Costco won’t price match, but Best Buy, Staples, JCPenney, Kohl’s, PetSmart, GNC, Dyson.com, and Tractor Supply often will on identical items
Rules: exact same model, in stock at both, price open to non-members, and you must show proof of the Costco price
The win is stacking: use Costco’s low price as your base, then add store rewards, coupons, or extra “beat the difference” promos
Costco won’t price match, but a surprising number of other retailers will quietly match the Costco price on the exact same item. With the bonus of sometimes letting you stack coupons or rewards on top of the match.
Below is a rundown of who still price matches Costco, plus specific brands and products where the overlap between the two stores is strong enough to actually make it worth your while.
Ground rules before you try to price match Costco
Most stores that match Costco follow the same playbook:
Must be an identical item – Must be exact same brand, model, size, color, count, etc. If Costco has a weird “club-only” bundle or Costco-only SKU, you’re going to be out of luck.
Price has to be available to everyone – Keep in mind that many stores won’t match “members-only” or “limited to Executive members” pricing.
Needs to be in-stock at both stores – If Costco is currently out of stock, most retailers won’t match the item until it comes back into stock.
Must show proof of lower price – Bring a current Costco ad, a photo of the in-store price tag, or pull up the item (and the lower price) on Costco.com via your phone.
Also, here’s a quick reality check you should know: Target, Walmart, Amazon, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Sam’s Club, BJ’s and Petco do NOT price match Costco anymore, even though some of them still have general price-match guarantees.
Here are the stores that will price match Costco, along with the overlapping products and brands worth considering.
Best Buy: TVs, laptops, tablets, headphones
Best Buy has one of the clearest policies: they list Costco as a qualified competitor and will match its price on identical items, in-store or online, as long as the price is available to non-members.
Overlapping brands:
You’ll find a ton of crossover between Best Buy and Costco on big-ticket electronics, including:
- TVs – Samsung, LG, Sony, Hisense 4K and OLED sets.
- Laptops & tablets – HP, Dell, Lenovo, Microsoft Surface.
- Gaming – PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch consoles and controllers.
- Headphones & speakers – Bose, Sonos, Sony, and JBL.
How to work it:
- Find a TV or laptop at Costco with a killer price.
- Pull up the product page or snap a clear photo of the price tag.
- At Best Buy, confirm the model number is the same (or very close – sometimes they’ll be flexible).
- Ask at customer service or via online chat:
“Costco has this Samsung [model #] for $XXX – can you price match it?”
If you have a good Best Buy rewards offer or credit card promo, this is how you stack Costco’s price with Best Buy perks.
Dyson.com: vacuums and hair tools
Dyson is one of the better places to get a Costco price match as Costco always sells a few of their most popular vacuum models.
They actually give you a liberal 30 days after your purchase to get the match, or you can do it at the time of purchase.
Overlapping brands/models:
- Cordless vacuums – Dyson V8, V10, V11, V12, V15 series.
- Hair tools – Dyson Airwrap, Supersonic hair dryer, Corrale straightener.
How to work it:
- Screenshot the Dyson item and price at Costco (warehouse tag or Costco.com).
- Buy from Dyson.com if you want their bundles, colorways, or financing.
- Within 30 days, contact Dyson chat or phone support and say:
“I bought [model] on Dyson.com, but Costco has it for $XXX. Can I get a price match refund?”
In the end you’ll get Costco pricing + Dyson’s warranty support and accessories.
Staples: printers, office chairs, shredders, paper
Staples has a long-running in-store price match guarantee and they include Costco among the competitors they’ll match on identical items.
Overlapping brands:
Here are the typical brands you’ll see at both Costco and Staples:
- Printers – HP, Canon, Epson
- Ink & toner – HP, Canon, Epson
- Office equipment – Fellowes shredders, some mid-tier office chairs
- Paper & supplies – reams of copy paper, Post-it, Scotch, Sharpie
How to work it:
- Find a printer or shredder at Costco with a great price.
- At Staples, show the Costco ad or page and ask for a price match.
In many cases, Staples will match the price and beat it by 10% of the difference, so if Costco is $200 and Staples is $240, you end up around $196 before coupons.
This is a solid move if you don’t have a Costco nearby, but there’s a Staples in every strip mall.
JCPenney: small kitchen appliances, luggage, home
JCPenney’s official policy says they’ll match any retailer’s in-store or online price (excluding marketplaces / auctions).
While there is very little overlap in most departments, you can definitely find the same brands at both stores when buying stuff for your kitchen, in particular.
Overlapping brands:
Look for these national brands that show up at both stores:
- Coffee & kitchen – Keurig, Ninja, Cuisinart, Hamilton Beach.
- Cookware & small appliances – air fryers, stand mixers, blenders, toaster ovens.
- Luggage & home goods – big national brands often rotate through both.
How to work it:
- Spy a Keurig or Ninja coffee maker at Costco for less than JCP’s sale price.
- Buy at JCPenney (especially during a coupon or rewards promo).
Within 14 days, if you confirm the Costco price is lower on the same model, ask JCPenney for a post-purchase price adjustment using Costco as the competitor.
If they say yes, you just combined Costco’s price + JCP coupon + JCP rewards. Winning.
Kohl’s: certain brands, in-store only
Kohl’s will price match a direct competitor’s in-store price on identical items, and that includes Costco in some cases.
But keep in mind, from personal experience, it typically needs to be an in-store Costco price and not a price you get from Costco.com.
Overlapping brands:
Kohl’s and Costco don’t overlap on everything, but watch these:
- Small appliances – Ninja and Keurig coffee makers as well as some Cuisinart items.
- Athletic apparel – Check out brands like Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour occasionally cross over, though SKUs may differ slightly.
How to work it:
- Bring a printed or clear photo of the Costco in-store tag and be ready to show model number.
- Ask customer service for a price match on that exact Ninja or Keurig model.
The win here is stacking with Kohl’s Cash and rewards, which Costco doesn’t offer.
Pro tip: It’s been my experience that Kohl’s is stricter about competitors than most. They may say no if they consider Costco a “wholesale” price under their current policy. Treat this more as a worth-a-shot and not a guaranteed play.
PetSmart: pet food and supplies
PetSmart’s price match guarantee covers identical, in-stock items from big-box, grocery, and pet specialty competitors. This list absolutely includes your local Costco.
Overlapping brands:
Costco carries a mix of Kirkland Signature pet food and some national brands like Blue Buffalo and other WSAVA-approved foods.
Look for:
- Dry dog and cat food – Blue Buffalo is your best bet but also keep an eye on other mainstream pet food brands.
- Pet treats & flea meds – This includes Frontline, Advantage, and Pet Armor. Just make sure the SKU is the same at both stores.
How to work it:
- Snap a pic of the shelf tag at Costco, or grab a screenshot of the pet food bag and price at Costco.com (be sure to include the size, flavor, and brand).
- When you’re doing your shopping at PetSmart, just grab the same bag and ask for a price match at checkout.
GNC: vitamins and protein
GNC’s price match policy states they’ll match a competitor like Costco, just so long as the item is identical and in-stock at both stores.
Overlapping brands:
- Protein powders – popular brands in common include Optimum Nutrition, Isopure, Premier Protein, and Quest Nutrition.
- Supplements / vitamins – think multivitamins, fish oil, etc. in national labels.
There isn’t a ton of overlap here, but if you see a brand you like at Costco cheaper than your local GNC, it’s worth trying. This is especially true if you can stack some GNC rewards on top of your purchase.
Tractor Supply: tools, outdoor, pet
Tractor Supply is another store that will match a Costco in-store or Costco.com price on identical items. And surprisingly, they actually have a few brands in common.
Overlapping brands:
- Outdoor power tools and accessories – Husqvarna, Scotts, Duracell, DeWalt, and Gorilla Glue.
- Pet & farm supplies – certain feed, fencing, or equipment when the brand/SKU lines up.
- Some clothing – In particular, both stores often carry Wrangler and Carhartt shirts and jackets (and sometimes jeans).
This one’s more niche, but if you live in a rural area and have a Tractor Supply down the road, using Costco pricing as leverage is worth the effort.
Quick “don’t bother” list
Based on current price-match policies, don’t expect a Costco match from the following stores:
- Amazon
- Walmart
- Sam’s Club
- BJ’s Wholesale
- Home Depot
- Lowe’s
- Office Depot
- Petco
Also, for you Target shoppers, a Costco price-match used to be in play, but no more. As of July 28, 2025, their policy changed and now they’ll only match their own prices, both online and in-store.
4 Steps to use this hack without driving yourself crazy
1. Start with Costco
The first thing I like to do when shopping for a big purchase (TV, Dyson, printer, small appliance, pet food), check Costco first and screenshot all the prices you can potentially use as ammo later.
2. Check for overlapping brands at a price-match friendly store
- Best Buy for electronics
- Staples for office gear
- JCPenney/Kohl’s for small appliances
- Dyson.com for Dyson gear
- PetSmart for pet food
3. Check the model numbers
- I’ve found that if the SKU is not identical, but darn close, it’s still worth asking. Remember that humans with “discretion” are always involved here, so you got nothing to lose by asking politely for a Costco price match.
4. Stack rewards and promos
Combine Costco’s lower price with one of these if possible:
- Best Buy/My Best Buy deals
- JCPenney/Kohl’s coupons and rewards
- Staples rewards or extra 10% off the difference
Get in the habit of treating Costco’s price as your “base” and then add store rewards on top. By doing it this way, you’ll get Costco-level pricing plus some cool perks, sometimes without ever having to flash a Costco membership card at all.