Costco Next might just be the best Costco member perk you've never heard of -- plus, it could potentially save you hundreds of dollars.

Costco Next is a shopping portal for Costco members with discounts for a bunch of popular retailers. You click on special links through your Costco account that take you to dedicated Costco Next pages at each retailer, where you can shop for a lot of their products at steep discounts.

If you're ready to give Costco Next a try, I encourage you to check it out. But first, here are a few tips to help you make the most of it.

1. Compare prices at a few places

Deals and discounts are a big way of how we save money at Costco. Costco Next keeps that reputation intact. I found some awesome discounts while I was browsing through Costco Next. Most products were at least 20% off the regular prices on the retailer's public websites. I even spotted some deals up to 40% off.

All that said, there is no guarantee that the price will be cheaper. You still need to do your due diligence by checking for lower prices at a few other retailers or websites. (I like to compare prices on the brand's own website, Sam's Club, Amazon, and Walmart, at least.)

2. Read the retailer's return policy

You need an active Costco membership and to log into your Costco account to use Costco Next. That's where Costco's involvement ends.

All of the customer service is handled by the retailer, not Costco. If you have a problem with something, you need to contact the retailer directly.

And yes, this goes for returns, too. Costco's famously generous return policy won't apply to your Costco Next purchases. This means you'll need to read each retailer's return policy to be sure you know your return options.

3. Explore niche and new brands

Some of the brands you'll find through the Costco Next portal are large and well-known, while others seem to be smaller or more niche. In either case, all of the retailers I checked out were selling goods that I doubt anyone would call "discount."

In other words, Costco Next could be a great excuse to try out some normally pricey products from smaller brands that you wouldn't typically splurge on. The deep discounts make it more reasonable to take a little risk on an unknown brand that may turn out to be your new favorite.

4. Choose your best rewards card

This may just be my inner credit card nerd, but a big perk of Costco Next is that Costco's credit card rules don't apply. Normally, shopping in a Costco store means using a Visa credit card. And shopping online means using a Visa or Mastercard credit card.

Not with Costco Next. Since you're actually shopping through the retailer's website, rather than through Costco, you can use any credit card the retailer accepts -- which usually means any credit card you want, since other retailers aren't so stubborn about payment methods.

This means I can choose the best card for my purchase each time. If I'm working on a welcome bonus, I can use that card. If not, I can pick the rewards card with the best rate for that specific retailer. It's a maximizer's ideal situation.

Lots of money-saving potential

The quality of deals I found through Costco Next shows there is a ton of savings potential in this hidden gem. Ideally, these tips can help you explore this quirky perk and find some great deals.

Top credit card to use at Costco (and everywhere else!)

If you’re shopping with a debit card, you could be missing out on hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year. These versatile credit cards offer huge rewards everywhere, including Costco, and are rated the best cards of 2024 by our experts because they offer hefty sign-up bonuses and outstanding cash rewards. Plus, you’ll save on credit card interest because all of these recommendations include a competitive 0% interest period.

Click here to read our expert recommendations for free!

We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Brittney Myers has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

4 Tips for Making the Most of Costco Next was originally published by The Motley Fool