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Costco and Sam's Club are well-known among budget-conscious shoppers, but many people also use the membership clubs for their furniture needs.
Buying furniture can be a gamble, even when you're able to find something you like and there are good reviews for it. So which is the better store to buy furniture at? Let's look at a few aspects of these discount membership clubs to see which is the best option.
Furniture quality
Winner: Costco
According to Consumer Reports, Costco's furniture quality scores high among reviewers, achieving a 4 out of 5 rating. Sam's Club scored slightly lower, with a 3 out of 5 rating.
Clarks.com says Costco's furniture quality is very high, and it has a track record of customer satisfaction. Based on these two evaluations, Costco appears to have a slight edge over Sam's Club in this category.
While there are other ways to measure quality, Consumer Reports' rating is likely the most comprehensive, so Costco wins in this category.
Delivery
Winner: Sam's Club
If you buy furniture on Costco's website, the price includes delivery. For example, a leather couch I found on the site recently is listed for $1,899 and says delivery, set up, and packaging removal are included. But there's no delivery option if you buy Costco furniture in the store, meaning you'll have to figure out how to get a heavy couch into a truck and back to your home yourself.
Meanwhile, Sam's Club offers delivery for both in-store and online furniture purchases. Some furniture can be delivered for free, while some larger pieces may have a fee. The company says it uses GoShare to deliver furniture.
With Sam's Club offering a delivery service for in-store furniture purchases, it wins this category.
Returns
Winner: Tie
Costco is well-known for its generous return policy, even for furniture. You may have heard about the woman who recently returned a used sofa after the company's two-year return policy was up.
While that's an extreme example (that I don't recommend trying!), it shows just how good Costco's return policy is. You can get a full refund on furniture, and Costco may even pick up large items from your home at no additional charge.
Sam's Club also has a generous return policy. Most items can be returned at any time. While there are some restrictions, like electronics and appliances, Sam's Club doesn't list any limits on the returns section of its website for furniture.
Warranty
Winner: Tie
I did a quick online search and found some furniture brands sold at Costco with limited warranties. These were mainly the same types of warranties you'd expect when buying products at any retailer.
Sam's Club offers furniture-specific warranties you can buy through Allstate. The five-year protection plans cost $10 to $130, depending on the price of your furniture. It covers accidental damage and stains by either repairing or replacing the item.
It's also worth mentioning that both companies have a 100% satisfaction guarantee for the items they sell, including furniture. So, if you aren't satisfied with your furniture, you should feel confident that you'll be able to get a full refund.
Result: Both stores are great for furniture
Based on the above criteria, Sam's Club and Costco are both great places to buy furniture.
But if you need a clear winner, you may want to consider that Consumer Reports ranked Costco second in overall satisfaction on its online furniture retailer list, while Sam's Club was ranked sixth out of 17.
Ultimately, most shoppers probably already have a preference for which store they shop at, regardless of the furniture options. And with generous return policies, members of these discount warehouse clubs can likely find something they want at a good price without worrying about whether they'll get their money's worth.
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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Chris Neiger has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
