In the warehouses
High-quality items at great prices are just part of
the bargain in Costco warehouses. Here are some of
the other things you’ll find.
questions regarding handsets and carrier plan s. And
because they don’t work for the wireless comp anies,
they can help you choose the product that’s b est for
you. As a bonus for Costco members, acce ssory
packs with an ear bud, vehicle charger and a c ase
or belt clip are included with any phone p urchase. Find them near the jewelry cases.
Health screenings and flu shots. Screenin g
events are available in many warehouse pha r-macies to give you a heads-up on poten tial
health problems. Screenings cover osteopo rosis,
cardiovascular health, diabetes and allergies, am ong
others. Flu shots are also available in Octobe r and
November. Check your local warehouse o r the
“Special Events” page of The Connection.
Hearing Aid Centers. Hearing Aid Cent ers are
located at more than 210 Costco warehouses , offering free hearing tests to determine if your h earing
loss could be helped by hearing aids. The c enters
offer numerous state-of-the-art products, such as the
new Kirkland Signature™ Premium Hearing Aids &
Accessory Kit, for much less than you’d pay elsewhere. A full list of Costco Hearing Aid Centers is
available on costco.com. Click on “Pharmacy,” then
on “Warehouse Hearing Aid Center Information.”
Membership desk. It’s the place to go for
returns, membership renewals or upgrades, new
membership cards, credit-card applications and
questions, including product availability.
Optical department. More than 370
Costco warehouses have optical departments
featuring designer frames and sunglasses, and
many include on-site independent optome-
trists to provide thorough exams and
prescriptions. Costco’s in-store optical
departments were the recipients of the
2006 J.D. Power and Associates award
for customer satisfaction. For information
on optical department locations, or frames,
lenses and doctors, visit costco.com, click on “In
the Warehouse,” then on “Costco Optical,” or
enter “optical” in the Search box.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Seeking a
special
surprise
Online at costco.com
Costco.com offers thousands of items you won’t
find in warehouses, at great prices, with efficient
delivery and Costco’s famous satisfaction-guar-
anteed policy. And for convenience, returns can
be made to your local warehouse. The Web site
can also help you find the items and informa-
tion you need. Here’s a look.
Cash-card reader. If you have a Costco Cash
card but are not sure how much cash is left on it, look
for the cash-card readers to see your balance. The red
kiosks are located near the front door or between the
candy shelves and the big TVs in all warehouses.
Cell-phone kiosk. Wireless phones and service
plans are available from companies such as
T-Mobile, Verizon and Sprint (depending on location). Knowledgeable personnel can answer your
SPECIAL EVENTS showcase
unique products that expand
on the usual merchandise in
the warehouses. Costco features around 8,500 such events
each year, featuring items from
hundreds of manufacturers.
Event offerings vary from warehouse to warehouse and, on
average, last for 10 days.
The events showcase high-end national brands and
regionalized specialty vendors,
with categories including home
furnishings, apparel, fine art,
musical instruments, major
electronics, automotive, jewelry, housewares, collectables,
small electrical appliances,
home-improvement hardware,
sporting goods, rugs, lawn and
garden, and home décor.
See the “Special Events” page
in any issue of The Costco
Connection, or go to The
Connection’s online edition at
costco.com, click on the current issue, then the “Special
Events” page, where you can
even check out events in other
regions—in case you want to
add some fun to a road trip.
Business delivery. In addition to six business
centers around the country (see the “Specialty Services”
grid on The Connection’s “Special Events” page for
locations), costco.com offers a full array of standard
office items, ink and toner cartridges, technology products, break room and janitorial supplies, and furniture.
Delivery to a business or home address is next-day in
most areas. In mid-August, a free updated catalog will
be available at Costco warehouses, or go to costco.com
and click on “Order Your Business Supplies Catalog.”
Custom wine cellars. For the connoisseur with
a cellar full of wine, an online interactive tool lets
you design and order storage to fit a particular
