What Is Costco Next and Is It Worth It? Here's What You Should Know

Costco members have another way to score big deals available exclusively online.

If you’re a Costco member, you may have heard about the warehouse’s online shopping experience called Costco Next. Current members can log on and shop at various Costco-vetted suppliers in search of deals on anything from home gym equipment to outdoor furniture and more.

Whether you know about this program or are brand new to it, you may have some questions while getting started. Here’s everything to know about Costco Next to help you get the most out of your shopping experience.

What Is Costco Next?

Costco Next allows members to shop for exclusive deals online on a variety of different supplier websites. Members will shop and purchase directly online at these supplier sites by using their membership information to receive discounts and deals.

Related: 11 Surprising Things You Can Get at Costco

How Do You Get Costco Next?

If you are already a Costco member, you can log on and start using Costco Next for free. Simply click on the “shop now” option under the brand you’re interested in and you’ll then head to the supplier’s website where you can shop for deals by inputting your Costco membership details.

Pros and Cons of Using Costco Next

When you use Costco Next, you shop with a variety of third-party suppliers at discounted prices. This can help you save money on larger items, including popular kitchen appliances and luggage sets, or smaller products, like beauty products and barware. The offerings are also always changing, so there are new suppliers and deals added all the time to give you a vast selection on a rotating basis. At the time of publish, popular kitchenware brands like Mikasa, Viking, and GreenPan, along with Inspire home gym equipment and butter LONDON beauty products, had available deals through the site.

When it comes to returns, you won’t be able to make them directly with Costco. Since you are purchasing these items from a supplier website, you will likely need to make any returns with them. Products offered by these suppliers do not qualify for Costco's Executive benefits and are not available for the 2% reward calculation. Also, some retailers may require a minimum purchase amount to shop with them.

Is Costco Next Worth the Cost?

The good thing about Costco Next is that there is no additional cost to use it when you’re a Costco member. But that means you do have to be a Costco member to use it. This is a solid perk for those who already utilize Costco frequently in stores and want another way to shop for deals online. And if you're not a member already, Costco has tons of benefits that make the $60 annual membership fee well worth it.

Related: Costco Is Putting a Stop to Membership Sharing—Here's What You Need to Know

For more Real Simple news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Real Simple.