Home Depot is one of the world’s largest retailers, building its home DIY-friendly reputation on excellent customer service and low prices.
Many items Home Depot sells are also available at Costco, another mega-retailer on a global scale. The two share many similar brands and products. But does Home Depot price match Costco if Costco is found to have the cheaper price tag? Here is the answer you need!
Does Home Depot Price Match Costco In 2024?
Home Depot’s official Price Match Policy on its website lists “Pricing from membership-based retail wholesalers” as one of its exclusions, meaning that Costco is ineligible for price matching. This has not always been the case, but Costco does underprice its competition with aggressively low prices.
Let’s take a closer look at why Home Depot might not offer Costco price matching anymore, whether getting a Costco membership is worth it, and more!
What Is Home Depot’s Price Match Policy?
Home Depot’s U.S. price match policy is very simple and straightforward.
If you find a retailer carrying the exact same item for less than it costs at Home Depot, the company will match the price.
You can do this either online, by accessing the Home Depot website’s Live Chat feature, or you can bring in an ad or photograph of the item and its price to the store.
However, Home Depot’s price match policy comes with a list of caveats and exclusions.
The one that bars Costco customers from receiving the same price at Home Depot is listed under “What’s Not Included.”
Near the bottom of the list, it reads, “Pricing from membership-based retail wholesalers.”
That is definitely what Costco falls under.
Why Doesn’t Home Depot Price Match Costco?
It appears that Home Depot used to price match Costco, as most of the literature on the subject that is available online mentions it.
However, as mentioned earlier, the “pricing from membership-based retail wholesalers” specifically excludes retailers like Costco.
There currently aren’t public details about when this exclusion was put into place, though it may have appeared around the same time Home Depot rescinded its 10 percent clause.
The 10 percent clause originally read that, not only would Home Depot price match competitors, but it would also underprice by an additional 10 percent.
This disappeared in 2020 from the U.S., though the 10 percent policy is still active in Canada.
Costco has such a good reputation for low prices (and excellent customer service), that it’s possible that the store products are simply priced too low for Home Depot to match.
Aggressively low operational costs are built into Costco’s business model in a way that they simply aren’t for retailers like Home Depot.
However, those low operational costs are how Costco can afford to price its merchandise so affordably and still stay solvent.
Is a Costco Membership Worth It?
A Costco gold membership costs $60; if you find an exact same gas range, for example, for over $60 less from Costco, then the membership just paid for itself.
Chances are good, though, that you can find many exact products – or very close models – for far more than a mere $60 difference.
Costco consistently underprices its competition on large items, like kitchen appliances, by hundreds of dollars.
Not only that, but you also receive all kinds of additional benefits with a Costco membership, like discounts and special pricing on services.
Is Costco Cheaper Than Home Depot?
Upgraded Home reports that “[this members-only shopping club] has lower prices than typical department stores…,” meaning Costco does tend to be priced lower than Home Depot.
The best thing you can do is fire up your laptop or desktop, and conduct your own research, looking at both sites and comparing models closely.
If you find an exceptionally good deal on a product that is priced at hundreds more at Home Depot, a Costco membership just for this purchase could be worth it.
However, if you’re lucky, the item you want can be purchased online by non-Costco members.
What Items Do Home Depot and Costco Both Have in Stock?
There is actually a lot of overlap between items at Home Depot and Costco.
So, while Home Depot might not price match with Costco, you can find a lot of the same products at Costco for less, especially with special members-only pricing.
Some brands that overlap between the two retailers include the following:
- Dyson
- Samsung
- LG
- GE
- Lifetime
- Bissell
- Calphalon
- Honeywell
- Master Lock
- Duracell
- Feit Electric
- Coast Flashlights
- Stanley
Specific products include:
- Large kitchen appliances (think: dishwashers, stoves, etc.)
- Small kitchen appliances
- General tools
- Power tools
- Storage
- Ladders
To know more, you can also read our posts on whether or not Home Depot prices match Walmart, if Home Depot prices match Amazon, and Home Depot price adjustment policy.
Conclusion
While Home Depot quietly ceased price matching with membership-based wholesale retailers like Costco (and Sam’s Club, too), shoppers still have options.
For many, a Costco membership at $60 per year, is worth the investment to receive hundreds of dollars off an otherwise expensive appliance.
