Key Takeaways
- You need to be a Costco member to buy a TV.
- Most smart TV purchases come with shipping perks and extended warranties.
- Costco’s online search feature allows for side-by-side comparisons, although the filter settings are questionable.
There are many companies that manufacture Smart TV there are plenty of places you can buy one: you can go directly to the company’s website, or you can even buy a TV on Amazon if you prefer to browse and buy online, while Best Buy has a section stocked with beautifully tailored models handpicked for sale, giving you the value of in-person TV shopping.
There are some less obvious stores where you can buy a TV. We’ve looked at reasons to buy a smart TV online before. Walmart Costco’s case is a bit more complicated, if you’re considering a hypermarket for your next TV purchase. Online Shopping Or if you do meet in person, keep the following in mind:
You need to sign up to buy a TV, and it’s not cheap.
There is no way around the purchase requirement
If you’re visiting this magical place for the first time, where you can buy high-end electronics, inexpensive toiletries, and years’ worth of groceries all at once, you should know that you need to sign up for a membership. You can’t shop at Costco unless you have a Costco membership. Costco isn’t that expensive, but you need a membership to buy anything.
Entry-level access to Costco costs $60 per year, while a top-level subscription packed with several extra perks is $120 per year. So before you consider buying a TV at Costco, you should consider whether a membership is worth investing in.
Costco offers more than just money savings
Purchase includes setup and assembly assistance
Membership gives you perks and warranties on purchases in general, and TVs in particular. In some cases, you may be eligible for Costco’s White Glove Delivery, where a delivery person will unbox, inspect, and set up your TV at your home. If this service isn’t offered, some delivery options can at least deliver the TV to the room of your choice for easy installation.
If your TV doesn’t look as good as you expected in your home, you can return it and try again.
Most TVs purchased at Costco come with a two-year warranty and free technical support, or you can add on extra protection for even longer. You can also return your TV within 90 days if you’re not satisfied, which is a pretty good deal for an investment in such an important piece of equipment. If your TV doesn’t suit your home as well as you’d hoped, you can return it and try again.
Various TVs side-by-side
Costco’s online search is a mixed blessing. The database isn’t the most intuitive, and like Walmart, the filters are sometimes not particularly precise. Don’t be too specific when selecting filters, as they may filter out what you want. Also, expect your search to bring up items you don’t want. It’s best to have some idea of what you want before you buy, search for a specific brand or screen technology, and scan the results.
But Costco’s website has a handy comparison feature that lets you select up to four products at once to view them side-by-side. The products are listed on the same page, and an accompanying chart lets you compare each feature and spec from one TV to another. You don’t have to scroll line by line to see the changes; you can click a button to highlight the differences and see what’s different about the TVs. It’s so much easier than navigating between tabs to research the products you want to buy.
While detailed information can be hard to find on Costco’s website, resources do exist.
For most TVs, additional research will probably be required.
Finding out all of a TV’s exact specs and features can sometimes be a frustrating task. Costco’s website is one that does an amazing job at making TV details clear and accessible, offering a simple list that tells you everything you need to know about a particular model, from the number and type of each port to each video and audio format.
But the data doesn’t always tell the whole story: Costco doesn’t explain exactly what each feature does, and it doesn’t provide any information on best practices unless it’s provided by the manufacturer, so you may need to check another website for more information if the information isn’t readily available.
Costco also has a very handy, yet simple, TV buying guide that breaks down the key elements you need to know about TVs in a clear way. It includes screen technology, refresh rates, and HDR, as well as a table to help you determine the right size for your space. It’s a good introduction to TV terminology, but we recommend doing more research before making a big investment.
Check manufacturer sites for special offers
Please try shopping around
If you buy a wide range of products for your home and life, a Costco membership certainly seems like it would be worth it. But it’s not entirely clear whether new smart TVs are a better deal at the big-box store than at other retailers. This is especially true for recently released models and flagship units from top manufacturers. A quick comparison at the time of writing showed no difference in price for Sony’s A80L model, which is a top-tier OLED smart TV. For LG’s top-tier OLED TV, the 2024 G4, the list price on LG’s website was actually slightly lower than at Costco. But on top of that, LG was running a sale that knocked an additional $500 off the model.
But if it’s an older or smaller unit that you don’t plan on using as your main entertainment hub, you’re likely to find a bargain — Costco can afford to sell older models at more competitive prices.
Buying a TV at Costco has its pros and cons. Whether it’s right for you depends on what you’re looking for, how often you shop at Costco, and what you’re shopping for. If you only buy TVs at the retailer, it probably isn’t worth the membership, but if you’re already a member and a frequent shopper, adding a TV to your cart isn’t a bad idea.
