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Digital Trends
- Beyond the Gadgets: Unlocking the hidden electronics membership perks at Costco & Samβs Club
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Business Insider
- Gold buyer who invested $30,000 this year says Costco's bars and coins were his 'gateway drug'
Gold buyer who invested $30,000 this year says Costco's bars and coins were his 'gateway drug'

Dominick Reuter/Business Insider
- The gold market is surging, briefly topping $3,500 an ounce on Tuesday.
- Costco sells millions of dollars worth of bars and coins for some of the lowest markups around.
- One buyer who's spent $30,000 on gold this year called Costco's offerings a "gateway drug."
With the gold market surging β briefly topping $3,500 an ounce on Tuesday β Costco is again a hot spot for precious metal collectors hoping to make a near-instant windfall.
The market for gold often rises in times of uncertainty, and the current price moves are driven by interest in the commodity itself as a safe-haven investment and by the depreciation of the US dollar.
One collector who has bought more than $30,000 worth of gold this year told Business Insider there's growing concern in the precious metals community about gold prices rising so quickly.
"To me, it is the measuring stick for how bad things are going to get," he said.
The person requested anonymity because of concerns about personal safety, but he provided BI with receipts from recent Costco purchases and documentation of his additional gold holdings.
He said he owned no gold until this year and only began collecting as the political and economic environment became more unpredictable.
Costco, which sells gold bars and coins online and in some of its stores, made it easy for him to get started.
"Costco was the gateway drug to gold investing," he said.
It's no secret that Costco sells hundreds of millions of dollars worth of bars and coins for some of the lowest markups around, but there are times when the market moves a little faster than the company's price adjustments.
In particular, several product listings on Tuesday β namely a 100-gram bar and a 1-ounce bar β were listed at prices so close to the spot market price that Costco Executive Members using the Costco Citi credit card could see a net reward of about 1% to 2% of the purchase price.

Costco
In other words, Costco is basically giving some members money to convert their dollars into gold (up to certain limits on individual and annual transactions, of course). Executive rewards are capped at $1,250 a year, but the company's credit card rewards on purchases are not limited.
Costco did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, but precious metals sales have been a key area of growth for the club's e-commerce business.
The company benefits from routing hundreds of millions of dollars in sales through Costco.com by simply buying a batch of gold and selling every ounce of it to members.
Other non-Costco credit card promos can make the math even more remarkable, as one gold flipper who bought more than $100,000 worth of gold last year attested to.
It's also important to note that Costco does not allow returns or price adjustments on gold purchases, and some buyers have found it unexpectedly difficult to quickly sell their bars and coins at a price that makes the flip worthwhile. Most collectors recommend building a relationship with a trusted local gold dealer to conduct transactions.
In general, the collectors BI spoke to are gold holders, not sellers, and the demand at Costco remains fairly steady.
"The price hasn't had much of an effect. The people who want it buy it," said one warehouse manager who requested anonymity because he's not authorized to speak to the media about sales.
The Costco manager said his location occasionally receives about 10 to 20 bars, which are usually sold within a week, and sometimes within a few days.
Costco executives have previously said that online sales can run through a batch of inventory "within a few hours."
As the price of gold dipped from Tuesday levels, Costco gold enthusiasts took to the Costco precious metals Reddit community on Wednesday to discuss the lag time between when the listed prices would be updated to reflect the market change.
"Costco doesn't real-time price like online bullion brokers," one Reddit user wrote. "Their pricing lags up to a day or two behind spot⦠which was great for customers buying when gold skyrocketed, sometimes Costco pricing was below spot BEFORE cash back⦠this is the other side of that coin."
I tried 13 desserts from Costco, and there are 9 I'd buy again

Paige Bennett
- I'm trying to eat and review all of the desserts from Costco's bakeryΒ section.Β
- The Kirkland Signature cheesecake, tuxedo bar cake, and tiramisu cheesecake are amazing.Β
- I wasn't a fan of Costco's strawberries-and-cream or carrot-cake bar cakes.
From its $1.50 hot dog combo to the giant slices of pizza, Costco is known for having great deals on its own signature foods.
Outside of lunch, the wholesale retailer also has an impressive dessert selection full of great deals. But are the desserts actually any good?
Over the past few months, I've been visiting Costco's bakery section to try all the made-in-house desserts I could find.
Here's how they stacked up and which ones are actually worth buying.
Editor's Note: Product availability and cost may vary. The prices listed are what the author paid at the time the product was purchased.

Paige Bennett
Costco's 12-inch cheesecake is a staple in the warehouse's cakes and pies section.
Although $19 is a good price for such a big cheesecake, it's one of the most expensive items I purchased.

Paige Bennett
I liked that this cheesecake wasn't dense. Instead, it was incredibly fluffy with a texture that reminded me of a soufflΓ©.
It was so light that it started to fall apart when I pulled a slice onto my plate. The taste made up for the messy slice β this cheesecake was super creamy and not overly sweet, with a slight tanginess to balance its flavors.
I can't wait to try it again with fresh fruit.

Paige Bennett
During one shopping trip, I looked at desserts just a few weeks before the Easter holiday.
I found a pretty bar cake with layers of carrot cake and cream-cheese frosting, plus a smattering of toasted walnuts on top.
At $19 for a cake that's almost 3 pounds, it seemed like an affordable option to bring to a holiday gathering.

Paige Bennett
I love carrot cake, but I wished this one had more flavor and moisture in the cake layers.
In my opinion, they were quite dry and tasted a bit bland. I wished the cake had a more spiced flavor.
For the most part, I could only taste the sweet, tangy frosting, which was nice but a little too much for the cake.

Paige Bennett
The banana cream pie was about as big as the other cakes in this section, which are 10 inches, and cost $16.

Paige Bennett
The pie had a good balance of flavors and textures. The crunchy graham-cracker crust held together well and added a contrast to all the creamy layers.
I liked that the banana pudding had a natural taste, not an artificial one. The caramel on top added some depth in flavor, but it was subtle.
I wish there had been more caramel, and I think I'd slice some fresh banana on top for serving next time, but overall this was one of my favorite Costco desserts.

Paige Bennett
The chocolate-covered strawberries were in their own little cooler toward the front of the bakery section, and they were marked down from $13 to $6.
On this trip, I went to Costco one day after Mother's Day, so I assumed these were leftovers from the holiday.
Some of the strawberries looked a little worse for wear, but I managed to find some that didn't look past their prime.

Paige Bennett
The strawberries selected for this dessert were impressively big, yet they were no match for all of the chocolate they were dipped and drizzled in.
With each bite, I only tasted the rich, hardened chocolate, despite how ripe and juicy the berries were. I'd probably skip these in the future.

Paige Bennett
Although this dessert was among the most expensive desserts I tried at $19, it was well worth that price based on presentation alone.
It has really pretty layers of strawberries, cream, and vanilla cake, plus striped white-chocolate decorations on top.
This cake seems to be a seasonal one that Costco sometimes brings back in the summer months.

Paige Bennett
I wished this one tasted as good as it looked. I expected it to be sweet β it is dessert, after all β but this cake was too overly sweet to me.
I think it would've had more balanced flavors if it had a little less strawberry filling and thicker layers of cream.

Paige Bennett
Like the strawberries-and-cream cake, the tuxedo cake is a long, rectangular layer cake with a pretty design and white-chocolate decorations on top.
I loved the look of this $18 cake and thought it was the most attractive dessert I purchased.

Paige Bennett
This dessert is extremely rich and dense, with chocolate in mousse, ganache, and cake forms.
There were fudgy, brownie-like pieces between the layers of mousse and they ended up being my favorite part of the dessert.
I'd like more of the vanilla mousse filling to balance out all of the chocolate, and I'd probably serve this with some strawberries for a fresh element, but this is a tasty and impressive dessert I would buy again.

Paige Bennett
The chocolate-chunk cookies are a staple in the bakery section of Costco. I got 24 cookies for just $10, and I thought they'd be perfect to pick up for a potluck or other gathering.
They looked great, too β they seemed soft with some crispness on the edges.

Paige Bennett
Although I prefer baking my own cookies when my sweet tooth strikes, these were a fine alternative.
The cookie was soft without falling apart, and I liked that the chocolate had a strong, sharp flavor to cut through the sweetness of the cookie.
However, these cookies were a little dry, so if I bought them again, I'd also get milk to serve them with.

Paige Bennett
In the bakery section, I saw a pack of what looked like six cupcakes, but once I got closer, I realized they were pretty large cupcakes or "mini cakes."
The Mini All-American Cakes are seasonal, and a few packs were available during my shopping trip to Costco.
One cake in each pack had a red frosting heart. Most of the packs had the red frosting stuck to the container, but I did find one package with an unblemished frosting heart.
Every mini cake included a generous portion of super fudgy frosting on top, and the pack of six cost $9.

Paige Bennett
I thought the tuxedo chocolate-mousse cake was chocolaty, but these mini cakes put that dessert to shame in terms of chocolate flavor.
It was so intense and rich I could only take one bite, and the chocolate flavor lingered for a long time in my mouth.
These mini cakes are best shared, and I'd need a lot of milk to finish even half of one. In the future, I'd skip these and instead grab a full-size chocolate cake.

Paige Bennett
The 10-inch chocolate cake with chocolate mousse was available in a few different designs β no personalization needed.
There was a plain option, a birthday option, and a really cute springtime design with floral frosting decorations, which is what I ended up selecting.
This massive cake, which had light cutting guidelines for 16 slices in the frosting, was $16.

Paige Bennett
Although the chocolate cake and the mini cakes are similar, the chocolate mousse layer in the full-size cake added a much-needed lighter, creamy element to balance out the fudgy icing and rich cake.
Because of the added mousse, I'd be more likely to buy this cake again, even though I wasn't a huge fan of the mini cakes.

Paige Bennett
I picked up Costco's 2-pound lemon-blueberry loaf in the spring.
The loaves looked incredible, with heaps of crumble topping and an icing drizzle all over. It also seemed like a good deal at $9.

Paige Bennett
I cut out a slice and was happy to see blueberries toward the top and middle of the loaf β they hadn't all sunk to the bottom.
The loaf itself was light and spongy with a good lemon flavor, which paired well with the chewy blueberries and crunchy crumble topping. I'd happily buy this dessert again, and I'd love to try it warmed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Paige Bennett
I love vanilla cake and cheesecake, so I was particularly intrigued by Costco's 10-inch white cake filled with vanilla-cheesecake mousse.
The entire cake seemed like a great deal, too, at $16. It had a wavy frosting design that could easily be personalized with a message.

Paige Bennett
This was an instant favorite of mine, and I knew right away I'd buy it again for any celebrations I have coming up.
The cake was so light it reminded me of angel-food cake, and the cheesecake was rich, a little dense, and creamy. The thin frosting layer on top was just the right amount to keep the cake from being overly sweet.
It would be even better with fresh fruit on top.

Paige Bennett
I was intrigued by this springtime pie, which is filled with apples, strawberries, and raspberries. It had a lattice crust that looked perfectly golden along the edges, but it was a bit pale in the center.
At $16, the pie was one of the more affordable desserts, especially considering how large it was at nearly 5 pounds.

Paige Bennett
The Kirkland Signature apple-berry pie will certainly satisfy a sweet tooth.
I found the filling, which was very thick, gooey, and sticky, to be extremely sweet. Even just a couple of bites of this pie felt overwhelming to me.
The outer parts of the crust were perfectly crisp and buttery and melted in my mouth. However, the paler center pieces were soft and slightly soggy.
I could see pieces of strawberry and apple in the filling, but the raspberries seemed to have broken down entirely. I also noticed a lot of seeds in the filling; I didn't taste or feel them in my bites, but they didn't look the most appetizing.
Still, the pie was good, at least in small quantities.

Paige Bennett
Costco's classic cheesecake was a hit for me, so I had high hopes for a tiramisu version of it.
This variety had a simple, but pretty, design with piped whipped cream around the top and a light dusting of cocoa powder to mimic tiramisu.
This was the most expensive dessert I tried at $24, but it seems like it could serve a pretty big crowd, given it's 4 Β½ pounds.

Paige Bennett
Costco's tiramisu cheesecake was certainly worth the price.
The cheesecake had a crunchy, chocolaty base with a thick layer of coffee-flavored cheesecake and a top layer of whipped cream.
Its combination of fluffy whipped cream, rich and tangy cheesecake, and crunchy chocolate worked both texturally and flavor-wise.
The only things that would improve this cheesecake would be a side of sliced strawberries and a mug of piping hot coffee.
Overall, this was one of my favorite desserts from Costco.

Paige Bennett
All in all, I'd buy nine of these 13 desserts again.
There's a tie for my favorite between the banana cream pie and the white cake with vanilla-cheesecake mousse. Both the classic and tiramisu cheesecakes are also high on my list.
I'd skip the chocolate-covered strawberries, strawberries-and-cream bar cake, the carrot bar cake, and the Mini All-American Cakes.
Of course, regardless of which desserts I'd buy again, I'd make sure to get them when I plan to be with friends or family because most of them were massive.
This story was originally published on June 3, 2024, and most recently updated on April 11, 2025.
Top electronics to buy (and skip) at Costco and Samβs Club
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Business Insider
- I've worked at Costco for 19 years. Here are 8 of the best things I'm seeing on shelves right now.
I've worked at Costco for 19 years. Here are 8 of the best things I'm seeing on shelves right now.

Veronica Thatcher
- As a Costco employee of 19 years, I'm always looking for great new products at the store.
- This month, Costco is carrying delicious food items like the Kirkland Signature extra-crispy fries.
- I also think the Sunvilla outdoor chair is perfect for relaxing in the warmer weather.
I've been working at Costco for 19 years and am always on the hunt for exciting new products. This month, the warehouse is stocking its shelves with everything from tasty food items to chic home decor.
Here are eight products I recommend checking out at Costco this April.
Prices and product availability may vary by location.

Veronica Thatcher
The new Kirkland Signature extra-crispy french fries can be made in the oven, on the stovetop, or, my favorite method, in the air fryer.
At $5.70 for a 5-pound bag, I recommend grabbing a package at Costco.

Veronica Thatcher
With warmer weather approaching, I think the Sunvilla egg-style chair would make the perfect addition to any patio.
The cushions are made for outdoor use and have a special fabric that resists fading, mildew, and stains. The wicker is also made to withstand the elements.
This chic chair is available for $500 at my Costco location.

Veronica Thatcher
When I started seeing more and more Kevin's Parmesan-basil chicken bowls in members' carts, I knew I had to try them.
The microwavable bowls contain chicken breast pieces in Parmesan sauce with broccoli and zucchini. It contains 34 grams of protein and keeps me full for a long time.
Each box comes with four single-serve bowls for $15.

Veronica Thatcher
It's no secret that April can be rainy, so now is a great time to switch out your windshield wipers.
The Michelin wiper blades come in various sizes and are designed to last. These are available for $11 each at my store.

Veronica Thatcher
I love the tasty, sliced beef Brisket from Mission Hill Bistro. The best part is that it comes fully cooked and can be ready after just five minutes in the microwave.
This item is sold by the pound, so the price varies by weight.

Veronica Thatcher
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra earbuds have noise-cancellation technology and can hold a charge for up to six hours. They even come with a $50 gift card that can be used at the Apple or Google Play stores.
My Costco sells these Bose earbuds for $300.

Veronica Thatcher
If you're looking for a good, hearty meal, you may want to try Red's carne asada breakfast burritos.
Each box contains 10 delicious burritos stuffed with carne asada, poblano peppers, and eggs. These can be found in the freezer section at Costco for $18.

Veronica Thatcher
I recommend checking out the 5-foot Catry cat tree if you have cats at home. It has a cozy hammock, a washable bed, and toys to keep your cats happy. This item is available at my Costco for $90.
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Business Insider
- I finally get the Costco hype now that I moved from an apartment to a house. Here are 18 purchases I swear by.
I finally get the Costco hype now that I moved from an apartment to a house. Here are 18 purchases I swear by.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
- I grew up in tiny NYC apartments, so the thought of shopping at Costco was a distant luxury.
- However, my partner and I recently moved into a house in Los Angeles and now love it there.
- We get gas, protein bars, batteries, frozen fruit, and more at Costco each month.
I grew up in New York City and have always lived in small apartments without much storage space. It just never made sense for me to buy groceries in bulk.
However, my partner and I recently moved to Los Angeles, and now we have a whole house to ourselves. One of the best perks of our new life is taking monthly trips to Costco for all our favorite items.
Here are my favorite things to get there.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
We tend to have a Costco shopping trip at least once a month, and I also go there about once a week to fuel my car.
Gas is expensive, especially in Los Angeles, and Costco typically has unbeatable prices β particularly for premium, which is what my Mini Cooper takes.
The best part is I can easily check the rate on a daily basis when using the store's app, which helps me determine if Costco gas prices are better than competitors that day.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
My partner is a carnivore to the max. To him, nothing beats the five-pack of the Kirkland Signature boneless New York steaks.
They taste great on the grill or in a cast-iron pan and are often the star of a delicious weekday meal for us.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
We never skip out on buying Costco's ribs, especially since we can get over 9 pounds of meat for about $35.
The store also stocks pre-seasoned ribs, which are great when we're out of our homemade dry rub. We'll make these for ourselves or when having friends over for a barbecue.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
I'm a huge fan of Kirkland Signature products, and I especially like the label's organic Greek yogurt.
It's perfect for making smoothies creamy or adding protein to granola.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
Now that I live in a house, I have room in my freezer to buy staples in bulk, like frozen strawberries.
I'm usually pretty happy with the prices of frozen fruit at Costco, so I pick up mixed berries or strawberries there.
Recently, I got 4 pounds of Kirkland Signature organic strawberries for $10, which felt like a steal compared to prices I've seen at other local grocery stores.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
Again, now that I have the space, I'm able to buy more household staples in bulk.
We often pick up big packs of the Kirkland Signature paper towels and store them in our shed to optimize kitchen space.
These affordable paper towels are thick and powerful. One 12-pack of rolls often lasts us over two months, especially since we supplement the use of them with microfiber cloths.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
Since we live in a house with a ton of random gadgets, we somehow always need batteries. I try to keep a few varieties on hand.
Fortunately, we've found Kirkland Signature batteries to be fairly affordable and easy to buy in bulk. They especially came in handy during the recent California wildfires, when we lost power and needed to use flashlights.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
Working from home, I get distracted and find myself not hydrating frequently or as much as I should. So, I like that I can use Liquid IV to boost the flavor and hydration power of my water with electrolytes and sugar-free flavoring.
I'm usually not able to find sugar-free Liquid IV at my local grocery stores, but Costco always seems to have some packs in stock.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
My partner and I typically each eat one Kirkland Signature protein bar a day.
I don't eat too much meat, so these bars help me easily get 21 grams of protein when I need a boost.
We usually buy the variety pack with 10 cookie-dough and 10 brownie bars. My partner likes the cookie-dough flavor, and I prefer the brownie one β a match made in heaven.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
I'm a huge date girl. Dates really are nature's candy.
I love eating them raw on their own, making date bark with some peanut butter and chocolate chips, or incorporating them into a smoothie or yogurt bowl.
They're a great source of fiber, potassium, and magnesium too.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
I love baking, but quality vanilla extract is a key ingredient in many recipes that can be expensive and hard to find in larger quantities.
At Costco, however, I can find 16 ounces of pure vanilla extract for under $12. To me, that's an amazing deal.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
Kirkland Signature honey is one of our pantry staples since I'm a huge tea fan and love adding it to my drinks. I also recently got my partner into peppermint tea, which can be enhanced with a dollop of honey.
This honey tastes high-quality β and getting three 24-ounce bottles of it for under $13 feels like a bargain.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
Yes, I still struggle with acne in my late 20s. I really like the pimple patches from Hero because they can hardly be seen when they're applied correctly.
I'll often wear one or two when I'm traveling on a plane, taking a between-Zoom-meeting stroll, or even having virtual calls.
The stickers help me avoid picking at my skin, and I'm a firm believer they make my pimples disappear much faster.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
As someone who deals with allergies, I always try to keep medication on hand that will help me deal with symptoms.
Name-brand options can get pricey, especially since I take tablets every day. So, I opt for Kirkland Signature allergy medicine.
The $5 bottle of 600 pills does my wallet a huge favor.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
One of the first things we did when moving into our first place together was buy a first-aid kit. After that, we stocked up on some of our staple medications, like ibuprofen

Julia Gilban-Cohen
Since moving to Los Angeles, my skin has struggled to adjust to the dry climate. So, I've been buying bulk packs of the CeraVe moisturizing cream and using it morning and night.
Hydrating and not greasy, the cream has been my hero as of late. Plus, it's fairly affordable at Costco at $25 for two 16-ounce tubs.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
Perhaps one of the best things about Costco is that it's truly a one-stop shop. I always check the retailer's clothing section and often pick up a piece or two.
My latest favorite purchase is the $18 two-piece lounge set from Honeydew. It's so cozy and especially great on long car or plane rides.

Julia Gilban-Cohen
Lastly, we end our shopping trip with celebratory Costco hot dogs, which cost just $1.50 each and come with a soft drink.