Costco warehouses are filled with products that can be bought in bulk at a great discount – allowing you to save money. And as a result of that, Costco has accumulated over 111.6 million members worldwide.
However, many of these members don’t know about another option Costco has to offer. This is the Costco Business Center, which offers great savings on items that can be bought in higher quantities than at the Costco warehouses.
So, what is the Costco Business Center, exactly? You might be curious to know if you should go and visit one rather than your local Costco warehouse.
We did some research and have found the answers to all of your questions, which we will share in this article.
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What Is A Costco Business Center?
Costco Business Centers are designed to be geared towards small business owners. When visiting a Costco Business Center, customers are able to buy products like office supplies, snacks, and drinks in bulk. Many of these products are unavailable in a typical Costco warehouse.
As of 2023, there are more than 15 Costco Business Center locations in the United States, with more set up internationally. All you need is a Costco membership to be able to visit any of these centers.
If you would like to know exactly what type of membership is required, the benefits a Costco Business Center has to offer, and more information about it, continue reading.
What Is The Difference Between Costco And Costco Business Center?
A Costco Business Center is quite a bit different than the typical Costco warehouse. First of all, the Business Centers are much smaller than the Costco warehouses. The shopping process is also streamlined to make them easier to get through.
Costco Business Centers also offer special items that you aren’t able to find in Costco warehouses. In fact, over 70% of what is sold in the Business Centers is not sold in any of Cotsco’s stores. This gives all members a reason to visit the Costco Business Center, not just small business owners.
With this being said, Costco Business Centers have fewer amenities than can be found at your local Costco warehouse. There are no tire centers, photo services, pharmacies, hearing and optical centers, or free samples at the Business Centers.
Costco’s Business Centers also don’t sell a variety of products that can be found in Costco’s stores. Some examples are toys, clothes, electronics, and books.
The Business Centers’ main goal is to provide snacks, office supplies, and cleaning supplies specifically for businesses. The centers tend to boast shorter lines and faster wait times.
Do Costco Business Centers Have A Food Court?
Yes, some Costco Business Centers have a food court. While this isn’t typical of every business center, some do have food courts inside.
Some Costco Business Centers also have gas stations with good Costco gas as an extra service, which members can take advantage of. If you are unsure if the Business Center you want to visit has these amenities, you can call in and ask during business hours.
Even though some Costco Business Centers have food courts and gas stations, none of them have many of the services offered at a typical Costco warehouse. The services not offered range from delis, optical and hearing services, pharmacies, tire centers where you can balance and install tires on your vehicle, and photo centers.
What Are Costco Business Center’s Hours?
A Costco Business Center has different hours than a normal Costco warehouse. The Business Centers open earlier so that small business owners can get in and get out quickly.
Most Costco Business Center hours are Monday through Friday from 7 AM to 6 PM and Saturday from 7 AM to 4 PM. They are closed on Sundays.
If you need to purchase something after store hours, you can visit the Costco Business Center website. The website is always available whenever you need something even if your local Business Center is closed.
Can You Buy Products From A Costco Business Center Online?
As briefly mentioned above, Costco Business Centers do have a website for you to make online purchases from. The website is available to access and shop from 24/7.
Business Centers also allow you to make purchases over the phone, as well as by fax. As Costco delivers, you can have your purchases delivered to your home or to your business.
Orders with a total less than $100 will incur a $10 delivery charge. This total is calculated before tax and before instant savings are applied.
If you live in designated areas and order before 3 PM, you are able to take advantage of a next day delivery Monday through Friday. Other orders may take 2 to 5 business days to be delivered. To find out if you are in a designated area, use your zip code when selecting the preferred shipping method at checkout.
Do You Need A Special Membership To Visit A Costco Business Center?
Anyone who is a Costco member can visit a Costco Business Center. You don’t need a Costco Business Membership, and you don’t need to be a small business owner to take advantage of the Business Centers savings and deals.
All memberships are accepted at the door when entering a Business Center. Just make sure not to forget your membership card when visiting.
Do Business Members Have Early Access To Costco Business Centers?
Having a Costco Business Membership does not give you early access to a Costco Business Center. Typically, early access is only provided to those Costco members that are signed up for the Costco Executive Membership. The cost of a Costco Executive Membership is $120 per year.
Don’t be too discouraged, because Costco Business Centers provide earlier opening hours just so business owners can get in before the crowd. The earlier you get to a Business Center, the faster your trip will be.
What Are The Benefits Of Visiting A Costco Business Center?
The benefits that a Costco Business Center provides are meant to aid small business owners who are supplying their businesses with products. They tend to have fewer lines and an easier layout that is easier to shop in.
Costco Business Centers also offer a large variety of products in massive bulk sizes, such as 40 pounds of potatoes. They also offer items such as neon business signs, which small business owners can use to advertise things about their business. This helps the owners to save money on business supplies that might be on the more expensive side.
Beyond this, Costco Business Centers also have savings events quite frequently. The events don’t require any coupons to be a part of them. The savings are applied directly at the check-out.
Not only this, but the events are often previewed up to 14 days beforehand. This allows small business owners to save even more.
Costco Business Centers also boast that you can have purchases delivered by the “truckload”. This is incredibly convenient for small business owners that need to make large orders.
How Can You Sign-up For A Costco Business Membership?
A Costco Business Membership is easy to register for. You are able to apply for a business membership at any Costco store or online at Costco.com.
You will need proof of your business to apply for a Costco Business Membership. This can be your business license or 3 documents that are relevant to your business. If you apply online, you will need to go into a Costco warehouse to have an employee verify the documents you provide for proof of your business.
A Costco Business Membership is absolutely crucial if your intention is to resell the items that you purchase from Costco. Without a Business Membership, the resale of items purchased at Costco is illegal.
Conclusion
Costco Business Centers are geared to cater to small business owners. They are smaller and designed to be streamlined so that the shopping experience is quicker and more efficient.
The Business Centers sell items that cannot be found in Costco warehouses. The items found there are offered in larger bulk sizes. These sizes are better for reselling products.
But, if you’re not a business owner – you can still visit the Costco Business Center and buy products that you won’t typically find in the average Costco warehouse.
