Being a Costco member gives plenty of perks besides being able to shop at the warehouse retailer, like cash back and travel deals. Another to add to the list is Costco Direct, a service that allows you to order items directly from its warehouses and get them shipped to your house. This saves time and a trip to the store, particularly with large items such as furniture and appliances. Plus, there are always great deals and discounts offered through the program. But there’s one catch to Costco Direct – you can’t use it to order groceries.
Costco Direct is a membership feature great for larger purchases, such as appliances, electronics, and furniture. While you can score great deals on these big-ticket items when you buy more than one at the same time, you cannot add groceries or small home goods items to the order. The smallest bulk item you can buy on Costco Direct is packs of water filters, but you won’t find any perishables or bulk items like toilet paper and kitchen staples.
If you’re looking for a new washing machine, a computer, or a sofa, Costco Direct has you covered. Want to restock on large bottles of olive oil and baking supplies without heading to a local Costco store? You’ll need to use a different service, called Costco Same-Day.
How to order groceries through Costco same-day delivery
Costco Same-Day is actually powered by InstaCart, and you’ll need to enter your zip code to ensure the service is available. Depending on how close you are to a Costco location, you can get your groceries delivered sometimes in an hour. This service, just like Costco Direct, is advertised as a member’s member-only feature, and groceries can be placed on the Costco Same-Day site. The order minimum is $35, and really anything you would want to get in the store can be ordered, including frozen foods, dairy, bakery items, alcohol, and fresh produce. Outside of standard groceries, there is even the option to add pet goods, sporting items, toys, and new, seasonal offerings to the cart.
There is a non-member loophole — you can order from Costco through Instacart. For both members and non-members, the downside to same-day delivery is that items will be slightly more expensive than what they cost in-store due to Instacart fees. All communication with the courier will take place in the Instacart app.
Same-day delivery is a great way to get your Costco favorites if you simply can’t make it to a local store, whether you are sick or short on time. Paying a few extra dollars in these situations makes the service worth it. The warehouse retailer also offers Two-Day Delivery for non-perishable food and home items, but it does add on a delivery fee on orders under $75.
