Sam's Club vs. Cosco?

[mshan]

Assuming that you've got both a Sam's Club and Costco nearby, what are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

Is one typically cheaper than the other?

Are there particular types of products that each is "best" at?

 

[solleyman]

I got 5. Now it's Out of Stock.

 

[FP]

Wrong forum. Off topic would be a better place to ask.

But to answer your question I think they are very similar in prices. Just depends on which one carries the item you want.

 

[newbiepcuser]

Go Nef in ATOT

 

[desteffy]

Wrong forum but

Costco>>Sams Club

the prices are about the same but the workers are much better at costco, costco pays well and gives benefits, while sams club (== wal mart) treats their workers like crap. Therefore the people at costco are more helpful/friendlier etc...

 

[cparent]

lol, I got 5 but they're OOS heheheh.

but to answer the question, I have a membership at both. Both have the same basic stock. both switch off speciality stock. both have same services. Both have same prices.


as far as Royal Oak, Michigan area....The costco people are WAY nicer, and WAY more courtious. An example of sams club staff, I went this last weekend to buy 1 office chair. It took me 5 minutes to walk into the store and get my chair to the checkout. It then took me 25 minutes to check out. Then another 23 minutes (yes i timed it) for my fiance to get a fruit smoothy and we were 2nd in line. And the staff at sams was just rude as all heck.

 

[RossMAN]

Wrong forum and this is a repost.

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...hreadid=1080337&enterthread=y&arctab=y

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...threadid=844705&enterthread=y&arctab=y

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...threadid=862758&enterthread=y&arctab=y

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...threadid=673725&enterthread=y&arctab=y

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...threadid=630453&enterthread=y&arctab=y

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...threadid=552768&enterthread=y&arctab=y

 

[nutxo]

Originally posted by: desteffy
Wrong forum but

Costco>>Sams Club

the prices are about the same but the workers are much better at costco, costco pays well and gives benefits, while sams club (== wal mart) treats their workers like crap. Therefore the people at costco are more helpful/friendlier etc...

Yep. Costco treats thier workers well. I like the way costco tears down whole low income neighborhoods and makes city parks into parking lots.

They all suck

 

[mattocs]

Yep. Costco treats thier workers well. I like the way costco tears down whole low income neighborhoods and makes city parks into parking lots.

They all suck

Costco around here are all build in industrial/commercial areas which have not been residensial ever.

All the sams/walmarts were once wetlands and residentsial area...at least the closest two or three of them.

 

[nutxo]

Originally posted by: OBW96

Yep. Costco treats thier workers well. I like the way costco tears down whole low income neighborhoods and makes city parks into parking lots.

They all suck

Costco around here are all build in industrial/commercial areas which have not been residensial ever.

All the sams/walmarts were once wetlands and residentsial area...at least the closest two or three of them.

The one here went so far as to bribe the city council and trumped up charges on a widow ( said she was a crack dealer ) to get a back entrance to a parking lot. I hope they all rot in hell! :beer:

 

[MisterMe]

I like the way costco tears down whole low income neighborhoods and makes city parks into parking lots.

And now Costco can grease the right local politicians to kick the owners out of those homes even if they don't want to go...yea!

 

[ECartman]

Costco doesnt always win - google 99 cents store v. city of lancaster. But they sure try to use eminent domain to get land

 

[Smackattack]

costco is a superior store, tends to have better selection and better brands. however, i loathe the crowds at costco. I tend to avoid the place because of it and now frequent sams club. The brands they carry are similar enough, and i can actually go to sams club in my area on a saturday and not suffer cart rage.

 

[herkulease]

Originally posted by: Smackattack
costco is a superior store, tends to have better selection and better brands. however, i loathe the crowds at costco. I tend to avoid the place because of it and now frequent sams club. The brands they carry are similar enough, and i can actually go to sams club in my area on a saturday and not suffer cart rage.

that's why there's executive or business membership.

I fall under business member ship and do my shopping at 10am while others wait till 11.

but I know what you're talking about. the people I hate most are those who go line up
with few things in the cart while their friends/family members are grabbing the bunch of other stuff then wham throw into the cart, a few things just turned into crap load of things

 

[Fuzb0]

exactly, I dont shop with the "common folk" at costco... I am an executive member

To ad pertinance as a hot deal, the costco pharmacy can be used by anyone, member or not...
Had a prescription that needed to be filled, walgreens quoted $44 generic $108 brand name, Walmart was a little cheaper on brand name but claimed generic didnt exist. Costco was $38 brand name $8 generic.

Their also was pain pills that went along with it , nothing exotic, tylenol 3's.. generic walgreens 14 walmart 11 costco $4.08

so my advice to make it a hot deal, walk in to costco, tell them pharmacy if they card you, drop off prescription, head over to food court and eat a hotdog and a coke for $1.50 (optional) grab a coscto cash card on return to pharmacy and pay for it with your pills.... as the cash card lets you buy stuff as a member without being one, no extra fee, and is good for readmission anytime.

 

[mikeford]

Sams has cheap gas, and it used to be at least that a little hunting on the web would turn up a one day pass.

My wife likes the meat at Costco so thats who gets our annual $35.

The hot deal though is that both chains send a LOT of stuff to some third party outlets. All the return stuff, and most of the "last items in a sku" type things. My last trip to the place local to me I bought a Bunn thermal carafe coffee maker for $30, and 5 shirts for a total with tax of $52 for everything.

 

[BlackPear1]

How do you find out where they liquidate returns, etc?

 

[bman46]

Costco is good and sell quality products at low prices. I did however have a very bad experience where they lost my film and wouldnt do ANYTHING for me stating that they dont process the film and I have to take it up with an outside company that does their film processing. I have always had good experience with customer service until that and they still have done nothing for me.

 

[mikeford]

Lost Film, first shot of every roll take a picture of a business card or contact info page. Use the free address stickers places send you and put one on each roll of film. Dunno what you would expect Costco to do, relay messages between you and the vendor to ID the film? You need to deal with the vendor directly, and only bring in Costco if you don't get things sorted out.

Costco sure as heck won't even admit the liquidators exist. My understanding from what I few guys I have talked to in the business will tell me is that all the big chains either have auctions for truckloads (a semi truck trailer full) or contracts for everything for some period of time from so many stores. Most of the places sell all the high tech goodies on ebay. The local guy that gets all the Best Buy stuff sells good stuff online, and all the pallets of "as is" at the swapmeets. I bought my 2 sets of Cambridge PCworks speakers for $10 each from this guy, but had to dig through a dozen boxes to find all the parts.

 

[Spike]

The nice thing about costco is that their own Kirkland Signature branded items are top quality unlike most other store brands. Plus the prices are great and the gas is cheap (not to mention they are a locally-started chain so I like them)

-spike

 

[cparent]

very true on the kirkland branded stuff. batteries and stuff like that. it's guaranteed to be equal quality to name brands

 

[generalnewbie]

my parents like costco... and i like what they bring home in terms of food..
i think the quality of their meat is GREAT! ive made some of the best burgers from their
ground beef. and the steaks are awsome too

the brand as stated before was kirkland sig
which i must say is really really good.

i cant complain. but i dont really care for walmart unless im desperate and need the
product do i ever enter their store

 

[BlackGlove]

I love costco.....the heck with nature. Plow over a public Park anyday, bribe a few council members....what ever it takes. Just let me have my costco. Anyone check out the passport coupon book lately? Laptop coming up in August. Not sure if it was a misprint but it claims to have 1Gh memory, 2 Ghz processor, 80 Gb Hard drive, Win XP, wireless, 15.4" screen. Wish I new what video card will be included. Price is around $ 1100.00. Don't have the flyer in front of me, so my memory may be off a little.

 

[jmagnum]

BJ's...sorry just being difficult. : )

 

[mikeford]

So whats the order of the food chain?

Trash picking.
99 cent stores.
Big Lots / BJs.
Walmart.
Target.
Costco/Sams?