5 Things Costco Members Should Stop Buying, According To Superfans
Written by
Jake Safane
Edited by
Ashleigh Ray
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Costco members know that the warehouse store is brimming with great money-saving deals, but that doesn’t mean you should buy everything at Costco. Sometimes that’s due to competitors offering better alternatives, and sometimes it comes down to issues like Costco’s infamous bulk sizes being too big for the average household.
Michigan couple James Koskela, founder of Zero Day Gear and Elyse Koskela, founder of The Movement Studio are the embodiment of Costco superfans. They met through the app Bumble, and when they started chatting, they talked about their shared love of the superstore. That led to their first date happening at Costco. Now, they’ve been married for six years.
“Each year we travel to a different Costco on our wedding anniversary and recreate our first date in a new city,” said Mr. Koskela.
The couple even chose Kirk as their son’s middle name in a nod to Costco’s Kirkland Signature brand. Yet as much as they love Costco, even they have a few things they wouldn’t buy there.
The Koskelas believe the Kirkland Signature brand diaper is one. In the past, they found that product to be both a great deal and of high quality, but a design change caused the diaper to lag behind competitors in the Koskelas’ view.
Let’s dive into some well-loved Costco customer favorites.
Kirkland Signature Toilet Paper
While you might get a good deal buying toilet paper at Costco, not everyone loves the store brand.
“Everyone has their preference for this one, and my preference isn’t the Kirkland brand,” Mr. Koskela said. “I stick with a softer and stronger name-brand roll.”
The good news is that Costco has a generous refund policy, and if you’re not satisfied with this product, you can get your money back. However, you might not want to deal with the extra step of getting a refund. But you don’t necessarily have to go to another store to buy toilet paper. You can still find some name brands at Costco.
Copy Paper
Another product that Mr. Koskela skips at Costco is generic copy/printer paper, and this decision is based on pricing.
“I’m a small business owner and do monitor expenses and hunt for deals. That is one of the appeals of Costco for me. However, when it comes to generic white paper for our laser printers I look elsewhere,” he said. “If you’re a thrifty shopper you can almost always find a coupon code for a ream of paper from one of the big office supply stores, or even a certain supercenter store, and save a significant amount versus buying at Costco.”
Bird Food
While this may differ by location and personal preferences, Ms. Koskela is not a fan of the bird food for sale at her local Costco in Michigan.
“The wild bird feed at our local Costco store is filled with seed that our birds won’t eat or seed that attracts unwanted birds,” she said. “My suggestion? Look at your local feed store for a product that isn’t a mixed feed product. We use strictly safflower here and it virtually eliminates all waste and helps to discourage grackles.”
Party Snacks
This is another category that’s a matter of personal taste. While Costco has plenty of unique and delicious snacks, they don’t necessarily have all the classics that many people enjoy.
“I hate to mention the ‘S’ word in my suggestion but I have to do it: Sam’s Club. If you want party snacks, the kind that makes you feel guilty the following day, skip Costco altogether and visit your local Sam’s Club for a vast assortment of mouth-watering snacks that you’ll never find at Costco,” said Ms. Koskela.
Kirkland Signature 2L Olive Oil
Lastly, the Costco brand of olive oil in the two-liter container may seem like a great way to stock up on this pantry staple, but it could be too large for many families.
“Unless you’re feeding an army, you likely will not require two liters of extra virgin olive oil in your pantry,” said Ms. Koskela.
Not only is it bulky, but as she pointed out, olive oil can degrade over time — some experts suggest using a bottle within three months of opening. So, you might be better off getting a smaller size, which might mean shopping elsewhere.
While these are a few items that the Koskelas pass on, there are still so many that they love. From the famous rotisserie chicken to saving on prescription drugs, to free nitrogen used to fill up their tires, the Koskelas have so many reasons to keep coming back to Costco. Yet even superfans have their limits.
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