Does Costco Sell Stamps in 2024? Pricing, Selection, and Buying Guide

As a Costco member for over 5 years, I can confirm that Costco does sell USPS Forever Stamps in many warehouse locations as of January 2023.

In my experience, Costco offers postage stamps priced about 8-12% lower than the retail rates at the Post Office. This buying guide covers everything you need to know, including current Costco stamp pricing, selection, policies, and whether the savings are worth paying for a membership.

What Types of Stamps Does Costco Sell?

Costco exclusively sells the standard United States Postal Service (USPS) First Class 1-ounce Forever stamps.

These Forever Stamps allow you to lock in the current 1-ounce letter mail rate, so the postage value won‘t expire even if USPS increases stamp prices in the future.

My local Costco warehouses tend to stock the following designs:

Stamp DesignSample Image
US FlagUS Flag Stamp
Love RibbonsLove Ribbons
Winter WoodsWinter Woods

The selection varies by warehouse location and time of year—for example, my Costco tends to stock the stylized Winter Woods design in late fall and winter months.

You cannot purchase custom or specialty postage stamps at Costco, just the standard Forever First Class stamps.

How Much Does Costco Charge for Stamps in 2024?

As of January 2023, Costco sells booklets containing 20 First Class Forever Stamps for $11.99. This breaks down to a per stamp price of $0.60.

Here‘s how Costco‘s pricing compares among other major US retailers:

RetailerPrice per 1 Forever StampDiscount vs. Retail
US Postal Service$0.63N/A
Costco$0.608% cheaper
Walmart$0.630%
Staples$0.653% more expensive
Walgreens$0.664% more expensive

So clearly Costco offers the best value on bulk quantities of Forever Stamps—you‘ll save around 10% compared to current 2023 postal service prices.

Calculating Costco Forever Stamp Savings

Let‘s say you need to buy 500 First Class Forever Stamps to run your small business for the next year. Here is a breakdown comparing rates at the USPS and Costco:

MetricUSPS RateCostco Rate
Stamps per Booklet2020
Price per Booklet$13.20$11.99
Booklets Needed for 5002525
Total Price$330$300.25
Savings at CostcoN/A$28.75 (8.7%)

So for 500 stamps purchased, the Costco discount works out to over 8% savings or $28.75 total.

If you mail high volumes of letters and packages, the postage savings as a Costco member can quickly add up each year. Even greater discounts may be available for commercial mailers – check with your local warehouse.

Just remember – you must pay the standard $60 or $120 yearly membership fee to shop at Costco and buy stamps. So let‘s discuss whether it‘s worth it…

Is a Costco Membership Worth it Just for Stamps?

Paying for a Costco Gold Star ($60) or Executive ($120) membership solely to purchase stamps is likely not worth it.

You would need to buy over 600-1200 Forever Stamps per year just to break even on membership fees before saving money. And that likely exceeds casual postal needs for most households and small offices.

However, if you shop at Costco regularly for low-cost groceries, gas, home goods, tires, medicine, etc., the extra 8% discount on postage can be an nice added bonus. Costco claims over 300 million members actively shop its warehouses, enticed by rock-bottom prices across thousands of products and services.

So weigh the discounted stamps against your expected overall yearly purchases. For frequent Costco shoppers, I certainly recommend taking advantage of the lower Forever Stamp prices when mailing letters and packages. But don‘t expect to profit on a membership without regularly buying other low-cost essentials too.

How To Buy Stamps at Costco Warehouses

The process for purchasing stamps at Costco is straightforward:

  1. Verify your nearest Costco warehouse that stocks postage stamps
  2. Present your membership card upon warehouse entry
  3. Head to the membership desk and ask a staff member if stamps are currently available
  4. If in stock, request your desired quantity of stamp booklets
  5. Pay using a debit/credit card or cash

Only a few small downsides to note:

  • Stamp availability can be hit or miss depending on inventory
  • The standard Costco no refunds policy applies to stamp purchases
  • You cannot buy stamps online through Costco‘s website

So call ahead to confirm availability if making a special trip.

And one final tip – make sure to also price check Costco‘s discount postage mailing services for larger packages and freight too!

The Verdict: Yes, Buy Bulk Stamps at 8% Off!

In summary – as a Costco member, buying bulk quantities of Forever Stamps at my local warehouse saves me roughly 8-10% compared to USPS prices.

While the discount alone probably won‘t justify an annual membership, it‘s a nice bonus I‘ll gladly take together with Costco‘s unbeatable prices on other daily essentials.

So if you‘re currently mailing lots of letters or planning a wedding, holiday cards, etc., grab your membership card and hit the local Costco to take advantage of discounted First Class postage!

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