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BY T. FOSTER JONES
Low prices and top service
keep Costco pharmacies
and members in the pink
It’s no secret that Costco has had a huge impact Leading consumer magazines have also consistently rated
on how the world shops. Analysts, for example, have tracked close- Costco above all other mass-merchandise pharmacies in service,
ly how Costco has affected the grocery industry over the years. information and speed.
Now, as the nation turns its attention and concern to the high In a time of skyrocketing drug prices, the question of how
price of staying healthy, more people are paying attention to Costco keeps prices so low and service so high in such a tightly
Costco’s pharmacy operations, which have, over the past few regulated field begs to be answered.
years, helped transform Costco into one of the top pharmacy According to the team of executives at Costco who run the
retailers in the country. pharmacy program (all pharmacists themselves), a number of
Millions of members have come to rely on Costco’s phar- factors contribute to the pharmacies’ ability to compete, as well
macies to save money on what has become one of their biggest as to the program’s success overall: low pricing, state-of-the-art
expenses, as survey after survey has shown Costco consistently technology, a highly trained and dedicated staff, community-offering the lowest prices in communities across the country. outreach programs and online pharmaceutical services.
