1. Costco
The warehouse retailer claims to be doing a brisk business selling gold bars online. Costco members can buy 1-ounce gold PAMP Suisse Lady Fortuna Veriscan bars via the Costco website. The gold bars are not eligible for returns or refunds.
Because of the strong demand, the company is now limiting sales to one gold bar per member transaction (it had been two until recently). An October 2024 Bloomberg survey of more than 100 Costco stores in 46 states found that 77 percent had depleted stocks of gold bars, even those that had recently replenished supplies. Wall Street firm Wells Fargo estimated in April 2024 that revenue from gold sales was running at $100 million to $200 million a month for Costco.
Coming off the success of its gold bars, the warehouse club operator has added silver coins and platinum to its lineup. Shoppers can buy 1-ounce platinum bars and 1-ounce silver and platinum coins online. Supplies are limited, and purchases are nonrefundable. Costco limits it to one transaction per membership with a maximum of five units.
Costco doesn’t make much of a profit from gold bars, using them mainly to boost membership. As a result, consumers can get a good deal, says Rose. But if you want to diversify your portfolio with gold bars, he adds, Costco’s restrictions on sales can be limiting.
2. Walmart
The national retailer sells a variety of gold bars, coins and other precious metals via its Precious Metals shop online. Walmart has been doing this for some time, initially partnering with APMEX, one of the nation’s largest sellers of gold and silver, and later adding several other resellers to its precious metals marketplace. There are no membership requirements to purchase the gold bars online.
3. Amazon
For consumers who want to dabble in bullion on a limited budget, Amazon.com sells grams, gold coins and gold bar jewelry. If you are a Prime member, shipping is free. Amazon allows returns and refunds for gold purchases.
How to store your gold
Flush with your gold bars? Now comes the tricky part: where to store them. Rose says there is no hard and fast rule, and the amount you have will dictate where you keep them.
“Everyone has a different mindset,” he says. “Some people put them under their mattress or in a floor safe, others in a safety deposit.” If you are amassing a small fortune or don’t feel comfortable storing your gold at home, there are licensed storage facilities that specialize in that.
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