There are some very good reasons to buy your electronics from Costco, including the ability to score cheap smart TVs. While some of the TVs that you’ll find at this big box retailer are the same as the models you see elsewhere, others are exclusive to Costco, with distinct model numbers from any other TV in the U.S. This begs the question: Who makes these TVs with unique model numbers that you can’t buy from Amazon or Best Buy?
The answer to this is pretty straightforward, and as you might expect, the Costco-exclusive TVs come from familiar, popular brands, such as LG, Sony, Samsung, Hisense, and TCL. This is why the TVs that are exclusive to Costco have the manufacturer’s name in the branding, unlike the retailer’s Kirkland Signature goods that are also exclusive to the warehouse giant. However, why Costco sells these exclusive TV models and how they differ from similar TV models available elsewhere is a bit more interesting.
What’s different about the Costco exclusive TVs
Costco’s exclusive TVs are a result of the retailer’s partnership with major smart TV brands to make warehouse-only models that it can sell to members. These TVs have different SKUs (Stock Keeping Units) and model numbers to give Costco freedom to sell them however it sees fit. It also means the store does not have to worry about price matching as the TV model number is unique to Costco.
The warehouse giant is able to do so because of its massive scale. As Costco buys a huge number of TVs from different brands, it has strong negotiating power. So, the retailer can tell a TV manufacturer that it’s going to purchase a large quantity of TVs, but only if they create a different SKU for it and keep the price down. It makes sense that manufacturers would agree, as they get to sell high volumes of TVs in exchange.
Moreover, with its exclusive TV models, Costco has the freedom to bundle extras, such as an extended warranty, or only offer specific sizes that it thinks will sell well with members. For example, the Costco-variant (X90CL) of Sony’s X90L 4K TV comes with a backlit remote and extended warranty, as extra features, over the model sold by other retailers. As a result, Costco-exclusive TVs are generally a win-win situation for customers as they tend to get sweet deals and added features.
