Thinking About Buying A New TV From Costco? Some Things You Need To Know

Costco is an excellent place to shop for, well, just about anything from food and beverages to electronics and apparel. And those hot dogs really are something. But what makes it even better is that when you have a Costco membership, you can get exclusive access to deals, offers, and promotions on some pretty incredible things. Costco's budget-friendly 100-inch TV is a perfect example of this. (Of course, the weirdest thing you can buy at Costco is probably a casket, and sometimes on sale, too.) Before you go filling up that cart, there are some things you need to know.

Costco is not like other retailers, though you may already be familiar with this if you shop there often. That's because items you'll find on-site are often exclusive to the company. That can make price matching tough because those models aren't available anywhere else. Costco does this to try and bring better value to its customers and often succeeds, sometimes offering better, longer warranties as well as member benefits. That's not all you should know about buying a new TV from Costco, though.

As Costco TV models are often exclusive, there may be certain differences between these products and ones from other stores. For example, Costco may slightly change features, have fewer functions, or present certain limitations, like having fewer HDMI ports or dropping the built-in smart connectivity. It's difficult to point out exactly how these models are different from standard runs of TVs, because it varies, and in Costco's case, it may not even be a strict negative when you factor in extended warranties and reduced prices. Costco does a good job of bringing added value to its customers, but it's still definitely something to keep in mind. It also helps to know all the important TV specs you should consider before selecting a model.

Beyond this, to take advantage of the sales in the first place, you have to be an active and paying member of Costco's club. That subscription starts at $65 per year, and prices differ depending on what tier you choose: Gold Star, Business, or Executive, with Executive being the most expensive at $130 per year (you pay a $65 membership fee and a $65 upgrade fee). Some locations do allow non-members to shop, but since it's not a company-wide offering and it's hard to pin down when and where this would be possible, it's best to assume you'll need that membership. In the end, it's up to you to properly gauge the value and cost, especially if you're paying both the membership fee and the deal price to capitalize on an offer. It may be cheaper to shop elsewhere.