I feel like Kevin Kelly is reading my mind when he writes about Costco:
Costco has become my personal shopper. I do some research, then I buy what they sell. Like all discount chains they have professionals working full time looking for deals/quality. But what I like about Costco is their niche — which is my niche. They consistently find a bargain in the ‘highest common denominator’ bracket. What they seem to aim for, and what I am happy with, is the highest quality common quality. Not the very best, not the cheapest, and not mediocre either, but a good brand-name bargain in the high middle. They consistently deliver a great price on a very popular and competent item. It’s neither optimization (the top model with the most features), nor is it minimization (cheapest per feature) nor plain thriftiness. Rather Costco aims for some sort of consumer satisficing, to use Herb Simon’s term: a high quality that is just good enough, but at a low-end price.They make shopping easy by eleminating the tyranny of non-essential choice. You don’t have to waste cycles trying to scrutinize similar models or brands. They do that for you: ‘here’s the good enough one you need’ they say. The typical Wal-Mart store will have 80,000 unique stock items; the typical Costco will have only 3,500.
Right now I shop there almost weekly.