Related video: First look inside Auckland's new Costco. Credits: Image – Instagram/Costco; Video – Newshub.
The wait is almost over for the highly anticipated retail giant Costco.
Kiwi members of the US-based department store will be able to get their hands on wholesale-priced items from September 28 at the first New Zealand store in Westgate, Auckland, according to Costco’s website.
The store sells a wide range of goods including food and grocery items, clothing, electronics, furniture and more.
It will also have warehouse services which include a food court, pharmacy, optometrist, audiologists, tire service centre and a petrol station that already opened in April.
The $100 million store was initially planned to open in mid-August but shipping, weather and COVID-19-related delays kept the doors shut an extra month.
Earlier this year, thousands of Kiwis queued up for the $60 annual membership that gives access to what is described as a department store inside a hardware store.
The store, which is famous for its bulk groceries, is likely to experience another flock of eager New Zealanders on opening day, with a Cosco NZ fan page on Facebook boosting over 75,000 members.
The appeal to Costco is that is meant to have lower prices than traditional supermarkets, with research showing the club store prices can be 22.5 percent lower.
This is largely due to Costco buying in bulk, allowing the store to pass its savings down to customers.
However, the shopping experience also encourages consumers to bulk-buy, with packaging sizes often a lot larger than traditional supermarkets – meaning fewer trips to the shops.
If Costco is successful in Auckland, there could be more of them appearing across the country.
Costco Australia and New Zealand’s managing director Patrick Noone told AM in April he has his sights set on Christchurch and Wellington.
"If we do really well here we will roll them out quicker. Within a year or two, I would think if everything goes well."