Costco fans can now get their fix without leaving home, with the supermarket giant launching online shopping for members.
The service went live on Wednesday and according to the company’s managing director of Australia, Patrick Noone, it is a natural progression.
Products available online are predominantly non-food items such as household appliances, furniture, whitegoods, electronics, toys, jewellery as well as clothing and accessories.
Some grocery and alcohol items are also available.
Mr Noone said products offered online would be largely different and unique to what is available in the warehouse.
“It is designed to be different to give our members additional value and access to an expanded offering to the warehouse,” he said.
Costco Managing Director Patrick Noone.
Shipping will be built into online prices and Costco members must register an online account via the company’s website to start shopping.
Mr Noone shared the following information via Costco’s online FAQs section:
Which areas will you deliver to?
- Small items and pack sizes will be delivered nationally.
- Medium/large size items (Large TVs and bigger) – will be shipped to metropolitan areas on the East Coast only to start.
Is the delivery cost built into the pricing structure or is it separate depending on the bulkiness of the goods ordered?
- Yes, shipping is included in the price.
Assuming a successful e-commerce launch, will you look at expanding to selling household items like cleaning products, toilet paper and groceries online?
- We will launch with a number of different departments and categories, and will continuously add and grow the offering, each time notifying our members of what’s new and hot buys.
- Continue to grow the non-foods offering. We will introduce grocery/foods and fresh departments at a later date in the future, yet to be determined.
- We will expand delivery zones throughout Australia for medium and large size items.
Costco opened in Bundamba in May last year and created almost 300 jobs locally. It was just the second warehouse in Queensland for the US company.
Here you go again; providing free advertising for the supermarket giant Costco. You might call it informative but I call it unfair promotion of a huge commercial entity that is crippling local business. Publicising the opening of their store was fair enough but to publicise the products they sell is not Council’s business. Let them advertise at their own expense rather than using our Council’s resources!
Why don’t you offer support to local small businesses instead of encouraging ppl to buy online from an American company? Disgraceful. I hope our rates are not funding this.
Well said Craig. Hope the council takes note this time!
It’s not Council’s role to promote one business over another. They need to promote ways to lift all business. Particularly when the city’s heart is dying. Also Costco is big enough to do it’s own marketing.
Promotion of our little and large, local family owned and run businesses would be more appreciated. They work extremely hard, some struggle, they work long and hard hours and give back to our community. Support and do stories on the real people of our towns.
Please and thank you!