Costco is expanding its delivery options to better compete with Amazon by offering ultra-fast and flexible services. These new features could reshape how its loyal members shop without replacing the in-store experience they value.
Key Facts:
- Costco will soon launch Priority Delivery, offering delivery within 30 minutes on select items.
- No-Rush Delivery will let customers schedule orders hours or days in advance.
- These services build on Costco’s existing same-day delivery, launched in 2017 via Instacart.
- Costco members can access the services through sameday.costco.com and are eligible for summer discounts.
- The move comes as a direct response to Amazon’s fast delivery dominance and aims to enhance convenience.
The Rest of The Story:
Costco is stepping up its delivery game with two new options designed to add flexibility and speed for its members.
Priority Delivery will allow select items to arrive within 30 minutes.
No-Rush Delivery gives users the ability to schedule when their items arrive.
Both services will be accessible via the warehouse club’s existing same-day platform, operated in partnership with Instacart.
This builds on previous efforts to make shopping easier.
Costco already offers same-day delivery and curbside pickup for thousands of items.
A summer promotion also incentivizes use—members who spend \$50 or more using same-day delivery and enter code “SUMMERSAMEDAY25” get \$15 back.
Costco launched its first same-day services in 2017.
This new step intensifies its competition with Amazon’s delivery empire.
Unlike Amazon, however, Costco has one major advantage—devoted fans who love its in-store experience, fair prices, and treatment of employees.
Costco is building apartments above its stores to address the affordable housing crisis, starting early this year.
Walking downstairs and getting a $1.50 hot dog gives new meaning to “affordable walkability.”
It includes free membership, a rooftop pool, fitness area, gardens/… pic.twitter.com/28eBI4ORk2
— Andrew Lokenauth | TheFinanceNewsletter.com (@FluentInFinance) January 4, 2025
Commentary:
Costco’s new delivery services are a smart response to modern shopping habits.
Americans have grown used to ultra-fast, click-and-go convenience, and Costco is recognizing that reality without abandoning what makes it special.
While it may lose some revenue from those impulse purchases that happen during a physical shopping trip, this move secures its position in the digital space.
People still love a trip to Costco—the food court, the free samples, the thrill of discovering that odd-but-useful item they didn’t know they needed.
That won’t go away.
But let’s face it—sometimes people just don’t want to deal with the crowds and long lines, especially on weekends.
The new delivery services give those customers another option without losing their loyalty.
Costco is not becoming Amazon.
It’s enhancing its value proposition while preserving its identity.
A 30-minute delivery window isn’t just fast—it’s practically revolutionary for a warehouse retailer.
And the scheduled No-Rush option offers control, something busy families will appreciate.
Costco also benefits from goodwill that Amazon lacks.
The company’s reputation for treating workers fairly and offering solid wages builds lasting customer trust.
Amazon, by contrast, often faces criticism for labor practices, making it a less beloved brand even if it is convenient.
This expansion positions Costco to meet customer expectations without losing what makes it beloved.
It’s a calculated risk—but one that is likely to pay off.
The Bottom Line:
Costco is leveling up its convenience game with new rapid and scheduled delivery options.
While it won’t replace the in-store experience customers love, it’s a timely move to meet growing demand for speed and flexibility.
With Instacart’s help and a loyal membership base, Costco may not just keep pace with Amazon—but pull ahead where it matters most: customer loyalty.
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