubs, it has sought to make shopping for kitchen appliances fairly easy and accessible. You can now buy Costco kitchen appliances online or in-store, which begs the question: Are there any significant price differences between these two options?

According to Costco, the prices you see on products sold online can be quite different than the local warehouse pricing. If you want to save money on kitchen appliances, you'll probably want to opt for in-store purchases as they're quite cheaper. However, this is not always a guarantee; there are scenarios where online prices might be the same as, or even cheaper than in-store prices.

Shopping on Costco's website can cost more, especially on small kitchen appliances, due to the work that goes into them. Most appliances sold on the website have a built-in shipping and handling fee, which can add up pretty quickly if you're buying in bulk. 

You should expect to pay even more if you choose same-day or two-day delivery, options meant only for non-perishable items or small appliances you may need in a pinch. Before you click Add to Cart, do a little digging before scrolling through web pages. There is no standard markup online, meaning each item has its own shipping and handling fee, which can make it challenging to predict or decipher the pricing.

Kitchen appliances may have a higher baseline price online, but Costco always tries to level the playing field by offering online promotions and discounts, especially through its Costco Direct and Costco Next programs. If you use the Costco Direct program, for instance, you might save hundreds of dollars when you purchase multiple items at once. It's usually for big-ticket purchases like appliances, furniture, homeware, and more. When you use the Costco Next Program, you'll purchase goods directly from suppliers, meaning you'll have access to special discounts and ultra-low prices. The only issue is that you must have a Costco membership, which starts at $65 per year.

Apart from prices, before you roam the aisles or scroll Costco's website, there are a lot of things you should consider if you want to save more money at Costco. You don't need a membership card to buy kitchen appliances from Costco.com – you just need to create a free account using your email address and a password, but you'll be charged a 5% surcharge at checkout. You might even have limited access to some products, especially big-ticket electronics and kitchen items from major brands like Samsung and Calphalon.

Non-members can shop online, but if you want to shop in-store, you need to have a membership card, or go with someone who has one. The good news is that you'll enjoy a lot of perks if you sign up for a Costco membership card, either a Gold Star Membership or an Executive Membership. You'll get a 2% cash back on appliance purchases, for instance, if you shop online or in-store with the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi.

One of the main perks of Costco is the affordability of buying products in bulk. If you're buying kitchen appliances in-store, this can backfire as you might end up spending more than planned. On the other hand, if you shop online, you'll probably encounter goods with higher prices, but you'll not see any eye-catching displays that will force you to do impulse buying. Plus, you'll avoid the mildly annoying things about shopping at Costco warehouses, like chaotic check-out lines.