exercise and sporting goods equipment, adding brands such as Coleman, Nordic Track and Kidder waterskis.

Special buys. Sometimes Costco’s buyers find fantastic deals on spectacular items available in limited quantities. Members might find a one-of-a-kind diamond ring or a Cadillac Escalade® electric golf cart.

According to Liz Elsner, costco.com’s vice president of merchandising, “Our mission statement at costco.com is to give our members exceptional values as the warehouses do on upscale merchandise not found at their local Costco.”

Safe and secure

■ Financial and personal information is steadily protected. One of the main reasons people cite for not shopping online is the fear of identity theft. Costco.com adheres to industry data-security standards and goes above and beyond. Costco also pledges to never share individual information with third parties, other than necessary shipping information.

In addition to technical security, a hallmark of Costco shopping is the security in knowing that any purchase is backed 100 percent by the company. Members who are dissatisfied with any purchase need only return it to receive a full refund.

Items purchased on costco.com may be returned to any warehouse. Large items can be picked up from the member’s home or office, but direct returns to the warehouse will yield a faster refund. And while many online

retailers offer prepaid mailers or reimbursements for return shipping costs, Costco also refunds the initial shipping charges.

The facts about shipping

■ Costco negotiates the lowest possible charge for shipping and passes the savings on to members. Shipping charges reflect Costco’s actual cost. Web sites that offer “free shipping” may just fold the cost into the price. The shopper pays for it but doesn’t realize it.

■ Items do not ship from or to Costco membership warehouses. The fact is, most items ship directly from the supplier. Larger items, such as furniture, may ship via private delivery services. So there is no picking up online items from Costco membership warehouses.

Also, shipping times listed on the site are conservative estimates and can vary, based on the point of origin and the final destination. Impressively, Costco has a 98 percent on-time rate, one of the best in the business of online retailing.

■ Orders and shipping addresses cannot be changed after the order is complete. Costco.com processes orders electronically. An order may be in transit within hours after a member presses the “Send Order” button, and orders cannot be cancelled or changed if merchandise has been shipped. This is true with most, if not all, online shopping. Always check order information carefully before completing the transaction.

■ The cost of shipping does not negate the value. Here’s a point to which I will take off my reporter’s veneer of objectivity and personally attest. I recently shopped for an item to send as a gift. Having been raised in a place where everyone either has “a cousin in the business” or “can get it for you wholesale,” finding the best bargain is an absolute priority for me. The price of the item was lower on costco.com than on other sites, but that was before adding shipping and taxes. The sec-ond-lowest price for the item, on another site, included shipping but not taxes. When I did the math, buying on costco.com, even with the shipping cost and taxes added, was less expensive than buying from the other guys. And with the 2% Reward from my Executive Membership and the 1 percent rebate from my

 

Cool tools at costc o.com

COSTCO.COM PROVIDES interactive tools to help you find items or services, manage accounts and find information to make life a little easier. (Where to find these tools is in parentheses and may require registration before use.)

Auto buying. Research new cars and find a local dealer who offers special deals to Costco members. (“Services”> “Auto & Home”>“Costco Auto Buying Program”)

Build a unique diamond solitaire. Learn everything you need to know about shopping for diamonds, then select shape, price, carat size, color and clarity to order a ring for that special someone. (“Jewelry & Fashion”>”Build a Unique Diamond Solitaire”)

Costco Cash card. Check your card’s balance. (“My Account”>“Log in”>“Costco Cash Card”)

Costco cookbooks. Browse 1,000-plus recipes from Costco’s five cookbooks to help make your next meal memorable. (“Costco Cookbook”> “Contents” or “Resources”)

Custom wine cellars. An easy-to-use online design template offers a simple way to create the perfect wine cellar for any home, restaurant or store. (“Food & Wine”>“Wine Cellars & Beer Coolers”>“Apex Custom Wine Cellars”)

Membership. Sign up for a new membership or American Express Card, or renew an existing membership. (“Membership”)

Photo Center. Order prints for pickup at

your local Costco warehouse or special photo gifts to be delivered. (“Photo Center”)

Rebates. Submit a rebate request, check the status of an existing request and find out what rebates are being offered at any given warehouse. (“Rebates”)

Shopping list. Create a list of items to purchase online, now or later. (“Shopping List”)

The Costco Connection. The Connection’s Online Edition combines the highlights of the print version with the added value of extended and supplemental content, including a searchable archive of recent issues. (“Costco Magazine”)

Travel. Choose from a wide range of vacation packages, rent a car or book a condo for a holiday getaway. (“Travel”)