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Step 1
Do not expect knowledgeable salespeople. While many of these stores pride themselves on having friendly employees, there's no question that they keep their costs low by employing minimum-wage labor. If you haven't already done some comparison shopping, you probably won't be able to make an informed purchase.
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Step 2
Understand the annual fee required by most warehouse stores. If you don't plan to use the store frequently it probably isn't worth joining. With an annual fee of $35, you will need to spend about $260 before you begin to see any savings at all, compared to regular grocery stores.
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Step 3
Compare price tags. On average, the prices at a warehouse store are lower than at most other stores. But that's not a guarantee that all prices are lower. Some stores will advertise a very low price on a few items, then hope you'll assume all prices are low. Unless you've checked the prices somewhere else, you can't assume you're saving any money. And popular brand name goods at a warehouse store are frequently more expensive than generic goods at a regular grocery store.
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Step 4
Be aware that inventory may change rapidly and if you spot something you need, get it. Many items are in a one-time shipment.
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Step 5
Resist impulse buying. "The more you buy, the more you save" is a big, fat tempting lie. Buying and saving are two different things. If you buy something you don't need, you're not saving anything, you're wasting. See How to Be a Savvy Consumer.
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Step 6
Get deep savings on big ticket items like electronics, furnishings and appliances if you know what you need. On the other hand, don't compromise on style, color or quality just to save on something that may not fit with the rest of your house.
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Step 7
Bring cash, a checkbook, a debit card or a Discover card. Most clubs don't accept credit cards.
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Step 8
Pay attention to rebates. In order to get the full benefit from a warehouse store you have to follow through with the rebate mail-ins that apply to some purchases. Know the procedure for collecting your rebate and be sure to get the proper forms.
Comments
justpatricia said
on 2/13/2009 Unit prices don't phase me anymore. I use HandyShopper and can calculate on the spot which is the better buy in milliseconds. I say having a database on hand is crucial to know if a price is good or not. With most of us carrying pda's and phones with the same capabilities these days, why not make it pay for itself? I have built my list over years so I can tell at any time what I last paid for ANYTHING and at what stores.
Anonymous said
on 6/30/2006 Unit pricing is often confusing and inconsistent. The beer section at Costco has some products unit priced per ounce, and others per bottle, which makes it very difficult to compare prices. Similarly, things like dish soap or cooking oil might be per ounce for one item and per liter for another. It's nearly impossible to do the math while shopping without a calculator. Also, many food products are in extremely different sizes than one is familiar with -- numbers like 67 ounces rather than 64, or 92 rather than 96, which also makes it very difficult to compare prices to what you might usually know for the same item.
Anonymous said
on 1/26/2006 As a Costco employee, I must disagree with the statement about employees being underpaid to keep costs down. It is a fact that Costco employees are paid and treated very well. We are all very knowledgeable, and if we cannot help you, we find someone who can.