What Is Costco Next, and Should You Try It?

Costco has a secret: Members get an underrated perk called Costco Next. If you have a Costco membership, you can shop for non-Costco products at Costco prices. You only need to enter the information on your Costco membership card; then, you can shop.

You might be wondering, how's that different from shopping at Costco.com? And how does Costco Next benefit you, the average Costco shopper? Let's take a look.

Costco vs. Costco Next

Costco Next is different from regular Costco. Here's how:

• Costco Next is an online-only service.
• You won't find Costco Next products at warehouses or Costco.com.
• Products are cheaper on Costco Next than they are on supplier websites.

Costco Next is like Costco.com, except checkout and shipping are handled by suppliers -- not Costco. Executive members lose their 2% discount on purchases, but in exchange, they get access to non-Costco products at Costco prices.

Costco Next benefits Costco members

Costco Next requires two things from Costco members: Costco membership information and permission to share advertising and membership details with third-party suppliers. In exchange, Costco members get the following:

• Access to non-store items at Costco prices
• Home-installation services
• Special supplier discounts

Costco Next is more than a thin Costco wrapper around third-party sellers. You get great members-only prices. If you're going to buy from Costco partners, you might as well do it at Costco Next for cheaper.

What it's like to shop on Costco Next

I took a look around the Costco Next website at costconext.com. The landing page is standard. It lists Costco-backed brands you can shop from.

You'll want to log in with your membership details to get started. To log in, you need the following basic information:

• Member name
• Costco card number

Once you're in, you can check out the partners Costco members can shop from. After browsing around, I chose Priority Bicycles. It advertised exclusive Costco prices, plus 10% off an e-bike.

I wasn't sure what "Costco prices" meant, so I figured I'd look around.

After clicking "Visit Priority Bicycles, the site navigated me to costco.prioritybicycles.com. On the website were -- surprise! -- bikes for sale.

So, I made it to the Costco prices. But were they actually cheaper than usual? To compare, I brought up the official Priority Bicycles website used by regular online shoppers.

The regular and member-only websites both listed the Priority Current E-Bike for sale. Here's how much the product cost for Costco members vs. non-members:

• Costco members: $2,599.99
• Non-members: $3,299.00

The product was about 22% cheaper on Costco Next. That's before any site-specific promos, which would have lowered the price an additional 10%. Not a bad deal.

More examples from other suppliers: Costco Next shoppers save more than 50% on the "Original Rabbit Corkscrew" from the brand Rabbit ($24.49 vs. $55). Members save over 30% on an elegant path light from the brand Volt ($67.99 vs. $99.97). The list goes on.

Costco members could save hundreds of dollars by shopping through Costco Next.

Why shop with Costco Next?

You get cheaper-than-normal products from reputable suppliers backed by Costco. It doesn't cost anything extra for regular Costco members.

Some products through Costco Next are challenging to find elsewhere. Things of this nature include Korean skincare products and Golden Arowana flooring installation. Good news is you can quickly Google whether a product is available elsewhere and, if so, at what price. Try it!

Why not shop with Costco Next?

For most Costco members, shopping through Costco Next should be a no-brainer. However, there are legitimate reasons not to try it out.

First, things purchased from a Costco Next supplier don't qualify for Costco's Executive benefits and won't be included in the calculation for the 2% reward. So Executive members shouldn't factor those discounts in when shopping.

Second, the shipping and handling of Costco Next products are handled through the supplier. You can't return Costco Next purchases to Costco (you must go through the supplier). Plus, shipping times will vary by brand.

Third, Costco Next is online only. You may prefer to shop in person, and that's fine. Regular Costco warehouse stores have plenty of other products on offer.

How to access Costco Next

Costco Next is free to try for Costco members (non-members will need to splurge for a $60/year Costco Gold membership). You can access Costco Next by doing the following:

• Navigate to costconext.com
• Enter your name and membership number

It's simple. You'll want your membership card handy. While shopping around, you can compare Costco prices to those on the original websites. Nothing is stopping you from making sure you snag the lowest prices possible.

For a little extra savings, consider shopping with a cash back card. You'll get a little extra back on each purchase. Pay off all your credit cards each month, and you're golden. Costco offers its card, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi, for up to 4% cash back on Costco purchases.