15 Things To Know Before Buying Costco Cell Phones In 2022
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Costco offers great deals on party platters and cars, so why not look at its range of cell phones. The annual membership fee is worth the cost, as are many of the other benefits that Costco offers.
Costco’s cell phone inventory can be found by simply looking at the Wireless Advocates kiosks. These are typically rectangular in form, fairly tall and often black with splashes of color from other carriers.
They’re topped with a sort of “roof” of carrier logos, so if you just look up a bit – or wander toward the electronics area – you should be able to find it (you can find a good photo of what a typical kiosk looks like here).
Since Wireless Advocates is its own company operating within the grounds of Costco, the employees at the kiosk are not Costco employees.
That means if you have a question about something relating to Costco, the Wireless Advocate employees are not the ones to ask.
This also means the kiosk staff are knowledgeable and trained about the products that they sell, as opposed to Costco employees, who are only trained in diamond knowledge and gemology.
Costco sells all of its phones as part three wireless companies: Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile.
You may purchase a device that has been pre-loaded with one of these plans. But if not, you will need to sign up for another plan.
Clark.com states that Costco’s plans work the same way as the ones you’d see in the retail location or online. It is only the Costco member pricing that makes the difference.
Unfortunately, Costco is not a seller of unlocked phones that can be used with any carrier. You simply cannot purchase the latest iPhone and hope to use it with a Cricket Wireless plan.
You will need to have the ability to move to a different plan from Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, if necessary.
Clark.com reports also that Costco’s Wireless Advocate kiosks are equipped with the most recent phone models.
A visit to membershipwireless.com, Costco’s external cell phone website, reveals the latest Apple and Samsung models, including the iPhone 13 and the Galaxy Z Flip3.
Costco, however, did not have the latest Google Pixel model. This was surprising given that it had only been available for a few weeks at the time.
The company also has a decent selection of older models, which are of course even more affordable.
Costco takes the pain out of buying the latest mobile phones.
Although 10% off is not common, it’s possible to get a discount of three to four percentages on retail prices.
Apple offers the Apple iPhone 13 Starlight at $899. Costco offers a $865 price, which is a saving of approximately four percent.
Costco has a similar approach to other retailers. When you buy your cell phone at Costco you won’t have the hassle of paying it off all at once.
Instead of paying monthly for phones, you may opt to pay a deposit or make a downpayment.
Costco is doing a great job in partnering up with Wireless Advocates to offer exclusive deals for its members.
Apple smartphones are currently on sale at $700 savings if shoppers go to the warehouse with a trade in.
T-Mobile also offered a special deal that allowed customers to get a Samsung Galaxy A32 without having to pay a single penny.
Costco has a long process that can lead to frustrations when buying a mobile phone.
Sometimes, there’s only one person on the job. This means that one person has to manage their way through the ranks of others.
Clark.com mentions, too, that there’s a lot of paperwork involved. It is advisable to plan ahead especially for weekends and other busy times.
One other complaint about Costco cell phone shopping is that in-store inventory is limited.
It is a good idea to have second and third options in case you need one.
Costco phones can generally be returned within the first 90 days. This policy is clearly not the same as Costco’s general returns policy. Unfortunately, mobile electronics have their own policies.
Clark.com states that wireless advocates handle returns and Costco does not.
Costco won’t accept your device back. Instead, contact Wireless Advocates via email at [email protected] or by phone at 1-888-369-5931.
It is not something that anyone enjoys, but it can save you money.
Double-check that the trial period is 14 days in length. However, it can vary between carriers.
Wireless Advocate kiosk services may not be as extensive as the ones you could receive at Verizon Wireless stores.
After activating your iPhone, employees at VZW can connect your iCloud (for iPhone).
Wireless Advocate staff are not able to help you, and will instead provide you with printed instructions once you return home.
Costco offers exclusive deals on cell phones as well.
You can also find all kinds of accessories like screen covers, cases, chargers, cables and more, for low Costco prices, and through limited-time specials.
Do not miss Costco’s Black Friday deals, especially if you’re in the market for a new cell phone, as the company tends to roll out sweet deals during this period, so if the timing is right, you could save big.
If you want to learn more, you can also see our posts on Costco’s phone return policy, Costco iPad return policy, and Costco laptop & computer warranty.
Costco membership holders who want to upgrade their phones can look no further than the warehouse.
Costco’s low prices are combined with the ongoing deals and perks can’t been beat. And you still get the reliable, high-quality service offered by three major carriers – Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile.
Do Costco Members Get Discounts On Phones?
Is it really that important if cell phones and plans work the same way as wireless providers? Costco offers members only specials. “In addition to whatever deal you might get from your cell phone carrier to trade in your old phone or buy a pair of phones, Costco will give you additional bonuses,” Clark says.May 14, 2021
Costco can upgrade your smartphone
3. Do you allow me to upgrade my phone at Costco’s wireless phones kiosk? Absolutely! Absolutely!
Are Costco Iphones Real?
Costco sells iPhones from Wireless Advocates. Wireless Advocates is a third party company that operates kiosks at stores as well online. You can get a great deal by buying an iPhone from Costco using a special promo. But here are the details.
Costco Phones Unlocked:
Wireless Advocates has taken over sales of cell phones and plans from Costco, which is wholly owned to Car Toys. … Other carriers are not available and you can’t buy an unlocked phone at Costco (you’ll have to go to the Apple store).Apr 10, 2021
.15 Things To Know Before Buying Costco Cell Phones In 2022