The Costco Next Shutdown Guide 2026: What Happened to the Marketplace, What Costco Has Said, and Exactly What to Do With Returns and Warranties

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Shopper organizing order emails and vendor contacts after the Costco Next shutdown

The Costco Next shutdown guide 2026 is for any member who ever bought a Caraway pan, a Travelpro suitcase, or a gadget through Costco's lesser-known online marketplace, and for anyone who is now wondering where their warranty went. Costco Next quietly disappeared around Labor Day weekend this year, and Costco has said very little about it. Today is October 22, 2026, so here is what is known, what is not, and exactly what to do if you bought something through it.

A note on sources. Costco has not explained the closure publicly, and our information comes from news reports and commentary, which disagree on some details. We say where they do.

What Costco Next Was

Costco Next was an online marketplace where members could buy products from outside vendors that Costco did not sell in its warehouses, in categories such as home goods, luggage, and electronics. Shoppers who picked an offer were sent to a storefront on the vendor's own site to complete the purchase. Reports describe discounts of up to 40 percent in one article and up to 50 percent in another, so treat "up to" as a ceiling rather than a typical price.

Reports also differ on how many vendors took part (about 80 in one, more than 60 in another) and on when it started (2016 in a quote from a Costco executive, 2017 in another article). Named vendors in the coverage included Anker Electronics, Caraway, Travelpro, and Priority Bicycles.

What Happened

The timing. Some shoppers noticed the closure on September 1, 2026, and news outlets reported it in the first week of September. Commentary says it vanished over Labor Day weekend. No exact closing date has been confirmed.
The notice. Visitors to the Costco Next page now see a message that access to Costco Next storefronts is no longer available. There was no announcement or customer notice that we could find.
The explanation. Costco has not given a reason. Fox Business reported that it reached out to Costco and did not report a response. Anything about "why" is speculation.
The sales. Before the closure, Costco's CFO said on the May 2025 earnings call that quarterly Costco Next sales equaled the platform's total sales for all of fiscal 2022. That shows the program had been growing, which is part of why the shutdown surprised people. Dollar figures were not given.

What Costco Has Said Since

On the fiscal 2026 fourth-quarter earnings call, the CFO said Costco had decided to discontinue the extended marketplace, Costco Next, and move its most popular items into the core Costco app and website. That is the clearest statement we found, and it is Costco's own. It means some of the products may reappear on Costco.com, but Costco has not said which ones, or when.

If You Bought Something Through Costco Next

This is where the shutdown matters in practice. Costco's guidance on the shutdown page is that for eligible returns and warranty questions, you should contact the vendor directly. The page also lists partner vendors and their contact details, according to one report.

Because the purchase was completed on the vendor's own site, the vendor, not Costco, usually holds your order record.

Find your order confirmation email. It usually shows the vendor, order number, and date.
Save it and screenshot the product page if the listing still exists, including the price and warranty terms.
Contact the vendor directly for returns, warranty claims, or repairs, using the contact details on the Costco Next page or the vendor's own site.
Check the return window on your confirmation. Vendor policies vary and may be shorter than Costco's.
Register the product with the manufacturer if you have not, since that can make warranty claims easier.
If a vendor does not respond, keep records of your attempts. Your credit card issuer may offer dispute options for undelivered or defective items, and you can contact Costco member services to report the problem.

Whether Costco will help with problems on Costco Next purchases is not something we could confirm, so ask member services rather than assuming.

Other Costco Perks That Have Gone Away

A house-and-home site recently listed several other discontinued Costco perks, which helps put the Costco Next closure in context. As reported there:

Extended warranty on Costco Citi cards. An automatic two-year extension on qualifying purchases ended in January 2023, according to that article. Costco's own two-year coverage on major appliances partly offsets the loss.
Photo centers. On-site photo centers closed in February 2021, and the online photo service closed in January 2023.
Unlimited electronics returns. Replaced by the 90-day electronics window in early 2007.

These are reported by one site and not from Costco, so verify anything you plan to rely on. They also show that Costco has changed perks before, with little notice.

What This Tells Members About How Costco Works

Costco runs on a short list of items and a simple promise. Anything that adds complexity, extra vendors, outside storefronts, separate return rules, tends to be a candidate for simplification, even if it was growing. That is an interpretation, not a Costco statement. It is a reminder to keep your own records for any big purchase, whether it came from a warehouse, Costco.com, or a third-party seller.

How to Protect Yourself on Any Online Purchase

Keep the order confirmation and receipt, in email and as a screenshot.
Note who actually sells and ships the item, Costco or a third party.
Read the warranty and return terms before you pay.
Register big purchases with the manufacturer.
Pay with a card that offers dispute protection.
Do not wait until the end of the return window to test a product.

Why a Costco Next Shutdown Guide 2026 Matters Even If You Never Used It

Most members never knew Costco Next existed, and that is part of the story: the marketplace was a quiet corner of the Costco universe that is now closed. For the members who did buy through it, the key point is simple. Your relationship for returns and warranty is now with the vendor, so act on that before a problem comes up.

Quick Cheat Sheet

Is Costco Next still open? No. Storefront access is no longer available.
When did it close? Around Labor Day weekend 2026. Exact date not confirmed.
Why? Costco has not said.
Returns and warranty? Contact the vendor directly.
Where are popular items going? Costco says its core app and website.
Best habit? Keep every order confirmation.

At MOJO Sales & Branding, we understand every dimension of the Costco member experience, including the changes that affect your cart.

732.433.7873 | Susan@MOJOSalesandBranding.com | www.mojosalesandbranding.com

This article is general information, not legal or consumer advice. Details come from news reports and commentary, some of which disagree, and Costco has not explained the shutdown. Confirm with Costco and the vendor before acting. We are not affiliated with Costco Wholesale.

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