Is Costco cheaper than Amazon?

While some Costco (NASDAQ:COST

The same can be said of Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN80 million Prime Members

One of the two companies does actually offer better prices, according to two recent reports. The difference may not be enough to get devoted fans of the second-place retailer to switch, but it's a surprisingly decisive win.

Which retailer is cheaper?

BMO Capital Markets analysts Kelly Bania and David Lantz recently completed a price study comparing shopping in-store at Costco, Costco.com, and Amazon, Barron's

That matches the results of a similar study done by SFGate.com

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"The bottom line? Costco is cheaper nearly across the board (but not by a ton)." The results from SFGate concluded that buying the staple items at Amazon would set you back $329.43, whereas the same purchase at Costco would be $313.14.  

It's not just about which is cheaper

Amazon and Costco have a lot of overlap in membersGfKeMarketer

That backs up an October report from Morgan Stanleycovered by The Seattle Times

"Members of both Costco and Prime have not and generally do not intend to spend more with one retailer/e-tailer at the expense of the other," according to the report, which noted brand loyalty being a boon to both.

Still, Costco is cheaper

While Costco and Amazon do not generally threaten each other's business, the warehouse club does have a clear edge in pricing, at least when it comes to staples. That's an advantage the chain has been working to press as it has been exploring ways to make it easier for consumers to pop into its stores.

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Of course, Amazon sells tens of millions more items than Costco does. That protects its value to consumers who can justify paying for memberships to both, in order to save money.

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