Costco
Membership-based warehouse retailer's e-commerce site.
Costco at a glance
Costco is an e-commerce website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #78 in the country. It was founded in 1983 by James Sinegal, Jeffrey Brotman and is headquartered in Issaquah, Washington, United States. Today Costco is owned by Costco Wholesale Corporation. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 150 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through membership fees, e-commerce sales, advertising. Its closest rivals include samsclub.com, walmart.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 141 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 146 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 150 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 159 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct48%
App-first shopping habit
- Organic search31%
- Paid search11%
- Social6%
- Referral & email4%
Audience & demographics
- Women54%
- Men46%
- Age 25-3430%
- Age 18-2423%
- Age 35-4422%
The audience is concentrated in United States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 45 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| costco | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| online shopping | Top 10 | High | — |
| discount codes | Top 10 | High | — |
| free delivery | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the United States web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 76% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading e-commerce apps in United States
Company information
- Website
- costco.com
- Sector
- E-commerce
- Owner
- Costco Wholesale Corporation
- Owner type
- Public company
- Founders
- James Sinegal, Jeffrey Brotman
- Founded
- 1983
- Headquarters
- Issaquah, Washington, United States
- Employees
- 330,000+
- Ownership
- Costco Wholesale Corporation controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $250B annual revenue
- Languages
- English, Spanish
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, paid search
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $250B annual revenue
- Ownership
- Public company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Costco operates an online retail and marketplace platform focused on United States. Membership-based warehouse retailer's e-commerce site. Revenue comes mainly from membership fees, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Membership fees
- E-commerce sales
- Advertising
Products & services
Related deals on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate, Global Site Index earns from qualifying purchases.
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #78 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading e-commerce site in United States
- Global rank
- 330
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| samsclub.com | ≈ 90 million / month | #79 class competitor | — |
| walmart.com | ≈ 67.5 million / month | #80 class competitor | — |
What is Costco?
Costco (costco.com) is an online retail and marketplace platform serving users in United States. Membership-based warehouse retailer's e-commerce site. It ranks #78 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the e-commerce category.
Who owns Costco?
The site is operated by Costco Wholesale Corporation, founded by James Sinegal, Jeffrey Brotman. The company was established in 1983 and is headquartered in Issaquah, Washington, United States. It employs around 330,000+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Costco at roughly 150 million visits per month, about 5 million per day. Around 76% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 7.4 pages per visit with an average session of 6 min.
How Costco makes money
Revenue comes primarily from membership fees, alongside e-commerce sales, advertising.
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include samsclub.com, walmart.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1983
Costco is founded in Issaquah, Washington, United States.
- Growth phase
Expands its e-commerce offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #78 among the most visited websites in United States.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Wide product assortment with competitive local pricing
- Established delivery and returns network
- Local payment methods and installment options
- Mature seller tools and campaign calendar
Cons
- Product quality varies between third-party sellers
- Returns and disputes can take time on marketplace orders
- Commissions and ad costs pressure smaller sellers
- International shipping coverage is limited
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Costco?
Costco is operated by Costco Wholesale Corporation. Public company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Costco headquartered?
Costco is headquartered in Issaquah, Washington, United States.
When was Costco founded?
Costco was founded in 1983 by James Sinegal, Jeffrey Brotman.
How many employees does Costco have?
Costco employs approximately 330,000+ people.
What is Costco's revenue?
Costco's revenue: ≈ $250B annual revenue.
Who are Costco's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include samsclub.com, walmart.com.
How does Costco make money?
Mainly membership fees, e-commerce sales, advertising.
Is Costco publicly traded?
Costco's ownership: Public company.
How many visitors does Costco get?
Third-party estimates place Costco at roughly 150 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 76% mobile traffic.
Is Costco safe?
Costco is an established e-commerce site founded in 1983 and ranked #78 in United States; use the official domain costco.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementscostco.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos