Walk into a warehouse club on a weekend and the TV wall is usually the first thing that pulls shoppers in, with 65‑inch and 75‑inch screens priced far below what many people expect. Costco has turned that spectacle into a core part of its pitch, using aggressive pricing and member perks to make big screens feel like impulse buys. Those low tags are real, but they come with trade‑offs in model selection, comparison shopping, and sometimes in the fine print of what you are actually getting.
To understand why Costco TVs are so cheap, I need to look past the pallet displays and into how the retailer makes money, negotiates with manufacturers, and structures its warranties and returns. Only then does it become clear what you gain in value and protection, and what you quietly give up in flexibility, features, and long‑term options.
How Costco’s business model makes TV prices look unreal
The starting point is that Costco does not rely on televisions themselves to drive profit. Reporting on the company’s strategy notes that Costco’s real revenue comes from memberships, which lets it sell TVs at a markedly lower price point without needing to make money on each set sold. That membership‑first model means the retailer can treat a 65‑inch TV as a lure to keep people renewing, rather than as a margin engine, which is very different from a traditional electronics store that lives or dies on product markups.
On top of that, Costco leans on bulk buying and a tightly edited assortment to squeeze better terms from suppliers. Analyses of its pricing strategy describe how buying in huge volumes and limiting the number of SKUs helps the chain negotiate lower wholesale costs and keep prices down across categories, especially on Large purchases like televisions and home theater gear. When I compare that approach with a more conventional electronics site such as Best Buy, which carries a sprawling range of brands and model lines, it is clear Costco is trading breadth for bargaining power, and passing a chunk of that savings through to the TV aisle.
Why the TV wall looks different from other retailers
Costco’s curated selection is not an accident, it is a core part of how the chain keeps prices low and the shopping experience simple. Coverage of its merchandising strategy explains that in an effort to offer low prices, the company is incredibly selective about what products it sells and works closely with suppliers to secure favorable terms. That means the TV wall is dominated by a handful of brands and sizes that move quickly, rather than every niche model a manufacturer might offer, which helps Costco avoid slow‑moving inventory that would otherwise force higher prices.
The company itself has framed this as a benefit, with its own buying guide arguing that Why Costco should be your first stop for a new TV is the way it goes to great lengths to vet models and offer strong value, often bundling extras like free tech support. For shoppers who feel overwhelmed by the alphabet soup of TV model numbers, that curation can be a relief. The trade‑off is that if you want a very specific configuration, such as a 42‑inch OLED for a bedroom or a high‑end 8K flagship, you may not find it on the floor, even if the brand technically sells it elsewhere.
The membership effect: how fees subsidize your screen
Membership fees are the quiet engine behind those eye‑catching TV deals. Analysts point out that Costco’s real revenue comes from memberships, which is why the company can sell televisions at a lower price point than rivals that depend on product margins. In practice, that means the annual fee you pay at the door helps subsidize the discount on the 75‑inch set you roll out to your car, a trade many shoppers are happy to make as long as they keep using the warehouse for other staples.
That same logic shows up in comparisons with online rivals. One breakdown of electronics pricing notes that Large purchases are generally cheaper at Costco, and that Costco’s chief strategy to stand out from the crowd is offering better value, sometimes with accessories that would be $5 to $7 cheaper than buying them separately. When I look at the TV category on Costco alongside big online marketplaces, the pattern is consistent: the headline price on the screen is aggressive, but the real business is convincing you to keep that membership active year after year.
Exclusive and “special” TV models: the hidden compromise
One of the biggest reasons Costco TV prices are hard to beat is that the sets themselves are often not identical to what you see at other stores. Reporting on price comparisons notes that the first and biggest issue with comparing Costco TVs to similar models from other retailers is that Costco often sells exclusive versions with unique model numbers, which makes shopping around and comparing prices tricky. Those exclusives can be nearly identical to mainstream models, but the different code on the box keeps other chains from matching the price directly.
Industry explainers have described how, if you are Costco, you can buy your way around price‑matching rules by telling a TV brand that you are going to buy a massive quantity in exchange for a special model number, a tactic summed up with the phrase However, Costco can secure unique SKUs as a two‑way street with manufacturers. A short video breakdown of these practices adds that these unique model numbers are often exempt from price matching policies at other retailers, which protects both Costco and its competitors from a race to the bottom on the exact same set, but leaves shoppers with less leverage when they try to negotiate.
Are warehouse‑club TVs “stripped down” versions?
Those special model numbers have fueled a persistent suspicion that warehouse‑club TVs are secretly worse than their mainstream counterparts. A widely shared LPT on Reddit bluntly warns that The TV and electronics sold at warehouse clubs like Sam and Costco are usually sub models that have stripped out features, urging buyers to compare specs before purchasing. The claim is that manufacturers will shave off things like extra HDMI ports, higher refresh rates, or premium remote controls to hit a lower price point for bulk buyers.
More formal testing paints a more nuanced picture. One set of lab results found that in most instances, the TVs sold at Costco are essentially the same as the standard models, and that when there are differences, they are often minor or bundled perks rather than major downgrades. In one example, two LG C2 sets with different model numbers had identical overall scores in testing and were both priced at just under a similar threshold, suggesting that at least for some premium lines, the warehouse version is not a cut‑rate imposter. The catch is that without careful spec comparison, it can be hard for a shopper to know whether a given exclusive is a twin, a cousin, or a budget sibling of the TV they saw reviewed online.
Warranty and tech support: where Costco quietly overdelivers
One area where Costco’s TV deals genuinely stand out is after‑sale protection. The company’s own materials emphasize that Why Costco is a smart place to buy a television includes the fact that many TVs come with free tech support and extended coverage compared with buying the same brand elsewhere. That support is backed up by a dedicated portal at Costco tech support, which centralizes troubleshooting and service information for electronics, including televisions.
On top of the manufacturer’s coverage, Costco offers its own extended warranty on many products, a policy detailed in the FAQ titled Does Costco offer an extended warranty on products, which explains that certain electronics receive additional years of protection beyond the standard terms. Official guidance also directs shoppers to see the manufacturer’s warranty for specifics, but the key point is that the warehouse is layering its own safety net on top. When I compare that with buying a TV from a typical online marketplace, where extended warranties are often third‑party add‑ons, the Costco bundle can represent real savings and peace of mind, especially for buyers who keep a TV for five years or more.
Returns: generous, but not unlimited
Costco’s return policy is legendary, and that reputation absolutely influences how people think about taking a risk on a big‑ticket TV. The company’s customer service page spells out a Risk Free 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on Membership, promising that it will cancel and refund your membership fee at any time if you are not satisfied. The same document, titled What is Costco’s return policy, notes that product returns are also broadly flexible, although specific categories like electronics have more defined windows and conditions.
Those limits matter for televisions. A detailed breakdown of What You Can and Can Return at Costco explains that Electronics have a 90-day window for returns, and that the product does not need to be in perfect condition to qualify, as long as it is within that period. A separate support entry, also labeled What is Costco’s return policy, clarifies that Products purchased at a Costco warehouse or on Costco.com can be returned to any warehouse location, which makes it easier to bring back a TV that did not fit your wall or your expectations. The combination of a 90-day electronics window and a 100% membership guarantee is unusually forgiving, but it is not a blank check to return a screen years later, which is a misconception I still hear from shoppers.
How Costco’s prices complicate comparison shopping
For shoppers who like to cross‑shop every big purchase, Costco’s TV strategy can be frustrating. Reporting on price matching notes that Even when Costco has not changed the model number, its generous return policy on electronics and bundled perks can make apples‑to‑apples comparisons difficult, because other retailers may not include the same extras in their advertised price. That means a TV that looks slightly more expensive at the warehouse might actually be cheaper once you factor in the extended warranty and support, or vice versa.
The bigger obstacle is that Costco often sells exclusive versions of popular TVs, which makes price matching and comparing Costco TVs with other retailers so hard in the first place. When the model number on the box is unique to the warehouse, other chains can legitimately say they are not selling the same product, so their price match guarantees do not apply. For a shopper standing in front of a wall of screens, that translates into more homework: you may need to pull up spec sheets, read fine print, and check independent testing, such as the evaluations that found in most instances the TVs at Costco are essentially the same as standard models, before you can decide whether the deal is truly better than what you would get elsewhere.
What you gain in value, and what you give up in choice
When I weigh the evidence, the value side of the ledger is clear. Analyses of the retailer’s electronics strategy highlight that Reasons To Buy Your Electronics From Costco, Instead Of Amazon include the fact that Large purchases are generally cheaper and that Costco’s chief strategy to stand out is offering better value through lower prices and bundled perks. Another overview notes that Costco has been regarded as a great place to purchase a television, offering shoppers a curated selection of high quality sets that often include extras like longer warranties and member benefits without a huge price increase. For many households, that combination of lower upfront cost, extended coverage, and easy returns is exactly what they want from a TV purchase.
The trade‑offs are more subtle but just as real. Because items you will find on‑site are often exclusive to the company, as one guide to As Costco TV models explains, it can be tough to compare those sets directly with what you see at other stores, and you may have fewer options if you are chasing a very specific feature set. The Life Pro Tip that warns about The TV and electronics sold at warehouse clubs like Sam and Costco being sub models is not universally borne out by testing, but it is a reminder to check specs carefully. In practice, buying a TV at Costco means accepting a narrower, more curated menu in exchange for aggressive pricing, strong protection, and the convenience of rolling a giant box out of the same place you buy paper towels.
How to shop Costco’s TV aisle like a pro
For anyone tempted by the warehouse TV wall, the smartest move is to treat Costco’s low prices as a starting point, not the whole story. I recommend pulling up independent testing, such as the evaluations that compared two LG C2 sets with different model numbers and found identical overall scores, to see whether a given exclusive is truly equivalent to the mainstream version. Then, compare the total package, including the extended warranty described in the FAQ Does Costco offer an extended warranty on products and the 90-day electronics return window outlined in What You Can and Can Return at Costco, against what you would get from a traditional electronics retailer or an online marketplace.
It is also worth using the tools Costco provides, from the detailed TV buying advice in its own Connection feature on Why Costco should be your first stop for a new TV to the centralized help at On Membership and returns. Finally, do not be afraid to cross‑shop specific models on mainstream electronics sites like Best Buy and to read consumer discussions such as the LPT that flags The TV and electronics sold at warehouse clubs like Sam and Costco as potential sub models, even if you ultimately decide the Costco bundle is still the best fit. The more you understand how those cheap prices are built, the easier it is to decide whether the compromises they require are ones you are willing to make.
Supporting sources: Thinking About Buying A New TV From Costco? Some Things You Need To Know.
More from MorningOverview