I hate shopping, but I love shopping at Costco. I’ve been a Costco member for 20 years. My favorite reason to shop there is not just the low prices or the rewards on Costco credit cards or the $1.50 hot dog combos. My favorite reason to shop at Costco is something special and complex that has to be there for any long-term relationship: trust.

That’s right: I have a high level of trust in Costco. I trust Costco to be my outsourced concierge and “personal shopper.” I trust Costco to give me great deals on everyday items and tantalizing treasure hunts for things I didn’t know I needed. I trust Costco to help me find pants that look good on me.

Yes, Costco helps me save money. But more importantly, Costco also helps me save time, stress, and frustration — and as a busy middle-aged person, a parent, and a small business owner, time is a valuable commodity.

Let’s look at a few ways that Costco helps build trust.

Costco is my “shopping buddy”

I generally don’t love shopping. I hate standing in line at checkouts, I don’t know how to find items on shelves, and I don’t love bargain-hunting or doing product research. I’m not going to spend eight hours of my precious weekend driving all over town to four different jam-packed big-box stores just so I can save $5, or even $50, or maybe even $500. I’m busy! Time is money!

Costco is like my “cool friend” who goes to the store with me and helps me get my life sorted out. Costco helps me save time by outsourcing my shopping decisions in so many ways:

• “Is this brand of hummus good? I haven’t tried it yet, but I trust Costco.”

• “Is this deal on tires the absolute best in town? Maybe not, but I trust Costco.”

• “I need a pair of water-resistant hiking pants for a trip to Europe next week — I’ll buy a pair from Costco online.”

With Costco, I don’t have to think about all this stuff. I don’t have to agonize over every decision. I trust Costco to give me good deals and find me good stuff. Costco simplifies my life as a consumer. 

Costco can be your “everything store”

Costco is not just a place to buy groceries in bulk. It can provide almost everything you need for so many aspects of life — from appliances to furniture to pharmaceuticals. I get my eye exams and annual vaccinations at Costco; if I could get all of my healthcare done at Costco, I would. I’d probably save a lot of money.

Here are a few of the wildly different categories of things I’ve bought at Costco in the past 20 years:

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You can even use Costco to get a discount when buying a car, or use Costco Travel to book your next vacation. I haven’t tried Costco Travel yet, but I would like to — I trust Costco to help me have a great experience, even in another country or a different way of traveling I haven’t tried before, like an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean.

Costco can help you be more adventurous. You don’t have to research all the details of every purchase yourself, because Costco does it for you. You can just show up, swipe your credit card, and get on with your life, feeling confident that you made a good choice.

Costco has a generous warranty and return policy

Another reason why I trust Costco so much to be my “cool friend” and shopping buddy: Costco backs up its products with a generous return policy. With few exceptions, you can return almost anything to Costco. And for electronics and laptops, you typically get a two-year extended warranty and great Costco tech support.

I usually have no issues with anything I buy at Costco. But knowing that Costco has my back in case something goes wrong with a purchase helps build even more trust, and gives me more confidence in the Costco shopping experience.

Bottom line

My favorite reasons to shop at Costco are psychological: trust, confidence, and safety. Instead of wondering if I made the right choice or worrying if I got a good deal, Costco helps me feel well-supported.

The further I get into life, the less time I want to spend shopping, and the more time I want to spend living. Costco helps me save time and get my life back — while filling my home with great stuff and cheap rotisserie chicken.

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My Favorite Reason to Shop at Costco Has Nothing to Do With the Deals was originally published by The Motley Fool