What do you prefer more? Walmart or Costco?

Costco and Walmart are 2 of the most well-known retailers in the United States, and every year, millions of people purchase products from them. Both of these giant stores are very popular for the wide variety of products they offer, which are affordable and of quite high quality.

Walmart was opened many years ago, in 1962, and it has over 5000 stores in many parts of the world, besides the US, such as India, Canada, Chile, and South Africa. Costco is a little smaller compared to the giant retailer we’ve previously mentioned, with more than 800 warehouses around the globe.

Regardless of the popularity of these 2 megastores, there are many reasons why people decide to purchase their products from them or think that it’s better to stay away from both.

One thing that makes people interested in Costco is that it gives them the ability to purchase things in bulk while also offering them annual membership fees, while Walmart doesn’t carry any of these options.

However, I was curious to discover where exactly I could find the best deals, so you better believe that I did my research so I can share everything I know with you. I took a trip to both of these stores, so if you want to know what I came across, you’ll have to read this article to find out.

So which one of these 2 retailers deserves your money? Tell me when you finish reading this article by leaving a comment down below! Now let’s see what they have to offer!

1. Kirkland has a large selection

If you’ve been a Walmart customer for a while, you already know that the giant has a line of affordable products, which include cleaning supplies and food items, that’s called Great Value. It seems like many people like purchasing these products because they’re more budget-friendly than name-brand products and get the job done just as well.

However, as much as people love Great Value bread, cookies, ice cream, juice, and chips (myself included because they’re affordable and tasty), I have to admit that Costco’s exclusive brand, Kirkland Signature, offers more products I can choose from.

Whether you’re looking for groceries, household items, or products you need for your personal care routine, you’ll find everything you need there. But that is not all: the giant noticed that customers really appreciate Kirkland, so they’ve come up with many other items, from hoodies and sunglasses to mattresses.

So yes, when it comes to variety and budget-friendly items, Kirkland has all my love!

2. Free samples, anyone?

Is there someone who doesn’t love a good free sample? I sure like them a lot, and I love it when stores give me the ability to try new things. Speaking of that, Costco took it to another level when it came to making their customers happy.

If you go grocery shopping on a Saturday, you can expect to see lots and lots of free samples throughout the warehouse. Some of my favorites were a few pieces of pumpkin cheesecake and some Lindt chocolate. Some people said that they tasted prime rib for free, but I didn’t see any of that the last time I was at Costco.

Walmart, on the other hand, took everything to the next level with their free samples. They have a system called Freeosk, which makes everything automatic and simple.

It’s like a vending machine that gives you small things for free. What’s even better is that you can use their app to order a couple of freebies, and they’ll deliver them straight to your door. Such a great idea!

3. Food courts vs restaurants

If you crave something tasty after your shopping spree, you can find many affordable and delicious treats at Costco, such as pizza, hot dogs, and onion crank, which are customers’ favorites and are staples in the warehouse.

Walmart does things a bit differently, but just as fun. You can have your lunch or dinner in one of the retailer’s restaurants, and you can order things from Frutta Bowls, Wendy’s, Saladworks, and even Shawarma Press, just inside the store.

That’s fuel for your shopping adventure, so you won’t be tempted to rush and get home to eat. These are, of course, marketing strategies to attract and hook customers onto their services, but if the products they offer are affordable and of great quality, you can definitely count me in.

4. Self-checkout

If you’re one of the people who hate waiting in line to pay for their groceries, then Walmart is the place for you because they have a lot of self-checkout stations and they make everything work faster and smoother.

Their machines are supplied with green lights, which will show you if they’re available and ready to use, and they work pretty fast, which is a plus for many customers, including me.

Costco, on the other hand, doesn’t have that many self-checkout stations, and some of their machines work pretty badly, which is not something I look forward to. Speaking of that, there are places where they completely let go of self-checkout stations because they didn’t work properly, but there are also stores where everything is smooth.

We can’t exactly tell why there is such a discrepancy regarding the retailer’s self-checkout machines, so it probably depends on where you live and which store you visit.

5. Money for staff

We’ve talked about what types of products these retailers offer and how they like to engage with their customers, but now it’s time to talk about their staff. As you probably know, the majority of people are curious and interested in different aspects that are related to working conditions and the wage per hour employees receive, and I’m in the same category.

I like to support brands and retailers that treat their workers with respect and give them enough money for their hard work. I’m a strong believer that if a brand pays their employees accordingly, people will be more motivated to work hard and do their best during working hours.

Speaking of that, Walmart has more than 2 million people working for them worldwide, and more than 1,5 million are from the United States. According to a report, the retailer gives their full-time field associated a bit over $15 per hour.

On the other hand, Costco has roughly 300,000 employees worldwide and each one’s wage depends strictly on what types of roles they have. One great thing is that according to sources, the retailer has a company benefit plan which takes care of people’s dental insurance, 401(k), vision care, and others.

As of 2021, the starting salary for someone who wants to work at Costco is $17 per hour, and some sources say that the wage can go up to $25 per hour for certain positions within their retail locations.

So which one of these giant retailers is the one that you like the most? Do you prefer buying things in bulk or do you like getting one item at a time? Feel free to tell me what you think in the comment section below!

If you’re looking for the perfect reusable grocery bags to take with you on the next shopping spree at Costco or Walmart, these bags from Amazon are absolutely amazing! They’re easy to clean and use, which means that you can avoid paying for plastic bags, so it’s definitely a great item to have!

Are you looking for something else to read? Then check out this article: 7 Grocery Store Items You’ve Been Wasting Money On!