Shopping At Costco Online Vs In-Store: Which Saves You More Money?

Costco is a lot like Disneyland: An American icon that offers an experience so unique, visitors are willing to tolerate expensive entrance passes, crowded parking lots, and long lines. But if you're okay with missing the free samples and famous hot dogs, you might actually save cash by ordering online instead. Your buying habits ultimately determine whether you should shop in-store or on Costco's website.

A crucial point here is that most — but not all – Costco items have a higher baseline price online. On its website, the company explains that it factors shipping expenses into web store prices and does not price match with its warehouses. You'll pay even more if you choose same-day or two-day shipping, which are the only options for some grocery items. The former merits a $3 delivery charge for every item, while same-day delivery works for Costco groceries through Instacart, so fees may vary. The chain's shipping costs can be unpredictable in general, as each item may also come with its own fee set by its vendor, not Costco.

On the bright side, not everything on Costco's website has an individual shipping fee, so you can dodge a stack of extra charges by searching for items that ship at no additional cost. And if you buy $75 or more of goods for two-day shipping, the $3 surcharge is waived. However, keeping you focused is the biggest way that online ordering saves money when buying groceries from Costco.

Online orders not only circumvent several mildly annoying things about shopping at Costco – they can also stop you from spending more than planned. On Costco's website, you won't see any tantalizing displays or samples that distract you from what you came for — just a neat catalogue that's easy to search, helping you find the items you need and stick to them. And since scrolling through web pages is not as fun as browsing aisles, you won't be as tempted to go in without a plan, which is one of the worst mistakes you're making at Costco. Individual prices may be higher, but with fewer distractions, you could wind up with a lower total than if you hunted down the same items in store.

Costco also offers online discounts that can level the playing field, such as frequent web store-exclusive promotions. You can take advantage of two different online discount programs: Costco Direct and Costco Next. Costco Next lets members purchase goods straight from suppliers for lower prices, while Costco Direct helps you save hundreds of dollars on large orders of furniture and appliances.

All in all, if you're a laser-focused customer who doesn't get distracted, or mainly needs perishable items that are expensive to ship quickly, you're probably better off buying from Costco in person. But if you always end up with a surprise $400 haul instead of your planned $150 one, shopping online is certainly a valid choice.