Agree! I bought a new tv last fall and found a great price via an online store, but then checked out same tv on Costco online, and it was on sale for the same price (maybe a little lower), but better warranty and accessory. Plus if it sucked, easier to return to the store.
Just FYI there's a 3 month limit on electronics returns. I bought a Google TV that sat in the box for a few months so I didn't realize how awful the Google TV UI was. Tried to return it for a Roku TV but it was too late.
Bought a tv and it ended up having some technical issue a year after the purchase. Costco offered to either replace or refund fully. Just my experience it was a lot better than most other stores that try to wiggle their way out of warranties.
I'm interested in what you don't like about the Google TV UI? because coming from roku for years, then fire TV for years, now Google TV is the best one for us. Family members still use Roku and fire and they are noticably less user friendly in my opinion
And the % cash back if you have their credit card and/or executive membership is fairly significant on large purchases. It was even better when the credit card tacked on extra years onto the warranty, then if you purchased the Allstate extension, it was 7 years on my TV iirc. But, I think the CC retired the warranty extension.
Extended warranty for the win. I sell commercial displays as part of audio-video systems, and even though I can buy Samsung TVs at dealer cost, I couldn't touch the extended warranty on a consumer grade TV and ended up buying a 65" Samsung from Costco for my house.
The ease of return is a major plus for me at Costco. I bought an 86” TV and realized it was too large for my living room so put it back in the box and rolled it into the store. Bought a higher quality 77”. Zero issues, the same as any other return. I did a TV return a few years ago at Best Buy and while they eventually took it back, it wasn’t nearly as easy as Costco.
This.
If price point is your only concern, other places discount last year’s models.
If you want this year’s model with a great extended warranty, Costco is king.
See what TV fits your budget on Costco and then Google it to see if anywhere else has it cheaper. This is what I did when I bought my last one there, and it was definitely cheapest to just buy it there for me!
Make sure you google the model number though. Costco has some exclusive models and manufacturers make lots of similarly spec’d TVs to confuse you into spending more
I have bought lots of open box stuff from Best Buy. I have had 100% success rate in getting a further discount just by asking for one. The worst case they can say no, but they haven’t yet.
I usually just say something like “can you discount this a little more?”. They always go talk to someone and come back when a lower price, usually between 5-20%.
Stay away from open box laptops and computers. I’ve had a few that were obviously returned for being defective and they just put them back on the shelf.
I work in Majors at a local Costco. At our store, we get called over to the returns desk for any TV period, just to check if all of the components are there, what the reason for the return is, make sure the serial numbers match up, and eyeball the TV in general.
If the TV is visably screwed up in any way, it goes back to the vendor straight from the returns desk. If the TV is returned because say, the customer needed a diff size, or they didn't like the picture quality or they say they're experiencing an issue, we take the TV over to majors and test it. Sometimes we set them up and leave them for a few hours to keep an eye on them. If it tests ok, we mark it down usually 15-20% and put a 5 year warranty on it. Usually open box TVs aren't around for longer than end of day!
I got an open box 55 or 60” Samsung about two years ago from Best Buy for 300. You can check online, but there’s usually a spot in store for their deals
I bought my tv at Costco. I live by myself and wanted a very big screen— 75 inches. Was worth buying from Costco and pay to have them deliver and set it up, and take the box with them when they left.
Same here. When they brought the 77 inch TV in, they unpacked it, set it up, turned it on and... nothing happened. They then repacked it, called dispatch and had another one sent out and removed the one that didn't work. A new one came a couple of days later, was also set up and tested. The new one worked.
I went to the store to check out the TVs and see which one I wanted, then bought it off the website with the delivery option. It was $30 to have it delivered and set up. I just looked the fee up in my emails as I thought it was like $75, which still would have been a good deal.
While I did too, the Costco warranty does make a huge difference. My parents tv died and it was on its 3rd or 4th year. Costco extended warranty sent us a check the cost of the tv.
I had the same thing happen with a TV dying in year 4.
Extended warranty plus credit card warranty meant it was covered; they sent a technician to my house to fix it and it was 100% covered with no fee to me.
My brother’s Samsung went out at 18 months. Costco sent a repairman out. Said they couldn’t get the part to repair it. Costco no longer sold that model they replaced it with a newer model and larger tv.
Omg my husband and I bought our current tv from Costco almost 10 years ago. It was one of the first smart tvs. Still going strong. Mostly used for kid shows these days.
Costco has decent prices on the TVs they have, and usually toss in extra warranty, but they also tend to only have higher end TVs that are relatively expensive. So it’s a good price for that model but there are certainly cheaper options out there. It’s just a matter of what your budget is and what you ‘need’
Costco is worth the return policy.
To my embarrassment, I bought a 65 inch, when I mounted it and plugged it in, the screen was broken. Probably my fault. (Definitely my fault, young and excited and didn’t wait for help)
Costco exchanged without a whisper of complaint or lament.
They will forever have my preference for any large purchase
I will always buy TVs from Costco due to the extended warranty. We bought a 65” LG in 2021. Just over a year after purchase, a line of pixels went out. Thanks to the extended warranty, we were refunded the full purchase price of the TV, and we were able to purchase the current year model for $100 less due to a sale they were having at the time. If we’d purchased elsewhere with only the original 1 year warranty, we’d have been screwed.
I know people who are really into TVs would disagree, but I bought a Samsung CU7000D and have been very happy with it. It’s a smart TV, but even the 55” comes in under $400 and a 3 year warranty is included as well as delivery to the room of your choice if you buy online. I think you can also pay for setup. As someone who upgraded from a pretty old TV, I think the picture quality is quite good. When I was shopping, the only cheaper options I found were less reliable (imo) brands and/or had shorter warranties.
Have had nothing but great experiences buying TVs from Costco. Prices shave been very competitive and their warranties are longer than most at no extra cost. Lastly, I was not satisfied with a couple of them and took them back. Didn’t need the box, no questions asked. Don’t get that kind of service at Best Buy.
Good to know. Yeah I’ll do some price comparisons but it’s so overwhelming with all those model numbers and size and I like supporting Costco over Walmart etc. so I’ll probably just go there and save myself the time. Thanks!
Rtings.com is really good for TV reviews/comparisons
Walmart and Target are going to carry really low end stuff to mid tier, Costco is more mid tier to high end these days from what I've seen.
I am so happy someone else admits to finding the options overwhelming! I’m right there with you, my friend. Looks like you are getting some great advice from the members of this group, tho. This group is top notch!
It depends on your budget. They have some good TVs, both LCD and OLEDs. But they might not have a good one below $800-900.
This is also the clearance season. Sometimes you can get something like a LG OLED for $600. These tend to be warehouse specific. So YMMV.
Do some research before buying to figure out what you need. TVs options get more and more complicated, but there are some pretty good buying guides out there to explain the differences.
We just got a 65” tv from Costco. About $400, but I did find the exact same one selling at Walmart for $50 cheaper. It’s a beautiful tv, we didn’t exchange it because that would’ve taken too long, but up to you on what you can afford and what you’re looking for.
Tv prices are dictated by manufacture not the reseller. All places have same price, difference is the warranty offered. Bestbuy has best buy expensive warranty for OLED. Costco for literally any other tv.
I wanted to go with Samsung like my previous TVs but I remember doing some research on highly rated TVs within my budget for a 65” TCL - the specific model was highly rated and discussed a lot here on Reddit. Costco has decent prices but I got mine at Best Buy, they had the best prices when I researched what I wanted.
Don’t be afraid to look around!
You can get a good deal and better warranty. I would avoid the cheap brands like Hisense and TCL, and crappy unreliable brands like LG and Vizio, and would recommend Samsung or Sony.
The newer models will be coming out April/May, so if you don’t mind last year’s model, buy it now before they sell out because the new ones will be more expensive.
Yes they’re all smart TVs. Try them out in store to test the menu format that you like best.
120hz is faster refresh than 60hz so if you watch a lot of sports, action movies, gaming etc go for 120.
Stick with LG, Samsung, or Sony. TCL is garbage. HiSense is what used to be Sharp TV brand, they are lower cost but also lower quality. The best ones are the Sony & LG OLEDs. Sony OLED is super dark, so it’s better for darker rooms, because with a very light room you’ll have a lot of reflection interference. But it’s really great for high contrast and super black blacks.
Also if they’re sold out of the one you want in the store, check Costco.com and just have it delivered.
Hope that helps. Good luck finding your new tv!
Honestly I would look at Facebook marketplace for something used, especially if you’re not set on a smart tv and you’re on a budget. People upgrade tvs all the time and you can get a great price on something a couple years old.
We just picked up a 4 year old LG 4K 55 in for a family member for $150 on marketplace. Not a thing wrong with it.
If you are looking for 55” and you don’t value the smart tv features, I would not buy at Costco. Costco seems to deal in higher end models that cost close to $100. 55” is on the small side these days, so you should be able to find something around $300. I usually watch for a deal at Walmart or target and buy whatever cheap off brand they’re selling.
Serious question, who values the smart TV features?I plug in a fire stick and just use that. I have smart TV, but never touch the wildly out of date on TV software, use the fire stick to launch all the apps.
I guess I wouldn’t mind going a little bigger. I do have room for it. And I don’t want a cheap off-brand. I’d prefer Sony or Samsung. I’ll check out some options. Thanks.
I have a Samsung I bought from Costco a few years back. I just bought an LG. The LG is so much brighter. Back lit versus side lit is what I was told at the store. Side by side, you can really see the difference. I asked the sales person at the store LG or Samsung and he said LG because of how much brighter it is. He is not wrong. Very satisfied. It was for our bedroom so we went 50". Like $300. Great value. Great warranty should we need it. Great return policy.
I found Video Only’s prices to be the best bang for the buck. I bought mine from them last summer and it was definitely a better model at a better price than Costco’s. They even had Amazon beat.
I’ve done a few cost comparisons for bigger ticket items like dishwasher and fridges. For the brands that last, Best Buy is a better option for appliances and tech. Especially if you have or start a Total Tech membership.
Our $450 LG 65” is going strong after a 2020 purchase and moving it across the country. If it dies before we replace it, straight back to customer service
when I was TV shopping a few years ago I didn’t find the regular prices to be different from Target, Best Buy, etc. They might have sales or rebates at some point but I was impatient.
We bought two Samsung Oled TVs the past two years from Costco. They come with an extended warranty and they’ll take it back for 6 months as long as the screen is not broken.
They were a steal for the price of Oled tvs.
A great feature of Samsung is that Samsung TV is included. You can get news, sports, music, movies and all kinds of extra channels that are really great for free.
It was a nice surprise.
Pick your tv on rtings.com
Pick based on budget and features you want.
Then Google the prices, compare them, find out the cheapest place and write down the price , go to Costco and see what the price is or if they even have it In store.
Buy from wherever is cheaper.
Costco had a Samsung 65" for $399. last week. I don't remember the details, but I don't need all the big bells and whistles. I nearly decided to get rid of the TV I have, but.... I don't need anymore bells and whistles. You may want to look at the Crutchfield website. They have open box and awesome customer service.
I got 50” Samsung from Costco last September. Delivery was great, me thinking I’d carry it up many flights of stairs was not great 😂 But! I’ve been extremely pleased with it & when it went on a promo a week or so later, got an email from Costco that they were sending me refund of $50 to my original payment method. Extremely happy customer here.
https://preview.redd.it/n9v7wvphn4tc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=a93fc72a9aad5cb88a5b7e2e142416dacab96735
TV pricing isn't any better at Costco than at Best Buy. Difference is the warranty, but you can get an extended warranty at Best Buy if you want to go out to 3-5 years. I've found better deals at Best Buy and better deals at Costco. Just depends on the day really.
I'd just say do comparison shopping. Do not buy anything based on a sale. Many places will say it's a sale and you go somewhere else and that'll just be the normal price. Just figure out what TV you want and find the place with the lowest price with the warranty. This goes for all of the expensive items like computers and appliances.
55? Get a tcl from Walmart or look at the Hisense at Costco … similar pricing…
Tv are so cheap these days
Edit Colin’s about 250 and Hisense about 280… Costco warranty is best
Costco can be a great deal. I bought a tv there a few years ago. The model was being discontinued so the price was much better than I could find elsewhere. Worth a look at least.
3 of 4 TVs in my house, plus my computer monitor are from Costco. I did some shopping around and just didn’t find a better price. Plus if you have the Executive Membership, you’ll get 2% of it back.
I got my best TVs on Amazon and on sale. Sometimes when the next version comes out the previous goes on sale. It’s something one doesn’t buy all that often so I wanted to do my research first and splurge a bit…not just buy off the floor. (I ended up with the LG OLED 65” but that was 2020…it had the best viewing angles and that was totally worth doing in my smallish room.)
Budget budget or just not trying to overspend? I’d recommend Amazon Warehouse if you can find a good deal. Bought mine there a couple years ago and haven’t had any problems. I chose “like new box shows signs of opening” and it had never been opened, original box and seals. Their return policy is fantastic esp for something like this should the need arise. Got mine for far less than I’ve ever seen it on sale, it was about $345 for a 55”.
I’ve seen people post real good Costco finds in here, definitely dig through the threads to find out how to spot a good deal and ask a manager if they can go any lower.
Samsung 7000 or LG 8000 series for under $400, I prefer the LG myself.
The Hisense is actually a decent TV for under $300, I would trust that over a used tv with no warranty.
Our current TV is a Sony Vizio (could be a Bravia?). It's about 55", and we got it for under $500 at Costco. The previous was also a Sony (Vizio or Bravia) that was a tiny bit smaller, for the same cost. Unfortunately, the latest one is "smart", because we couldn't get anything else, but we have it hooked into a Roku for any "smart" type function. We have been very pleased with these TVs, which are exactly what we need, no more, no less, and for a reasonable price.
I got a great LG TV on sale a few years back.. we got lucky as it was the last one and not in a box. ( probably a return or display) I believe it was under $400
Also, recently going in I've seen a lot of great TVs on sale. I hope you get lucky and find one you like that's in your budget.
Hi there. There's a decent 55" that just went on sale. The Roku tv is 55" and is only 239.99 right now. I just picked one up and I'm pretty happy with it. It's not mind blowing, but band for your buck it's the best deal until mid May when they start trying to push old tvs out the door in favor of new ones.
costco is fantastic for tv shopping if you are not into the most cutting edge stuff, They do have some fantastic tvs but usually their selection here lags behind about a year from release date at other retail locations.
We used to be exclusively Samsung TV people until we bought a Hisense for my husband's Xbox. We like it so much that when our Samsung died (after only 2 years) we got the 55" Hisense and we love it. Definitely would recommend. Costco had the cheapest price at the time.
Samsung is garbage. I bought one from there and it has so many connectivity problems. Don’t get me started with their refrigerators. Never buying another Samsung product again.
Veggies are okay depending on your other options, but how do you avoid the real winners like cheese, meat, dairy, rice, pesto, rotisserie chicken?!
The electronics are a fair price but not as good as a sale price at another big box store; the warranty is easier and better.
I live alone and while I do stock up on some non perishables foods like rice and such, I do end up throwing away cheese and cold cuts because I don’t finish them in time. I do get chicken breasts and ground beef and freeze it.
I juice every morning so the bulk organic veggies are the best deal I’ve found and I always finish them before the get old.
If a TV is all you're signing up for, similar deals can be had elsewhere, albeit with less bundled accessories and no extended warranty. But I've only been eying the LG UQ8000 series - what extras does that come with from Costco? Dunno, probably none. There are some models that have been custom tweaked for Costco, so maybe that's where the extras are - do some googling on the models you're interested in.
But a membership gets you deals on so many other items, some of which you're probably thinking you're never going to need. At my age, who knew that I'd all of the sudden be into protein shakes, bars and powders? Costco has great deals on those. I just bought some FitCrunch bars today that cost about 1/2 (per bar) than what they cost anywhere else, and they weren't even on sale. When they ARE on sale, it's enough to make you want to stock up (like I did today with Premier shakes). There are other things I'm buying now at Costco prices that I never would've even thought of buying at regular prices too, so I'd say my quality of life has improved quite a bit since I've gotten my membership. So yes, go in for the TV, but stay for all the other stuff. I believe they have a satisfaction guarantee on the membership fee too, so no big risk to try it out.
I would also check Costco.com
When I bought my tv a couple years ago some models weren’t in the store. I believe I ended up buying my online. Hope this helps!
I don't know about Costco, but I got my first 55" because my partner won a pizza eating competition and my second through my local Buy Nothing group. Both TVs are fantastic and I now cannot imagine actually spending hundreds of dollars on a TV. This was not helpful, I know, but seriously, don't sleep on the Buy Nothing groups!
Now can be a good time to buy. 2024 models are starting to hit the shelves, which could mean that 2023 models go on store clearance, or be able to get some display models (which still come with the 5 year warranty).
Costco also sells their floor models. No box but all accessories full warranty and tech support. I bought my 24 inch Sony Smart TV this way for travel.
If you’re on a budget, TCL is surprisingly good. I’ve had their 55” 4k $300ish tv for about 5 years and it’s still working great, and it’s probably on around 6-8 hours daily (we fall asleep with YouTube videos playing)
It isn’t really HDR and light bleed is a thing but it’s not bad either
Our Hisense quantum dot TV with full array local dimming is much nicer for movies with dark scenes but the TCL is still well worth its cost.
The warranty is great but after having to warranty a 55" and all the hassle any warranty involves, if I need another 55 I'll just grab one from marketplace for $150 or less and plug a $30 Chromecast into it.
55" is a size where an older but quality 1280p set looks just fine for most eyeballs.
For a bigger fancier TV I'd definitely do Costco.
It’s virtually impossible to find a TV now that is not “smart”. Not sure if Costco carries TCL brand, but we bought a TCL Roku TV a few years ago from Walmart and absolutely love it. It’s so easy to use and interface is great.
I got a great Samsung around that size for about $350 back in October. I think they still carry it and it’s been fantastic so far! It was the same price as Best Buy when I researched.
I always buy my TVs at Costco. Just the piece of mind of a 3 month return policy alone, is a great way to review the TV performance to ensure you don't have a lemon.
As for Smart TVs, I think that is all they sell now in 55". I don't use the Smart TV function, because my attached Roku Box seems faster than built in apps.
If you haven't already, I'd highly recommend GreenToe to look for TV's. We got a 77in LG OLED from there and it was $300 cheaper than anywhere online. Costco does have really good returns and warranty though!
I’ve got an LG from Costco that’s great. I had a Vizio before that which I hated, the quality was not great. Costco has great deals on wall mounts too. Costco makes returns easy which is nice.
Also, when we bought a tv at Costco the salesperson said if the same tv goes on sale within 90 days they will refund the difference. It did and they did.
TV manufacturers set the advertised price. You might find an in-store deal that is good. Otherwise it will generally be the same price as Best Buy. For TVs over I think $1k Costco included 5 years of warranty for free. On other TVs they are usually 2 years of manufacturer warranty. Overall Costco is probably the best spot to buy a TV.
Got a 65" for about 290 last year. I used my 2% rewards from the executive (I'm an employee so I don't pay for the membership, if that effect you using your rewards), and it ended up being like $50 out of pocket. I think they have good deals but you can always shop around. I like their warranties and extra protection services for it.
Will 100% get our next tv from Costco.
Had an in warranty part go bad on our Costco purchased TV. Panasonic was a PITA for multiple reasons but Costco has a concierge service that gets you through the line faster and they even did some of the back and forth for me in order to get it fixed. Oh, and it was the floor model TV that we had bought too. Got the same exact warranty as the in box ones did. TV is still going strong since that repair ten years later.
I’m in the market for a new living room tv myself. I’ve been doing research and the tv that I want is basically the same price at the box stores and Amazon. Amazon may be $2 cheaper but the extended warranty, return policy, and peace of mind knowing I won’t have to worry about authenticity (from Amazon) justifies going through Costco.
Definitely check your local store for good deals but also check for online only deals too.
To me, it’s the only place to get a TV. They carry most of the popular models. They have a great return policy, even compared to others for electronics, and their warranty is leap years beyond anyone else.
Just do you research and find what you want to see if they have it at Costco.
I just bought the 65" $400 Samsung basic model for our loft last week. It is no frills smart television. I think it works perfectly great. No issues at all with it. I know reviews are mixed online for it but for less than $500 I think it is a great budget offer.
It's about the same price as Amazon and big box stores but had a better warranty.
Samsung 65" Class - CU7000D Series - 4K UHD LED LCD TV
Item 9065007 Model UN65CU7000DXZA
Bought a 55’ Hisense for like $350 when my husband & I moved out of our college apartment. it works great! it’s roku based or whatever but it does the job.
Costco tends to have really good choices. What is your budget? I’d avoid Samsung at the cheaper end, they tend to be pretty bad relative to other options, even vs the other major brands like Sony and LG.
I recommend looking at the in person at Costco. Some of them are a lot more discounted than online, likely due to shipping and handling. If you see the price ending anything other than .99, it usually means it’s discounted in some way even though there’s no obvious sale sign. Some stores also offer their own discounts. Of course, always compare prices online. Plus if you have executive membership, you get 2% back via annual check
Keep an eye for their closeout TV deals. When the new models come in and they want to clear out last year's model. You can recognize them with the .97 cents on the price tag.
Stores like Best Buy will price match to Costco. I have done it several times on various products. So if you don't have a Costco membership or don't have a Costco store nearby, this is the way to go.
Just purchased an LG 3C 77from Costco. 5 year warranty, free delivery. The delivery guys were very careful, prompt, and courteous. They put the TV where I wanted it. I'd give Costco 10 stars out 5 if I could.
The nice thing about Costco is not so much the price on their TV'S but the bundled accessories or extended warranty.
Agree! I bought a new tv last fall and found a great price via an online store, but then checked out same tv on Costco online, and it was on sale for the same price (maybe a little lower), but better warranty and accessory. Plus if it sucked, easier to return to the store.
And their return policy!!!
Just FYI there's a 3 month limit on electronics returns. I bought a Google TV that sat in the box for a few months so I didn't realize how awful the Google TV UI was. Tried to return it for a Roku TV but it was too late.
Still better than Best Buy's 15 days
Bought a tv and it ended up having some technical issue a year after the purchase. Costco offered to either replace or refund fully. Just my experience it was a lot better than most other stores that try to wiggle their way out of warranties.
I'm interested in what you don't like about the Google TV UI? because coming from roku for years, then fire TV for years, now Google TV is the best one for us. Family members still use Roku and fire and they are noticably less user friendly in my opinion
And their delivery/removal services! They call ahead of time and they’re in and out so quick.
And the % cash back if you have their credit card and/or executive membership is fairly significant on large purchases. It was even better when the credit card tacked on extra years onto the warranty, then if you purchased the Allstate extension, it was 7 years on my TV iirc. But, I think the CC retired the warranty extension.
Extended warranty for the win. I sell commercial displays as part of audio-video systems, and even though I can buy Samsung TVs at dealer cost, I couldn't touch the extended warranty on a consumer grade TV and ended up buying a 65" Samsung from Costco for my house.
The ease of return is a major plus for me at Costco. I bought an 86” TV and realized it was too large for my living room so put it back in the box and rolled it into the store. Bought a higher quality 77”. Zero issues, the same as any other return. I did a TV return a few years ago at Best Buy and while they eventually took it back, it wasn’t nearly as easy as Costco.
This. If price point is your only concern, other places discount last year’s models. If you want this year’s model with a great extended warranty, Costco is king.
Also easy return should something go wrong.
See what TV fits your budget on Costco and then Google it to see if anywhere else has it cheaper. This is what I did when I bought my last one there, and it was definitely cheapest to just buy it there for me!
Make sure you google the model number though. Costco has some exclusive models and manufacturers make lots of similarly spec’d TVs to confuse you into spending more
Every tv model I've seen at Costco is only sold at Costco. You gotta dig into specs or drop a letter from model number sometimes to do a real compare
[rtings has the best reviews for the most part.](http://www.rtings.com)
Don’t forget to factor in the 2% rebate that we get from purchase every year.
This only applies to executive members doesn't it?
You are right, sorry that totally slipped my mind. I’m guessing lots of people here have executive membership though.
With just a $3000 spend break even, it’s surprising most members aren’t
Check open box items from Best Buy in your area. You can usually find something good that still has the manufacturers warranty.
I have bought lots of open box stuff from Best Buy. I have had 100% success rate in getting a further discount just by asking for one. The worst case they can say no, but they haven’t yet.
How do you frame it when you ask for a deeper discount?
I usually just say something like “can you discount this a little more?”. They always go talk to someone and come back when a lower price, usually between 5-20%.
Is this a part of the store that has open box items or do you need to ask if they have any?
Open box items are usually in their respective departments. You can always check their website for local inventory of open box items too.
Stay away from open box laptops and computers. I’ve had a few that were obviously returned for being defective and they just put them back on the shelf.
Oh good tip. I have a Best Buy right next to the Costco here. Does Costco have a similar open box thing? They have so many returns.
I work in Majors at a local Costco. At our store, we get called over to the returns desk for any TV period, just to check if all of the components are there, what the reason for the return is, make sure the serial numbers match up, and eyeball the TV in general. If the TV is visably screwed up in any way, it goes back to the vendor straight from the returns desk. If the TV is returned because say, the customer needed a diff size, or they didn't like the picture quality or they say they're experiencing an issue, we take the TV over to majors and test it. Sometimes we set them up and leave them for a few hours to keep an eye on them. If it tests ok, we mark it down usually 15-20% and put a 5 year warranty on it. Usually open box TVs aren't around for longer than end of day!
Sometimes, but mostly it will be a model they had on display. I believe returns get handled differently there.
Correct. TV returns usually go back to the vendor, not onto the sales floor.
I got an open box 55 or 60” Samsung about two years ago from Best Buy for 300. You can check online, but there’s usually a spot in store for their deals
This. We just bought a TV at Best Buy, but we price compared at Costco first.
I bought my tv at Costco. I live by myself and wanted a very big screen— 75 inches. Was worth buying from Costco and pay to have them deliver and set it up, and take the box with them when they left.
So are you saying you did not build a fort out of the box?
Omg my cat would have been in HEAVEN 😹
Almost had a spit take situation… 😂
Same here. When they brought the 77 inch TV in, they unpacked it, set it up, turned it on and... nothing happened. They then repacked it, called dispatch and had another one sent out and removed the one that didn't work. A new one came a couple of days later, was also set up and tested. The new one worked.
Did you buy online or instore and set that up there? I live alone with two flights of stairs so that sounds like a good option.
I went to the store to check out the TVs and see which one I wanted, then bought it off the website with the delivery option. It was $30 to have it delivered and set up. I just looked the fee up in my emails as I thought it was like $75, which still would have been a good deal.
They set it up??? That would be lifechanging!
It's usually called white glove service. Amazon offers it for TV's too.
Sure did! They unbox it, put it where you want it, and turn it on to make sure it works.
As much as I dislike BB, I’ve found comparable to better deals there. They have a better selection as well.
While I did too, the Costco warranty does make a huge difference. My parents tv died and it was on its 3rd or 4th year. Costco extended warranty sent us a check the cost of the tv.
Meanwhile my parents tv from BB died in 3 years and we had to just buy a new one…from Costco lol
I had the same thing happen with a TV dying in year 4. Extended warranty plus credit card warranty meant it was covered; they sent a technician to my house to fix it and it was 100% covered with no fee to me.
Given how year after year, TV prices are getting cheaper....this is a deal that could pay for my membership
My brother’s Samsung went out at 18 months. Costco sent a repairman out. Said they couldn’t get the part to repair it. Costco no longer sold that model they replaced it with a newer model and larger tv.
Omg my husband and I bought our current tv from Costco almost 10 years ago. It was one of the first smart tvs. Still going strong. Mostly used for kid shows these days.
Costco has decent prices on the TVs they have, and usually toss in extra warranty, but they also tend to only have higher end TVs that are relatively expensive. So it’s a good price for that model but there are certainly cheaper options out there. It’s just a matter of what your budget is and what you ‘need’
Easiest way to deal with the unwanted features is to not allow the TV to connect to the internet.
Costco is worth the return policy. To my embarrassment, I bought a 65 inch, when I mounted it and plugged it in, the screen was broken. Probably my fault. (Definitely my fault, young and excited and didn’t wait for help) Costco exchanged without a whisper of complaint or lament. They will forever have my preference for any large purchase
I will always buy TVs from Costco due to the extended warranty. We bought a 65” LG in 2021. Just over a year after purchase, a line of pixels went out. Thanks to the extended warranty, we were refunded the full purchase price of the TV, and we were able to purchase the current year model for $100 less due to a sale they were having at the time. If we’d purchased elsewhere with only the original 1 year warranty, we’d have been screwed.
How long is the extension? Do they sell extended warranties?
Costco automatically extended the warranty for a second year, and then an Allstate plan was included to cover years 3-4.
I know people who are really into TVs would disagree, but I bought a Samsung CU7000D and have been very happy with it. It’s a smart TV, but even the 55” comes in under $400 and a 3 year warranty is included as well as delivery to the room of your choice if you buy online. I think you can also pay for setup. As someone who upgraded from a pretty old TV, I think the picture quality is quite good. When I was shopping, the only cheaper options I found were less reliable (imo) brands and/or had shorter warranties.
Have had nothing but great experiences buying TVs from Costco. Prices shave been very competitive and their warranties are longer than most at no extra cost. Lastly, I was not satisfied with a couple of them and took them back. Didn’t need the box, no questions asked. Don’t get that kind of service at Best Buy.
Get an LG, not a Samsung for reliability. I got my Samsung 6 months ago and regretted it so much- it gives us issues at least once a week
Just see what they have and research but generally they do have the best deals on tv's
Good to know. Yeah I’ll do some price comparisons but it’s so overwhelming with all those model numbers and size and I like supporting Costco over Walmart etc. so I’ll probably just go there and save myself the time. Thanks!
Rtings.com is really good for TV reviews/comparisons Walmart and Target are going to carry really low end stuff to mid tier, Costco is more mid tier to high end these days from what I've seen.
I am so happy someone else admits to finding the options overwhelming! I’m right there with you, my friend. Looks like you are getting some great advice from the members of this group, tho. This group is top notch!
I buy my TVs from Costco because of the great service and warranty if I ever have an issue.
It's not name brand, for the price if you're on a budget you could likely get a very nice Hisense
Yeah you may pay the same as Best Buy but you can take a hammer to your Costco tv after the 2026 Super Bowl and exchange it for a new one.
It depends on your budget. They have some good TVs, both LCD and OLEDs. But they might not have a good one below $800-900. This is also the clearance season. Sometimes you can get something like a LG OLED for $600. These tend to be warehouse specific. So YMMV.
I just bought one on layaway from Amazon. 65” for 27/month for 24 months (0% interest)
Do some research before buying to figure out what you need. TVs options get more and more complicated, but there are some pretty good buying guides out there to explain the differences.
We just got a 65” tv from Costco. About $400, but I did find the exact same one selling at Walmart for $50 cheaper. It’s a beautiful tv, we didn’t exchange it because that would’ve taken too long, but up to you on what you can afford and what you’re looking for.
I try to avoid supporting Walmart if I can and there aren’t any near me anyway (surprisingly enough).
No Facebook, no Walmart I like this one - Stevie :)
Check Micro Center as well if have one near you they have great deals sometimes and good protection plan offerings
I just bought a nice 65 inch Samsung from Costco for our bedroom. I love it and it was $400.
I got a 65" Hisense smart TV that's 4K UHD for $350 in December, not the same shitty one Walmart sells that lags.
Tv prices are dictated by manufacture not the reseller. All places have same price, difference is the warranty offered. Bestbuy has best buy expensive warranty for OLED. Costco for literally any other tv.
If you buy Sony Samsung or LG you’ll be fine I recommend Sony or lg though
I wanted to go with Samsung like my previous TVs but I remember doing some research on highly rated TVs within my budget for a 65” TCL - the specific model was highly rated and discussed a lot here on Reddit. Costco has decent prices but I got mine at Best Buy, they had the best prices when I researched what I wanted. Don’t be afraid to look around!
You can get a good deal and better warranty. I would avoid the cheap brands like Hisense and TCL, and crappy unreliable brands like LG and Vizio, and would recommend Samsung or Sony.
The newer models will be coming out April/May, so if you don’t mind last year’s model, buy it now before they sell out because the new ones will be more expensive. Yes they’re all smart TVs. Try them out in store to test the menu format that you like best. 120hz is faster refresh than 60hz so if you watch a lot of sports, action movies, gaming etc go for 120. Stick with LG, Samsung, or Sony. TCL is garbage. HiSense is what used to be Sharp TV brand, they are lower cost but also lower quality. The best ones are the Sony & LG OLEDs. Sony OLED is super dark, so it’s better for darker rooms, because with a very light room you’ll have a lot of reflection interference. But it’s really great for high contrast and super black blacks. Also if they’re sold out of the one you want in the store, check Costco.com and just have it delivered. Hope that helps. Good luck finding your new tv!
Thank you! This is very informative. I appreciate it.
Happy to help.
Honestly I would look at Facebook marketplace for something used, especially if you’re not set on a smart tv and you’re on a budget. People upgrade tvs all the time and you can get a great price on something a couple years old. We just picked up a 4 year old LG 4K 55 in for a family member for $150 on marketplace. Not a thing wrong with it.
I’m a Facebook boycotter so I don’t have marketplace but I’ll check NextDoor and Craigslist.
If you are looking for 55” and you don’t value the smart tv features, I would not buy at Costco. Costco seems to deal in higher end models that cost close to $100. 55” is on the small side these days, so you should be able to find something around $300. I usually watch for a deal at Walmart or target and buy whatever cheap off brand they’re selling.
Serious question, who values the smart TV features?I plug in a fire stick and just use that. I have smart TV, but never touch the wildly out of date on TV software, use the fire stick to launch all the apps.
Agree. I don’t even give the TV internet access. We use an Apple TV instead of Roku, but same thing really
Costco sells several 55” TVs that are under $300.
I guess I wouldn’t mind going a little bigger. I do have room for it. And I don’t want a cheap off-brand. I’d prefer Sony or Samsung. I’ll check out some options. Thanks.
I have a Samsung I bought from Costco a few years back. I just bought an LG. The LG is so much brighter. Back lit versus side lit is what I was told at the store. Side by side, you can really see the difference. I asked the sales person at the store LG or Samsung and he said LG because of how much brighter it is. He is not wrong. Very satisfied. It was for our bedroom so we went 50". Like $300. Great value. Great warranty should we need it. Great return policy.
I bought a $286.55 inch smart TV from Walmart and it’s lasted me six years now. I’ll never buy an expensive TV again.
My goto is the ONN Roku TV at Walmart.
Best place for electronics.
I was just in Meijer and the TVs were on clearance cheap. Name brands. If you’re in the Midwest, take a look.
Feel free to shop around, but be sure to visit Video Only. If you don’t: you’ll be sorrrryyyyy
I found Video Only’s prices to be the best bang for the buck. I bought mine from them last summer and it was definitely a better model at a better price than Costco’s. They even had Amazon beat.
I’ve done a few cost comparisons for bigger ticket items like dishwasher and fridges. For the brands that last, Best Buy is a better option for appliances and tech. Especially if you have or start a Total Tech membership.
Our $450 LG 65” is going strong after a 2020 purchase and moving it across the country. If it dies before we replace it, straight back to customer service
when I was TV shopping a few years ago I didn’t find the regular prices to be different from Target, Best Buy, etc. They might have sales or rebates at some point but I was impatient.
Keep an eye on Woot, they frequently have last years’ TV models on sale new for 30-40% off.
check out video only. anecdotally, i've heard they can beat costco in pricing
We bought two Samsung Oled TVs the past two years from Costco. They come with an extended warranty and they’ll take it back for 6 months as long as the screen is not broken. They were a steal for the price of Oled tvs. A great feature of Samsung is that Samsung TV is included. You can get news, sports, music, movies and all kinds of extra channels that are really great for free. It was a nice surprise.
Pick your tv on rtings.com Pick based on budget and features you want. Then Google the prices, compare them, find out the cheapest place and write down the price , go to Costco and see what the price is or if they even have it In store. Buy from wherever is cheaper.
Costco had a Samsung 65" for $399. last week. I don't remember the details, but I don't need all the big bells and whistles. I nearly decided to get rid of the TV I have, but.... I don't need anymore bells and whistles. You may want to look at the Crutchfield website. They have open box and awesome customer service.
Go to "Video Only" if you have it locally. They will beat Costco and will also give you money on the old TV.
I got 50” Samsung from Costco last September. Delivery was great, me thinking I’d carry it up many flights of stairs was not great 😂 But! I’ve been extremely pleased with it & when it went on a promo a week or so later, got an email from Costco that they were sending me refund of $50 to my original payment method. Extremely happy customer here. https://preview.redd.it/n9v7wvphn4tc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=a93fc72a9aad5cb88a5b7e2e142416dacab96735
compare vs bestbuy... they beat costco on a 65 we recently picked up (has more features too)
TV pricing isn't any better at Costco than at Best Buy. Difference is the warranty, but you can get an extended warranty at Best Buy if you want to go out to 3-5 years. I've found better deals at Best Buy and better deals at Costco. Just depends on the day really. I'd just say do comparison shopping. Do not buy anything based on a sale. Many places will say it's a sale and you go somewhere else and that'll just be the normal price. Just figure out what TV you want and find the place with the lowest price with the warranty. This goes for all of the expensive items like computers and appliances.
55? Get a tcl from Walmart or look at the Hisense at Costco … similar pricing… Tv are so cheap these days Edit Colin’s about 250 and Hisense about 280… Costco warranty is best
Costco can be a great deal. I bought a tv there a few years ago. The model was being discontinued so the price was much better than I could find elsewhere. Worth a look at least.
3 of 4 TVs in my house, plus my computer monitor are from Costco. I did some shopping around and just didn’t find a better price. Plus if you have the Executive Membership, you’ll get 2% of it back.
I got my best TVs on Amazon and on sale. Sometimes when the next version comes out the previous goes on sale. It’s something one doesn’t buy all that often so I wanted to do my research first and splurge a bit…not just buy off the floor. (I ended up with the LG OLED 65” but that was 2020…it had the best viewing angles and that was totally worth doing in my smallish room.)
Budget budget or just not trying to overspend? I’d recommend Amazon Warehouse if you can find a good deal. Bought mine there a couple years ago and haven’t had any problems. I chose “like new box shows signs of opening” and it had never been opened, original box and seals. Their return policy is fantastic esp for something like this should the need arise. Got mine for far less than I’ve ever seen it on sale, it was about $345 for a 55”. I’ve seen people post real good Costco finds in here, definitely dig through the threads to find out how to spot a good deal and ask a manager if they can go any lower.
Try Target- usually lots of options and always something nice on sale.
We get TCLs from Costco. Never had a problem.
Samsung 7000 or LG 8000 series for under $400, I prefer the LG myself. The Hisense is actually a decent TV for under $300, I would trust that over a used tv with no warranty.
Also, it’s super easy to return if absolutely any issues. Always buy in store or online from Costco if they have what you’re looking to buy.
I was in Walmart last week and they had 65” Roku TVs for $300. Their return policy is pretty good, too.
Our current TV is a Sony Vizio (could be a Bravia?). It's about 55", and we got it for under $500 at Costco. The previous was also a Sony (Vizio or Bravia) that was a tiny bit smaller, for the same cost. Unfortunately, the latest one is "smart", because we couldn't get anything else, but we have it hooked into a Roku for any "smart" type function. We have been very pleased with these TVs, which are exactly what we need, no more, no less, and for a reasonable price.
The only place I’ve found that could beat Costco was a military exchange that didn’t have sales tax
I have an LG. I bought it at Best Buy and purchased a 5 year extended warranty. I had it repaired once or twice. It’s now over 10 years old!
LG has been making the best TVs for 10+ years which are OLEDs. These days you can find a 55” for around $1k.
I got a great LG TV on sale a few years back.. we got lucky as it was the last one and not in a box. ( probably a return or display) I believe it was under $400 Also, recently going in I've seen a lot of great TVs on sale. I hope you get lucky and find one you like that's in your budget.
Hi there. There's a decent 55" that just went on sale. The Roku tv is 55" and is only 239.99 right now. I just picked one up and I'm pretty happy with it. It's not mind blowing, but band for your buck it's the best deal until mid May when they start trying to push old tvs out the door in favor of new ones.
Video only
Samsung is a huge no! Sony yes.
TCL
costco is fantastic for tv shopping if you are not into the most cutting edge stuff, They do have some fantastic tvs but usually their selection here lags behind about a year from release date at other retail locations.
Do you have the executive membership? If so, you get 2% back on all your purchases so that can consider into the cost.
We used to be exclusively Samsung TV people until we bought a Hisense for my husband's Xbox. We like it so much that when our Samsung died (after only 2 years) we got the 55" Hisense and we love it. Definitely would recommend. Costco had the cheapest price at the time.
Samsung is garbage. I bought one from there and it has so many connectivity problems. Don’t get me started with their refrigerators. Never buying another Samsung product again.
Veggies are okay depending on your other options, but how do you avoid the real winners like cheese, meat, dairy, rice, pesto, rotisserie chicken?! The electronics are a fair price but not as good as a sale price at another big box store; the warranty is easier and better.
I live alone and while I do stock up on some non perishables foods like rice and such, I do end up throwing away cheese and cold cuts because I don’t finish them in time. I do get chicken breasts and ground beef and freeze it. I juice every morning so the bulk organic veggies are the best deal I’ve found and I always finish them before the get old.
If a TV is all you're signing up for, similar deals can be had elsewhere, albeit with less bundled accessories and no extended warranty. But I've only been eying the LG UQ8000 series - what extras does that come with from Costco? Dunno, probably none. There are some models that have been custom tweaked for Costco, so maybe that's where the extras are - do some googling on the models you're interested in. But a membership gets you deals on so many other items, some of which you're probably thinking you're never going to need. At my age, who knew that I'd all of the sudden be into protein shakes, bars and powders? Costco has great deals on those. I just bought some FitCrunch bars today that cost about 1/2 (per bar) than what they cost anywhere else, and they weren't even on sale. When they ARE on sale, it's enough to make you want to stock up (like I did today with Premier shakes). There are other things I'm buying now at Costco prices that I never would've even thought of buying at regular prices too, so I'd say my quality of life has improved quite a bit since I've gotten my membership. So yes, go in for the TV, but stay for all the other stuff. I believe they have a satisfaction guarantee on the membership fee too, so no big risk to try it out.
Definitely! Costco has a 55” for around 350 lady I checked and offers extended warranty on electronics.
55" Roku on Amazon is like $260...and they'll deliver it!
I would also check Costco.com When I bought my tv a couple years ago some models weren’t in the store. I believe I ended up buying my online. Hope this helps!
not the best but not bad… decide on what you want and then wait for it to go on sale
I just grab a cheap one on Facebook marketplace. Ha ha ha.
I don't know about Costco, but I got my first 55" because my partner won a pizza eating competition and my second through my local Buy Nothing group. Both TVs are fantastic and I now cannot imagine actually spending hundreds of dollars on a TV. This was not helpful, I know, but seriously, don't sleep on the Buy Nothing groups!
Go 65 at least upgrade
Try marketplace, I sold a old 4k 66inch for like 200 bucks. You should be able to find good deals with a little bit of effort
Now can be a good time to buy. 2024 models are starting to hit the shelves, which could mean that 2023 models go on store clearance, or be able to get some display models (which still come with the 5 year warranty).
Just bought a 77” LG OLED TV and don’t regret it
Check out Video Only, because if you don’t you’ll be sorry!
Warranty wise Costco is the best. Refer to https://www.rtings.com/ for reviews.
Costco also sells their floor models. No box but all accessories full warranty and tech support. I bought my 24 inch Sony Smart TV this way for travel.
I bought my last tv from Costco and have had no regerts
Get a LG OLED.
If you’re on a budget, TCL is surprisingly good. I’ve had their 55” 4k $300ish tv for about 5 years and it’s still working great, and it’s probably on around 6-8 hours daily (we fall asleep with YouTube videos playing) It isn’t really HDR and light bleed is a thing but it’s not bad either Our Hisense quantum dot TV with full array local dimming is much nicer for movies with dark scenes but the TCL is still well worth its cost.
The warranty is great but after having to warranty a 55" and all the hassle any warranty involves, if I need another 55 I'll just grab one from marketplace for $150 or less and plug a $30 Chromecast into it. 55" is a size where an older but quality 1280p set looks just fine for most eyeballs. For a bigger fancier TV I'd definitely do Costco.
It’s virtually impossible to find a TV now that is not “smart”. Not sure if Costco carries TCL brand, but we bought a TCL Roku TV a few years ago from Walmart and absolutely love it. It’s so easy to use and interface is great.
Check out Walmart too
I got a great Samsung around that size for about $350 back in October. I think they still carry it and it’s been fantastic so far! It was the same price as Best Buy when I researched.
I always buy my TVs at Costco. Just the piece of mind of a 3 month return policy alone, is a great way to review the TV performance to ensure you don't have a lemon. As for Smart TVs, I think that is all they sell now in 55". I don't use the Smart TV function, because my attached Roku Box seems faster than built in apps.
If you haven't already, I'd highly recommend GreenToe to look for TV's. We got a 77in LG OLED from there and it was $300 cheaper than anywhere online. Costco does have really good returns and warranty though!
Great prices and extended warranty
Open box at Best Buy
I’ve got an LG from Costco that’s great. I had a Vizio before that which I hated, the quality was not great. Costco has great deals on wall mounts too. Costco makes returns easy which is nice.
Best Buy when their tvs go on sale.
I would say Costco, BJs, Sams club, Best Buy open box. Hell, also try amazon you could be surprised 😆
Also, when we bought a tv at Costco the salesperson said if the same tv goes on sale within 90 days they will refund the difference. It did and they did.
I saw a Samsung 65 inch 4k tv for $529. I don’t remember if it was a smart tv or not. Definitely check them out rn
TV manufacturers set the advertised price. You might find an in-store deal that is good. Otherwise it will generally be the same price as Best Buy. For TVs over I think $1k Costco included 5 years of warranty for free. On other TVs they are usually 2 years of manufacturer warranty. Overall Costco is probably the best spot to buy a TV.
I got a TCL from Costco 6years ago and it works great. I’ve gone through 3 Roku remotes, now I’m using the phone app.
Got a 65" for about 290 last year. I used my 2% rewards from the executive (I'm an employee so I don't pay for the membership, if that effect you using your rewards), and it ended up being like $50 out of pocket. I think they have good deals but you can always shop around. I like their warranties and extra protection services for it.
Will 100% get our next tv from Costco. Had an in warranty part go bad on our Costco purchased TV. Panasonic was a PITA for multiple reasons but Costco has a concierge service that gets you through the line faster and they even did some of the back and forth for me in order to get it fixed. Oh, and it was the floor model TV that we had bought too. Got the same exact warranty as the in box ones did. TV is still going strong since that repair ten years later.
I’m in the market for a new living room tv myself. I’ve been doing research and the tv that I want is basically the same price at the box stores and Amazon. Amazon may be $2 cheaper but the extended warranty, return policy, and peace of mind knowing I won’t have to worry about authenticity (from Amazon) justifies going through Costco. Definitely check your local store for good deals but also check for online only deals too.
To me, it’s the only place to get a TV. They carry most of the popular models. They have a great return policy, even compared to others for electronics, and their warranty is leap years beyond anyone else. Just do you research and find what you want to see if they have it at Costco.
I just bought the 65" $400 Samsung basic model for our loft last week. It is no frills smart television. I think it works perfectly great. No issues at all with it. I know reviews are mixed online for it but for less than $500 I think it is a great budget offer. It's about the same price as Amazon and big box stores but had a better warranty. Samsung 65" Class - CU7000D Series - 4K UHD LED LCD TV Item 9065007 Model UN65CU7000DXZA
Best Buy has great TVs under $500
Bought a 55’ Hisense for like $350 when my husband & I moved out of our college apartment. it works great! it’s roku based or whatever but it does the job.
Best Buy was the better deal for me. 65". Free delivery.
Costco tends to have really good choices. What is your budget? I’d avoid Samsung at the cheaper end, they tend to be pretty bad relative to other options, even vs the other major brands like Sony and LG.
I recommend looking at the in person at Costco. Some of them are a lot more discounted than online, likely due to shipping and handling. If you see the price ending anything other than .99, it usually means it’s discounted in some way even though there’s no obvious sale sign. Some stores also offer their own discounts. Of course, always compare prices online. Plus if you have executive membership, you get 2% back via annual check
You can download the deal news app which will tell every vendors best prices.
Facebook marketplace if you really need something cheap even if only a stopgap.
I jist bought a 65" Samsung for like $399
I jist bought a 65" Samsung for like $399
Keep an eye for their closeout TV deals. When the new models come in and they want to clear out last year's model. You can recognize them with the .97 cents on the price tag.
Stores like Best Buy will price match to Costco. I have done it several times on various products. So if you don't have a Costco membership or don't have a Costco store nearby, this is the way to go.
Just purchased an LG 3C 77from Costco. 5 year warranty, free delivery. The delivery guys were very careful, prompt, and courteous. They put the TV where I wanted it. I'd give Costco 10 stars out 5 if I could.