4 Ways to Score the Best Deals During Black Friday at Costco

Costco can be an ideal place to shop for the holiday season if you’re trying to avoid large credit card bills. The warehouse club offers low everyday prices, and Black Friday brings even more discounts that allow you to get great products without draining your bank account.

But if you want to make the most of the Black Friday deals at Costco, there are a few techniques you’ll definitely want to implement. Here’s what they are.

1. Check out the Costco Black Friday ad

The best way to get good deals is to know what’s actually on sale. The good news is, Costco has released its Black Friday ad (and has a dedicated Black Friday section online) so you can check out all of the bargains that are on offer. The deal book is called the Holiday Savings Guide, and it’s been out since October.

When you review the ad, check the price and model number of items that catch your eye. You can search the model number of each item before buying to confirm the deal is actually a good one.

2. Shop early before Black Friday

At Costco, Black Friday is not a one-day event. Special promotional deals started Oct. 30, and sales will continue all month in waves. The first wave of deals runs through Nov. 12. Here’s the schedule for the other three:

• Nov. 13–27: Second wave
• Nov. 23: Third wave, with deals only available online since it is Thanksgiving Day and Costco clubs are closed.
• Nov. 24–27: Fourth wave

Other than on Thanksgiving, each wave of deals comes with bargains available online and in person. So don’t wait until Black Friday to start looking for discounted items.

3. Visit the warehouse club in person

If you want to shop Costco Black Friday deals (either on the big day or during the rest of the holiday event), you’ll typically need to go to the warehouse club in person. The company imposes a surcharge for online purchases, which could cost anywhere from 3% to 38% more, depending on the item.

This added cost helps Costco defray shopping costs, even though the store technically offers “free” shipping. Rather than paying it, visit the store in person to buy your desired items.

4. Make use of the price adjustment policy

If you purchase an item and are disappointed to find out the price drops later, you can take advantage of Costco’s price adjustment policy.

Most purchases can be priced-adjusted within 30 days for members who aren’t resellers. This can be especially beneficial to those who want to grab items early before they’re gone but who don’t want to overpay for an item that ends up seeing a price drop later.

Just be aware there are limitations, including the fact that the online website does not price match in-store prices.

Finally, Costco is offering a special promotion where if you spend $500, you’ll get a $50 discount on your purchase.

This is valid only on qualifying items and is limited to one use per member. It also must be used on Thanksgiving Day. But if you’ll be taking advantage of Black Friday deals available at that time and are planning to spend that much, there’s no reason not to save $50.

If you follow these tips, your Black Friday shopping at Costco should be a great success. Get started today, as the sales are already underway.

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