Should You Buy a Christmas Tree at Costco?

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SolStock / Getty Images
SolStock / Getty Images

If you are one of the more than 50 million people in the world with a Costco membership, you’re probably getting ready to purchase a lot of your holiday essentials at the warehouse. However, should a Christmas tree be on your list? The average artificial Christmas tree costs $104, while a live one costs $78 on average. If you’re looking to purchase an artificial tree so it lasts for years to come, you might think Costco would have some that come in under the average price. GOBankingRates checked out Costco’s Christmas trees to determine if they’re really a good buy.

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Good News: Costco Trees are Cheaper Than Last Year

Due to supply chain issues in 2021, Costco received some of its artificial trees after Christmas. Because of the surplus of trees the warehouse has this year, the price of Christmas trees is less than it was last year. So, it’s like you’re already getting a deal, at least in comparison with last year. In a time where costs are rising due to inflation, it’s good to take advantage of the few cases where items are actually cheaper.

What Is the Cheapest Option for a Tree at Costco?

If you’re looking for the most economical option, it’s a 4-foot-tall pre-lit tree. It usually sells for $99.99, but right now, it’s on sale for $79.99. That’s much cheaper than the average price of an artificial tree, and almost as inexpensive as a live tree. Just because it’s the cheapest option doesn’t mean it’s lacking. The 4 foot stunner has 240 LED lights with five different lighting functions easily controlled by a foot pedal to set a multitude of holiday moods. It also comes with a locking metal tree stand that will keep your tree sturdy and in place wherever you place it in your home. The tree also has Simple Shape technology, which helps it spring into place easier than other trees, so you don’t have to spend a long time spreading out the branches.

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What Is the Most Expensive Christmas Tree at Costco?

After seeing the cheapest option at Costco, maybe you’re interested in something fancier. You might want to rethink that, as Costco’s most expensive tree is $1,499.97. This tree is 15 ft. tall, has 6,000 LED lights, 5 lighting functions, and a remote control to change the lights. Though it might seem like a lot to pay for a tree, the reviews are glowing. Many say that it looks just like a real tree, and that you do not have to fluff the branches to get it to look its best. If you’re looking to really wow during your Christmas celebrations, this is the tree for you.

How Much Is the Cheapest Tree at Other Stores?

To compare prices, we took a look at other retailers to see how Costco compared. At Target, you can get a variety of trees for under 4 feet tall, if you have a small space. Those start at around $15. For a four-foot-tall tree, the starting cost is $37.99. That tree comes with 90 pre-programmed lights, and a remote to control them. Reviews say it’s easy to put together. However, this is much fewer lights than the Costco 4-foot tree.

Like Target, Walmart has many small trees under 4 feet if you’d like to display those in your home. Those start at around just $10. Walmart’s cheapest tree that’s 4 feet tall is $30. It comes with 105 lights, which is more than Target, but still less than Costco. It also comes in four varieties: green with white lights, green with colored lights, white with white lights, and white with colored lights.

On Amazon, you can find many trees under 4 feet tall, but your cheapest one for 4 feet is $39.99. It doesn’t come with any lights and looks to have fewer branches to fill it out than the other trees on the list.

Final Verdict

So, should you buy your Christmas tree at Costco? If you’re looking for affordability, there are cheaper options at other stores. However, if you’d like to create a little bit more ambiance, it’s worth investing in the Costco options. They provide more lights per tree. Any of the stores in this article offer trees for cheaper than the national average, so you’ll be saving no matter where you go.

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