Understanding Costco Memberships: Business

A step above the Gold Star Membership is Costco’s Business Member option. Business identification is required when applying for this kind of Costco membership. For $60.00 you can purchase the regular business member or for $120.00 you can be part of the Executive club and earn annual 2% rewards. Licensed businesses, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, farmers, and ranchers can all join as a business member. Both options include a free household card. Affiliate cardholders can be added to the Business Membership for $60.00 each.

Prices are subject to change and may vary by region, check your local warehouse for exact cost. If you are a supplier who is seeking to bring your product into a Costco warehouse or is interested to begin the process, VendorCo can help.  Call us at 949-326-8909 or email [email protected].

Inside Costco Warehouses: More Information

The look of Costco warehouses are simple yet rather complex at times; the concrete floors and high ceilings averages up to 100,000 square feet. The decor of the average warehouse is little to none, with minimum fittings and fixtures. Unlike other retailers, Costco stores are rarely located in malls or highly crowded shopping centers. Furthermore, the overhead is kept low and allocates savings passed onto Costco members.

VendorCo is dedicated to help manufacturers sell their product into Costco warehouses. We work with Costco buying staff on a daily basis and provide expertise and knowledge to vendors, so they do not have to figure it out through trial and error. There are thousands of products that reach the buyer’s desk each day, we ensure your steps to achieve. Call one of our experts at 949-326-8909

Costco Return Fees

This may be disheartening or concerning to some vendors; however, most Costco returns can be re-sold and occur within the first couple of weeks. Additionally, Costco maintains a delicate balance between satisfying the member with their return policy, while preventing vendors from being burdened with returns. One of the ways Costco helps to prevent massive returns is by only purchasing high quality items that will ensure satisfaction amongst members. If your product is high quality and lives up to its promise, then Costco’s return policy should not be a detrimental concern.

To help ensure that you will be successful in your Costco venture, contact [email protected] for more details about how our services will best serve you.

Costco Regional Sales: Benefits

Regional sales can be ideal, depending on your company needs and goals. The benefits of regional sales include the possibility to focus on a small production run. Especially for companies that are new to club/big box sales, regional sales will allow you to create and test packaging and sales. Additionally, there are 9 regions and 9 regional buyers regional sales allows you 9 chances to hear a “yes”. With national sales, you only have one chance to impress, while regional sales provide 9 opportunities for a buyer to take a chance with your item.

To discuss more of the benefits of regional sales and to help determine if this is the right avenue for your company, choose VendorCo as your manufacturer representative. We will walk you through the process and provide you with the necessary information to make the best decisions for your company. Get started by contacted us today at [email protected].

Costco Shipping More Information

Costco operates a streamlined supply chain that minimizes material handling and promotes efficient packaging, which gives them a competitive advantage and adds to the low cost pricing structure that members are so accustomed to. In a matter of hours, goods can be transferred from the depots to the sales floor, or direct-to-store from manufacturers.

Vendors are responsible for arranging transportation and all other logistics in shipping their product from origin to Costco. Understanding all aspects of the shipping process for in-store and .com is vital to the smooth operations of your program. If you need help with this complex choreography, work with an experienced representative at VendorCo. We can help you prepare and plan to ship to Costco, and cut out the guess work. Email us at [email protected].

How can I get a Costco vendor guide?

Costco has many “guides” available to existing vendors, including manuals for logistics, credit, quality assurance, and more. Once you become a Costco vendor, these guides are readily available to you through Costco’s vendor portal.

Many visitors to our site ask to obtain a copy of a Costco vendor guide, and unfortunately, this request is too vague to provide any proper assistance. Costco’s vendor guides are documents created by Costco and are proprietary to existing or new vendors only. If you are an existing vendor seeking a Costco vendor guide, this can be obtained through the vendor portal or through Costco’s buying office.

We assume this question is mostly geared to hopeful vendors looking for a guide to product placement, and unfortunately, no such guide exists. That is, there is no physical document created by Costco that guides vendors toward product placement; however, you may receive guidance through VendorCo!

Let us be your Costco vendor guide, and we will direct you, coach you, and lead you through each step in the Costco sales process. To find out more, contact us at [email protected], or 949-326-8909.

How can I get a Costco buyer list?

Costco no longer provides buyer lists to vendors. You are able to call their corporate office to get the name and information of the appropriate buyer for your department. However, buyers are constantly rotating departments and moving positions, so it is important to stay on top of your department’s movements.

VendorCo maintains our own internal buyer list based on the contacts that we communicate with on a daily basis. Please know that we are not able to share this information with anyone outside of our clientele list. If you are simply looking for the contact information of your Costco buyer, please contact Costco directly.

If you are interested in becoming a VendorCo client, not only will you benefit from up-to-date buyer information, but we will help channel the communications for you. We are in contact with many of the top personnel and buyers at Costco on a daily basis, and can help bring your product to the buyer through a familiar face. For more information, contact us at [email protected], or (949) 326-8909.

What Not to Do: Pull Out of an Approved Costco Program

VendorCo created an innovative program for Costco that involved the sale of artificial turf. Our Executive Account Managers contacted a reputable artificial turf company to fulfill the program, and it was quickly approved by Costco. Because there was no preceding product like it, the expected return rate was unknown, and the vendor grew fearful of Costco’s return guarantee. VendorCo recognized that a new product carried enormous potential, and strongly advocated for follow through with the program. However, against the direction of VendorCo, the company informed Costco that they would no longer be moving forward with the program. Still, the Costco buyers believed in the program that VendorCo created, and they were able to source out another company that was willing to adhere to Costco’s return policy. Within the first year, the program sold over 2 million dollars worth of product. Unfortunately for VendorCo’s client, they lost a potential relationship with Costco due to fear, and the revenue that could have been theirs ended up in the hands of a competitor.

What NOT to do? Never pull out of a Costco program, unless you are sure that your company cannot handle the account. However, if your company is unable to handle the account, you should never waste the time of Costco buyers by even presenting it until you are. At VendorCo, we screen our clients for Costco readiness, and we are happy to tell you our opinion on whether or not your company is ready for Costco. If you are an established company that is willing to serve Costco and its members, contact VendorCo today and we can help you position your product for maximized potential.

January Blogs – VendorCo Client Benefits

Deciding to form a business partnership is not a decision that is to be taken lightly. There must be comfort and confidence within both parties in order to form a cohesive relationship, and the servicing company should be able to clearly communicate the benefits of a partnership. VendorCo takes this commitment seriously, which is why this month we will be focusing on the services that you receive when you choose VendorCo as your manufacturer representative.

When you partner with VendorCo, your company becomes part of a team with over 20 years of Costco experience. This experience is tied to an array of invaluable benefits that can save you time and money – not to mention stress and strain associated with any unfamiliar retail program. Though certainly not an exhaustive list, the following posts will cover several of the benefits our clients receive:

Happy New Year!

September Blogs – Starting Fresh!

This month will be all about starting fresh in regards to your vendor relationship with Costco. Now is the time to re-evaluate your relationship with Costco, whether you a current vendor, a prospective vendor, or if you have been denied by Costco before. Make September the month of fresh starts and strengthened relationships.

Starting fresh: prospective vendors

Starting fresh: current vendors

Starting fresh: past vendors (for those who have been denied before)

Starting fresh: expert representation

Starting fresh: VendorCo Representation

Check back throughout September for blog updates!

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Amazon Book: 15 Elements of Successful Product Placement

Contact Us

Phone : 949-326-8909
Email : [email protected]