I went to Costco expecting fantastic bargains, and was almost completely disappointed. There are a number of branded items that are cheaper in Aldi, e.g. Coca Cola in Costco costs 10% more per can than Aldi, even when you buy almost twice as much. Huggies nappies were slightly more expensive than my local chemist, again even when buying around twice the quantity.
Many of the electronics are on par with places like The Good Guys, and at least there you have people to help you choose.
And if you don't care which brand of e.g. dish soap, bleach or kitchen towels you buy, Aldi comes out much cheaper, without having to shell out $60 on membership, drive 30 mins or buy in bulk which, in my house, ends up increasing consumption to negate any possible savings.
I was also annoyed with the fuss they made when I asked to cancel. First they refused to cancel by email, so I had to drive back there. When I told the lady there my reason, she told me "But there's no way Aldi will give you a two or three year guarantee on electronics." Wrong. They explicitly do give you this kind of guarantee. Which they basically would have to anyway - if a $2000 TV breaks down after 18 months, you are entitled to demand replacement or repair, free of charge, regardless of any stated warranty, under consumer law. Eventually they insisted on mailing out a cheque to refund the membership fee, just to make life that little bit inconvenient.
I think Costco basically operates on reputation, the assumption that if you buy stuff in bulk, it *must* be cheaper. I'd advise potential Costco shoppers to very carefully compare prices and factor in the inconvenience and membership fee - I'm not surprised they don't put prices on their website, because many people would quickly see that they're nowhere near as good value as they make out. And don't be afraid to cancel your membership if you find yourself disappointed, they will refund in full. read more
