Costco’s Low Hearing Aid Prices Explained
Costco has become an affordable hearing aid destination of choice, and their sites, in the warehouse and online, see them offer devices of the highest caliber at only a fraction of the cost against those charged by conventional hearing care providers. But really, why are Costco hearing aids very cheap? Below, we examine the cost of hearing aids and the reasons that Costco hearing aids offer affordable prices to many people suffering from hearing loss.
Purchasing Power
Costco’s Advantage: That of significant volume and bulk buying by Costco; they negotiate with manufacturers the lowest costs available contingent upon the number of hearing aids bought.
Result: It is this low-cost strategy that allows Costco to retail hearing aids at an extremely competitive price compared to small independent hearing aid retailers.
Fewer Services
Costco’s Advantage: Costco’s services regarding a hearing aid are limited in scope and more focused on the main aspects of fitting a device and programming it.
Result: Keeping fewer services and more specialized care reduces the overhead costs that subsequently show themselves in the lower pricing of hearing aids at Costco.
Non-Commissioned Sales
Costco’s Advantage: Contrary to many classical sales outlets of hearing aids, Costco is not based on a commission sales model.
Result: This moves away any added incentives, either in the upselling of models or offering more expensive aids, and keeps the pricing honest and open for users at Costco.
Membership Model
Costco’s Advantage: Membership must be purchased at Costco in order to obtain its products and services.
Result: While for the customer who is not already a member, this adds to upfront costs, the membership fees ensure that Costco earns money and thus will be able to maintain low pricing for their products.
While Costco has done a great job of making hearing device prices more accessible to people with lower budgets, the membership requirements may be a turn-off and the prices may still be on the pricier side for some. For those looking for hearing aid stores without these barriers to entry, Bossa Hearing Aid has the most affordable prices on the market because of the company’s streamlined manufacturing process.