About Costco

What Is Costco?

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates an international chain of membership warehouses, under the "Costco Wholesale" name, that carry quality, brand name merchandise at substantially lower prices than are typically found at conventional wholesale or retail outlets.
The warehouses are designed to help small-to-medium-sized businesses reduce costs in purchasing for resale and for everyday business use. Individual Members may also purchase for their personal needs.

COSTCO HISTORY

Costco Wholesale Corporation began operations in 1983 in Seattle, Washington.
In October 1993, Costco merged with The Price Company, which had pioneered the membership warehouse concept in 1976, to form Price/Costco, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
In January 1997, non-warehouse assets were spun off to Price Enterprises, Inc., and the company changed its name to Costco Companies, Inc. On 30th August, 1999, the Corporation re-incorporated from Delaware to Washington and changed its name to Costco Wholesale Corporation, which trades on the NASDAQ.
Costco world headquarters are located in Issaquah, Washington.
The Japan Home Office is located in Kawasaki, in the Kanagawa prefecture.

Seattle, Washington
Costco merged with The Price Company
The company changed its name to Costco Companies
Changed its name to Costco Wholesale Corporation

High Quality

Costco's warehouses present one of the largest and most exclusive product category selections to be found under a single roof.
Categories include catering supplies, confectionery, appliances, television and media, automotive supplies, tires, toys, hardware, sporting goods, jewelry, watches, cameras, books, housewares, apparel, health and beauty aids, furniture, office supplies and office equipment.
Costco is known for carrying top quality national and regional brands, at prices consistently below traditional wholesale or retail outlets.

Kirkland Signature

Members can also shop for private label Kirkland Signature products, designed to be of equal or better quality than national brands, including juice, cookies, coffee, nuts, housewares, luggage, appliances, clothing and detergent.

Costco Membership

Costco offers two types of membership: Business and Gold Star.
Business members qualify by owning a business while Gold Star membership is available for individuals who want to purchase products mainly for personal use.
All members get a complimentary household card.

COSTCO 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE

Get the most out of your membership

It’s always nice to try new things. But what happens when you don’t like them? Costco takes the risk out of shopping by offering members a Double Guarantee.

If you aren’t satisfied with the products you buy at Costco, you can return them for a full refund. Additionally, if a Costco membership isn’t what you thought it would be, we will refund your membership fee in full.

These are just two ways Costco is different and tries to make sure that you are nothing less than 100% satisfied with your total Costco experience.

Exceptions:

Diamonds: l.00ct or larger: Members returning a diamond over l.00ct must also present all original paperwork (IGI and/or GIA certificates) at which time they will receive a Jewelry Credit Memo. Refunds will be approved upon positive verification. This process may require 2-5 business days.
Refunds on all watches will be approved upon positive verification. This process may require 2-5 business days.
Special Order Kiosk and Custom Installed Programs: Custom product (s) manufactured to our members personal and unique specifications cannot be returned or refunded, except for warranty repair/replacement due to failure to meet specifications.
Hearing Aid Products: hearing aid products may not be covered by the 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, and are covered by the terms of the purchase agreement signed at the time of purchases.
Costco may in future restrict its return policy regarding other products. Restrictions will be shown at time of purchase.

INVESTOR RELATIONS

COSTCO AROUND THE WORLD

KEY INFORMATION

Number of warehouses in Japan:

26 (as of 12th November 2018)
Total number of warehouses:

768 (as of 12th November 2018)
Other areas of operation:

533 locations in U.S. States & Puerto Rico

100 locations in Canada

39 locations in Mexico

28 locations in the United Kingdom

15 locations in Korea

13 locations in Taiwan

10 locations in Australia

2 locations in Spain

1 locations in France

1 locations in Iceland

Membership Data (14th December 2018)

Approximately 94 million cardholders
Typical Warehouse size:

146,000 square feet
Annual revenues (FY18 - Ended 2nd September 2018)

$138 billion
Fiscal year end

Sunday closest to 31st August
Number of employees (worldwide)

245,000 full and part-time

Supply Chain Disclosure

Costco Wholesale Corporation has a global supplier Code of Conduct, which prohibits human rights abuses in our supply chain. Practices such as human trafficking, physical abuse, restricting freedom of movement, confiscation of passports and other documentation, unsafe work environments, failure to pay adequate wages, excessive or forced overtime, illegal child labor, and many other aspects of worker welfare are addressed by the Code. By signing Costco’s supplier agreement, the supplier warrants compliance with the Code, including by its sub-suppliers. We may acknowledge and accept a supplier's code as equivalent to our Code.

To evaluate compliance, we arrange for the audit of certain facilities of selected suppliers, with an emphasis on suppliers of private-label merchandise and suppliers whose product or country of origin poses an increased risk. Audits are performed by independent third-party auditors who specialize in social responsibility audits. While we retain the right to conduct unannounced audits, as a practical matter, some minimum notice is given to comply with security concerns and to allow the supplier to collect records that are reviewed during the audit. Sub-suppliers generally are outside the scope of the audit.

Unfortunately, violations of our Code still occur. When we discover a violation, we respond in a manner commensurate with the nature and extent of the violation. Certain violations may result in immediate remedial action, including termination of the business relationship. Depending on the circumstances, we may allow a supplier reasonable time to develop and implement a plan for remediation. In those instances we conduct follow-up audits to monitor progress.

In general, we prefer working with the supplier to correct Code violations rather than immediately terminating the relationship. Termination is unlikely to correct the underlying issue and may cause further hardship to workers and their families who depend upon the employment. However, if the supplier fails to make satisfactory progress toward improvement, we will cease our business relationship with that supplier.

Members of Costco's buying team who manage a supplier relationship will continue to be provided with in-person and online training. The training covers the Code of Conduct and its importance to our business and to the workers who produce the merchandise we sell. We encourage anyone who is aware of violations of the law or our Code to notify their management, our Code of Conduct Compliance team, or utilize Costco's whistleblower site: costco.ethicspoint.com

Hearing Aids common questions

A Quick Self-Evaluation

People who come to your house complain or make jokes about how loud the TV is.

You often find yourself asking people to repeat themselves. You rely on someone close to you to repeat what others say. You may even get nervous when that person isn't around to help.

You often have trouble understanding the person at the other end of the phone. Answering the phone may be frustrating.

You find yourself participating less in conversations even with family and friends.

You strain to study people's faces as they're talking so you can fill in the gaps by reading their expressions or lips.

You get irritated with people when you can't understand what they're saying. You may even feel depressed.

If you saw yourself or someone you love in more than a couple of the examples above, it really may be time to admit there may be an issue and have a hearing test done to truly see what the concerns are.

Hearing loss, like your thumbprint, is very individualised and unique. There are several tests that can be run to test your hearing loss. Those tests serve as the foundation for the hearing aid recommendation you will receive from your Costco hearing aid dispenser.

Most hearing loss is the result of noise exposure or the natural process of aging. It can also sometimes be caused by illness, genetics or some medications like chemotherapy.

Most hearing loss can also be effectively addressed with hearing aids. It is well worth getting your hearing tested at least once a year to make sure you are getting the help you need sooner rather than later.

What can I do if I think a loved one needs hearing aids but won't admit it?

It is hard for most people to make the decision to finally try hearing aids. The best thing that you can do if you suspect that someone close to you has a hearing loss is to educate yourself and then share what you are learning with them. We can help to provide valuable insight into advances in hearing aids. You can help support your loved one by being informed.

Most hearing aid dispensing facilities encourage family members to be present for testing and fitting of hearing aids. That way the hearing impaired person has other resources to help if they need more instruction on tasks. Like inserting and removing their hearing aids, etc. Showing your support to your loved one by encouraging their regular use of their new hearing aids will help them to get the most from their new hearing aids.

Costco makes getting your hearing checked as easy as possible. It starts with a free hearing test.* If hearing aids are recommended, you can choose from the latest in technology and open-fit design, at the value you expect from Costco

*Test is to determine if your hearing loss may be helped by hearing aids.

How do I schedule a hearing test?

Contact a Costco Hearing Aid Centre near you to schedule a hearing test appointment. In preparation for your appointment, please print and complete a Patient Intake form and bring it in with you to your appointment.

How is my hearing tested?

A hearing test is no more disruptive, difficult or embarrassing than getting your eyes checked. The test takes about an hour and is done in a private sound booth.

What happens after the test?

Costco's non-commissioned hearing aid staff will let you know whether hearing aids might be able to help you. We will work with you to find the most appropriate solution for your lifestyle. Our staff will help you through the entire process from testing and fitting to follow-up visits.

What is the best kind of hearing aid?

Costco works with four major hearing aid suppliers and offers a variety of styles. Our staff will work closely with you to select the best hearing aid for your needs.

There is no single best kind of hearing aid. Your hearing aid professional can explain the different types of hearing aids to you and will select the type of hearing aids most closely matched to your hearing loss, the anatomy of your ear and your lifestyle. All of these things must be considered in order to make the right recommendation for you.

There are several different styles of hearing aids everything from tiny completely in-the-canal models to behind the ear hearing aids. Each style has specific performance characteristics that will be taken into consideration when you receive a recommendation. The tiniest hearing aids are not the right choice for everyone nor does everyone need the most powerful kind of hearing aid. If you have questions about which style is right for you, the Costco hearing aid staff can explain the pros and cons of each individual style.

The most important thing you can do to choose the correct hearing aids is to work with someone you trust who will work with you to make sure you are getting the most from your hearing aids.

What can I expect from my hearing aids?

Hearing aids are designed to improve your performance in most listening situations. Even a normal hearing person will struggle if the noise in the room is louder than the conversation, as they would at a loud party. Hearing aids are not a replacement for normal hearing. There have been significant advances in recent years to make hearing aids work well in most situations.

Some hearing aids have features like special noise reduction circuitry or multiple listening programs that can be adjusted to suit certain environments. If you have a very active lifestyle, you should be discussing that with your hearing aid professional so that they can take that into consideration when they make their recommendations for you.

How long will take me to get used to wearing a hearing aid?

The length of time it takes to adapt to hearing aids really depends on how quickly you address your hearing loss. Research shows that most people can adjust to hearing aids within 30 days with regular use. The longer you wait to try hearing aids, the longer it will take your brain to make sense of the new sounds that are heard. It is important to wear your hearing aids regularly so that you can adapt more quickly and more completely.

Tyre

Visit and receive the best possible care for your eyes

Buy one complete pair of prescription eyeglasses and receive $50 off second pair of prescription glasses purchased at Costco Optical.Current prescription required. Transaction must occur on the same day. Each pair of eyeglasses must be for the same individual. Complete eyeglasses are considered new frame and lenses.Offer valid only at your local Costco warehouse.

Once you submit (by clicking the "Submit" button), a member of the team will contact you within 24 hours to confirm the availability of the appointment.

Membership Number
First Name
Last Name
Email
Phone
Preferred Date
Preferred Time
Alternative Date
Alternative Time
Location

Once you submit (by clicking the "Submit" button), a member of the team will contact you within 24 hours to confirm the availability of the appointment.