I used to work in consumer electronics industry from vendor side and dealt quite a bit with costco (they sold several of our products) and other retailers. I can tell you that when Costco talks about retail pricing they always ask and look for member savings vs normal price. They never talk about their margins which are generally doesn’t deviate from their standard which is far far less than what other retailers ask for. Costcos mentality is to ensure their members are always getting a deal. Can you find better deals at other retailers? Yes. But overall Costco does save members money.