Is Costco Clothing Good Value for Money? Exploring the Quality and Cost of the Retailer's Affordable Clothing Options

Costco is known for its low prices on everything from groceries to electronics, but is its clothing actually good value for money? A recent article by The Wall Street Journal explores this question1. Here are the key takeaways from the article:

The Cost

  • Costco clothing is known for being cheap, with prices that are often significantly lower than those of other retailers14.
  • For example, one outfit consisting of a shirt, tee, jeans, boxer-briefs, and socks can be purchased for a grand total of $48.502.
  • Costco's Kirkland brand of underwear, T-shirts, socks, leggings, and more can be found at a large discount4.

The Quality

  • While Costco clothing is cheap, the quality is often questioned14.
  • Some customers have reported that the clothing falls apart after just a few washes, while others have praised the quality of the clothing14.
  • Costco sells more than $7 billion worth of clothing per year, more than Old Navy, Neiman Marcus, and Ralph Lauren4.

The Return Policy

  • Costco has a generous return policy, even if the clothes are slightly worn45.
  • According to its website, "With few exceptions, Costco has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Simply bring the product to any Costco warehouse and our Member Services Team will be happy to assist you. It helps if you have the receipt or original product packaging, but it may not be necessary to process your return"5.
The writer in Kirkland Dress-Shirt, $25; T-shirt, 6-pack, $25; Jeans, $14, Costco.comDAN GABA/THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

The Future

  • It remains to be seen how the quality of Costco clothing will evolve in the future and whether it will continue to be a popular choice for shoppers14.
  • The popularity of Costco clothing is a reminder of the ongoing demand for affordable clothing options in the United States14.

Conclusion

Costco clothing is known for being cheap, but the quality is often questioned. While some customers have reported that the clothing falls apart after just a few washes, others have praised the quality of the clothing. Costco's generous return policy is a plus for shoppers. The popularity of Costco clothing is a reminder of the ongoing demand for affordable clothing options in the United States.

This Costco haul includes the following Kirkland Signature apparel items, from left: Pants, $22; Hat, 2-Pack, $18; Athletic Socks, 8-Pack, $14; Men’s Tee, 6-Pack, $25; Slides, $10 (hot dog not included); Men’s Belt, $25, Costco.com. All prices listed are members’ online prices; nonmembers pay 5% more. In-store prices are often cheaper. PHOTO: F. MARTIN RAMIN/THE WALL STREET JOURNAL; PROP STYLING BY JUDITH TREZZA FOR R.J. BENNETT REPRESENTS