The One Place You Should Be Sourcing All Your Home Electronics (No, Not Amazon)

Electronics have become a fundamental part of homes today. From watching our favorite TV shows to staying in touch with others, we simply cannot live a normal life without them. And if you are like most people, chances are, you source most or all of your home electronics from Amazon. After all, it is the default "add to cart" button online for most people. But is it the best choice? Well, as it turns out, there is a better option: Costco. Costco often sells electronics at a discounted price and, for many products, offers an extended warranty as well as free post-purchase technical support. 

This is really important when it comes to home electronics because many of these products involve a substantial financial investment. Plus, the initial purchase price is only one factor in the total cost of ownership of home electronics. Sooner or later, something is guaranteed to go wrong with them. That is where warranty and post-purchase support can help. Just make sure that you are aware of the biggest mistakes to avoid when shopping in Costco's home section for new tech.

Let's start by talking about returns and warranties. Costco is upfront about warranties. The retailer clearly states that it extends manufacturer coverage and, for some electronics, even offers an extended warranty of up to two years. Amazon, however, mostly stays hands-off in this department. The warranty usually depends on the manufacturer, so coverage can vary a lot by brand.

The return window tells a similar story, too. With Amazon, for most items, you are expected to initiate a return within 30 days of delivery. Also, Amazon explicitly states that many devices are not returnable after that point. At Costco, however, all electronics are covered by a standard 90-day return policy. While it can be helpful to avoid any frequently returned household items to dodge the hassle altogether, having the ability to get a refund on a large purchase if it doesn't work out up to three months down the line is a major plus.

Lastly, there is the post-purchase support. Amazon often treats support as something attached to the product, so if something goes wrong, you likely will be routed to a manufacturer, a brand help page, or whatever support channel exists for that specific item. Costco, on the other hand, leans more directly into the after-purchase relationship. If your home electronics start acting up, you can just reach out to Costco as it has experts who can help with the troubleshooting. Also, if needed, they will connect you with the right people to get the problem solved.

The biggest advantage of sourcing your home electronics from Costco instead of Amazon is that you get access to a carefully monitored and controlled catalog. For instance, Costco only has about 4,000 stock-keeping units, while Amazon has millions. Costco only sources its products from manufacturers and sellers it trusts, which translates to better quality products for customers. This doesn't mean that Amazon doesn't have good-quality home electronics — it definitely does. The problem, though, is the sheer number of variants it offers for a single product. This can expose customers to counterfeit items, look-alike items, and sometimes even online scams.

Another safeguard you get with Costco is that you get to physically inspect your home electronics before you bring them home. With Amazon, the most you get is some professionally clicked and edited photos that try to make the product look better than it actually is. The result? You might receive something drastically different from what you saw in the pictures, and if you miss the 30-day return window, you're out of luck. This is not to say that you will never need to return the home electronics you purchased from Costco. You might need to, but Costco's return policy and the option to take the product to a store yourself makes the process much more convenient.