‘Barron’s Roundtable’ panel looks at how big box retailers outperform the competition on value, their innovation and their revenue models. Costco Next, an online marketplace that Costco members often consider one of the retailer’s most coveted hidden perks, has quietly disappeared from the company’s website. The service offered members up to 40% discounts on certain products not offered in its warehouses. The show featured items from a specific list of supplier partners, ranging from household items and luggage to electronics. Shoppers visiting Costco Next’s online page are now met with a message: “Access to Costco Next stores is no longer available.” Costco said shoppers who want to return items previously purchased through the program should contact suppliers directly. COSTCO’S LESSER-KNOWN MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS, FILE EXPLAINED – Costco appears to have closed its online marketplace, Costco Next, ending a members-only program that ran for nearly a decade. (Eric Thayer/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Getty Images) “Please see the list below for contact information for suppliers with active return policies. For eligible returns and warranty inquiries, please contact the supplier directly,” the retail giant said. Previously, the program had about 80 suppliers, including Anker Electronics, Caraway, Travelpro and Priority Bicycles. In the program, shoppers who selected a deal through Costco’s website were redirected to a personalized store on the supplier’s website, where they completed the purchase directly with the brand. Ticker Security Last change Change % COST COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP. 925.41 -3.07 -0.33% Some buyers said they noticed the closure on September 1, and the move apparently came without warning. “A real pain in the ass for deals,” said one Reddit user. COSTCO BRINGS BACK FAN-FAVORITE KIRKLAND GIFT AFTER TWO YEARS OF ABSENCE: The Costco Next page now directs shoppers to supplier contacts for returns and warranty questions after the online marketplace suddenly disappeared. (Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images) The decision was made as the platform appeared to be gaining momentum. During the company’s third-quarter 2025 earnings call on May 29, 2025, Costco Next’s quarterly sales matched the platform’s total sales for all of fiscal 2022. Nino Garcia, Costco Next’s assistant general manager of merchandise, previously said the concept was born in 2016 and took several years to fully come to fruition as the retailer refined the program. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO ARCHIVE: Costco Next’s sudden closure appears to have occurred in late August, with some shoppers noticing the change on September 1. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/Getty Images) “The idea for Costco Next was born in 2016, but it didn’t fully materialize until a few years later,” Garcia said. “There was a real learning curve as we developed the program, and there were many improvements, from site improvements and product selection, to ensuring each supplier understood the concept. In the end, Costco’s goal will always be the same: to offer our members quality products at a great value.” FOX Business has reached out to Costco for more information.
