9 Reasons You Should Always Buy Your Laptop at Costco Instead of the Apple Store

MacBooks are always at the top of Best Laptop lists, and with good reason. But they can be expensive, and no one wants to wander through a crowded Apple store to find what they need.

Luckily there's another option if you don’t want to buy from Apple: Costco. The retailer carries plenty of Apple products, MacBooks included. 

You’re already saving money at Costco on things like groceries, so what could be easier than grabbing a new laptop too? Here are a few reasons that might convince you to go to Costco for your next Apple laptop purchase.

One of the biggest perks of a Costco membership is the super generous return policy.

Costco does have some restrictions on the return window for electronics, but for the most part, customers can bring them back within 90 days of purchase. Apple, on the other hand, restricts returns to a 14-day window.

That gives you an extra two months to decide if a MacBook is right for you.

Crowded Apple stores could mean the laptop you’re looking for may not be in stock as shoppers snatch up the latest models or specific items as soon as they’re released.

But fewer Apple shoppers at Costco could mean more items in stock or different options to choose from instead of being limited to only one model.

Costco’s Executive Membership could spell big savings when you buy high-ticket electronics like MacBooks.

Executive members pay $120 for their memberships compared to $60 for a basic Costco membership. However, executive members also get 2% cash back on most items. 

This means you could save an extra 2% on your Apple laptop purchase just with your higher-level membership — which, depending on the model you buy, could cover the entire cost of the higher-priced membership on its own.

You won't be stuck with last-gen MacBooks — Costco stocks the newest Apple models, so you won't be restricted to older, nearly obsolete models.

Check your local Costco’s inventory or head over to the Costco website — you may be surprised at the available models.

AppleCare and AppleCare+ provide an extra layer of protection for your expensive Apple devices, and you may be able to score them at a modest discount from Costco.

And if you have the Executive Membership, it will count towards your cash back.

You may have tried to buy something at an Apple store only to find the place packed with loud customers without a sales associate in sight.

But Costco doesn’t have the same crowds as Apple, which means you’ll have more room to browse or ask questions.

You may be surprised to find Costco could have a better deal on an Apple laptop than Apple.

It’s not unusual for Costco to offer Apple products at a modest discount compared to the Apple Store. You might be lucky enough to catch your MacBook on sale or during a limited-time promotion at Costco that can knock the price down even more.

You may have specific things you’re looking for in a laptop, like storage capacity, RAM, graphics capabilities, or camera quality.

Costco has plenty of options, including the latest Apple laptop models and some earlier models, to give you plenty of choices to meet your needs.

One of the best things about Costco is the sheer variety of merchandise available — from food to home goods and furniture to camping gear and toys.

So, if a laptop is on your list, you can pick up a MacBook on your next Costco run and save yourself an errand.

You can even grab a hot dog and drink for only $1.50 at the Costco food court, which is something you can’t get at the Apple Store.

Costco has plenty of MacBook options, and you’ll save more money shopping than you would at the Apple Store.

Be sure to check your budget before you head to Costco — MacBooks tend to be more expensive than other laptops. But the money you save can help offset the additional expense.