You Should Always Buy Your Tech From Costco - Here's Why

Out of the warehouse membership clubs available to consumers, Costco has certainly made a name for itself as one of the fairest to join. The company may be publicly traded, but the Kirkland Signature branding smacks of a private company hand-choosing its goods for quality and price. Thanks to the membership model, Costco can sell high-quality and well-known products at low markups, and the benefits don't stop there.

Costco is also a fantastic store for sourcing your electronics. Take the Nintendo Switch 2 release as a perfect example. While stores like Best Buy and Gamestop were primarily sold out the week of release, Costco was busy selling wave after wave of stock on its brick-and-mortar and online stores. 

At the end of the day, few think of Costco as the first place to pick up the latest tech, especially for a highly coveted item, but that's folly. Costco is easily one of the most consumer-friendly stores to buy your goods from, and its electronics selection is pretty dang hard to beat, not only in selection but also in price, warranties, and rewards.

Straight up, this isn't hyperbole: Costco has spent many years building its consumer-friendly reputation. It is very well-earned. Number one, employees are paid living wages with generous benefits and are provided clear incentives for furthering their careers with the company. 

The fact that you can start at the bottom and work your way up to management is often unheard of these days, yet Costco manages just fine. It's also worth considering that Costco responsibly sources its goods, aiming for quality across its products, whether that's locally-sourced grass-fed beef or affordable electronics. The Kirkland brand, in particular, is well known for offering high-end products from everyday gadgets to household items, including its annual whiskey selection, which offers incredible value.

The savings you earn on gas from your shopping surely don't hurt either. Plus, the liberal return policy is pretty great, where 100% satisfaction is guaranteed. This means you can return just about anything for a full refund if you're not satisfied. Point-blank, whether you work there or shop there, Costco makes you feel welcome as a human being ('welcome to Costco, I love you' is a meme for a reason). When the alternative is considered by many as a customer service nightmare, it's easy to see why so many consumers hold Costco in such high regard.

Of course, we're here to specifically talk about why you should purchase your electronics from Costco, and while the return policy is definitely great, what's even more important is the extended warranty you get with all of your tech purchases. All major electronics sold by Costco, from major TV brands to all of the best manufacturers of laptops, get two-year warranties (an extra year added on top of the original manufacturer's warranty); it's a perk from the membership, no matter the tier, and it's easily the best in the business.

Stores like Best Buy won't even give you a month for its return policy (15 days is all Best Buy will offer, which is pretty dismal), and you can't get an extended warranty without paying for a separate expensive service plan. Conversely, Costco also offers free tech support, so if you get stuck on an issue while setting up your latest Costco electronics purchase, help is a call away. Just think of how handy this can be for your grandparents or parents, instead of them having to ring you up for help inconveniently. Yet another reason to make your family's major electronics purchases from Costco rather than competing stores.

Free rewards don't hurt either. You can easily earn cash back on all your purchases by signing up for a Costco Anywhere Visa Card (reminder: Costco only accepts Visa) with one to 5% cash back, depending on the item. But if you'd rather not sign up for a Costco credit card, you can join the premium tier of the subscription, the Executive Membership, for some extra rewards. This provides 2% cash back on most of your purchases, which adds up.

Whether you choose to join the Gold Membership at $65 a year or the Executive Membership at $130 a year, you have options at your disposal to easily earn rewards (i.e., cash back) as you spend. This setup lets you save beyond Costco's low prices, which stem from the chain's membership model. Even when factoring in the yearly membership cost, the benefits you gain from shopping at physical Costco stores and its website are numerous. So for your next electronics purchase, if you're a Costco member, why not check its selection before you visit Amazon or Best Buy? Costco might not be the first store you think of when you're looking to secure some new tech, but it absolutely should be, thanks to its many consumer-friendly benefits.