Costco’s Golden Opportunity: How the Retail Giant Became a Haven for Gold Investors

CryptoGlobe · 2024-04-05T10:23:02.000Z

Costco, the well-known warehouse retailer, has apparently become a go-to destination for Americans looking to invest in gold bars, according to an article published by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The retail giant began offering gold bars online and in select stores last year, and the response has been overwhelming. Costco has reported selling out of the precious metal within hours of restocking, as consumers seek a safe haven for their money amidst economic uncertainty and fears of inflation, as reported by the WSJ. The demand for gold among Costco shoppers is driven by a variety of factors, as per the WSJ article. Many buyers, particularly millennials, view gold as a hedge against potential catastrophes, such as natural disasters, wars, and financial calamities. The COVID-19 pandemic, along with ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, has heightened these concerns, leading more people to seek out tangible assets like gold, claims the WSJ report. The WSJ article also mentions that inflation in the U.S. has also played a significant role in the surge of gold purchases at Costco. Some customers have expressed eroding trust in the U.S. dollar due to inflation. As a result, they have increased their investments in physical silver and gold to diversify their portfolios, which also include traditional assets like 401(k)s, stocks, and cryptocurrencies. Interestingly, millennials are more optimistic about the benefits of gold compared to older generations, as per the WSJ, which cites research by financial services company State Street revealing that the average millennial allocates 17% of their investments to gold, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), while Gen X and baby boomers allocate only 10% of their portfolios to the precious metal. This trend is likely influenced by a combination of economic uncertainty and a growing distrust in the financial system, particularly after a series of bank failures in 2023. Costco’s decision to offer gold bars has made it easier for consumers to invest in the precious metal. Despite per-customer limits, many gold buyers have reported that Costco’s prices are lower than those offered by other retailers. In 2023, the warehouse retailer sold an impressive $100 million in gold bars and later expanded its inventory to include silver coins. These precious metal sales contributed to an 18% year-over-year growth in e-commerce sales for Costco during its most recent quarter, as per the WSJ article. While gold has historically performed better during economic downturns, its rise in popularity among Costco shoppers is notable given the continued growth of the economy and cooling inflation in 2023, according to the WSJ. On Thursday, the gold price hit a new all-time high of $2,305.65 an ounce. At the time of writing (10:05 a.m. UTC on April 5), gold is trading at $2,292.61, essentially flat on the day. Featured Image via Pixabay

據《華爾街日報》發表的一篇文章稱，著名的倉儲零售商 Costco 顯然已成爲美國人投資金條的首選目的地。這家零售巨頭去年開始在網上和部分門店銷售金條，反響熱烈。據《華爾街日報》報道，Costco 報告稱，由於消費者在經濟不確定性和通脹擔憂中尋求資金的安全避風港，這種貴金屬在補貨數小時內就已售罄。
根據《華爾街日報》報道，Costco 購物者對黃金的需求受到多種因素的推動。許多買家，尤其是千禧世代，將黃金視為對沖自然災害、戰爭和金融災難等潛在災難的對沖工具。 《華爾街日報》的報告稱，COVID-19 大流行以及烏克蘭和中東持續不斷的衝突加劇了這些擔憂，導致更多人尋求黃金等有形資產。
《華爾街日報》的文章也提到，美國的通貨膨脹也對 Costco 黃金購買量的激增起到了重要作用。一些客戶表示，由於通貨膨脹，他們對美元的信任度下降。因此，他們增加了對實體白銀和黃金的投資，以實現投資組合多元化，其中還包括 401(k) 計劃、股票和加密貨幣等傳統資產。
有趣的是，與老一輩相比，千禧世代對黃金的好處更加樂觀，《華爾街日報》引述金融服務公司道富銀行的研究顯示，千禧世代平均將17% 的投資分配給黃金，包括交易所交易基金 ( ETF），而 X 世代和嬰兒潮世代僅將其投資組合的 10% 配置為貴金屬。這一趨勢可能受到經濟不確定性和對金融體係日益增長的不信任的綜合影響，特別是在 2023 年發生一系列銀行倒閉之後。
Costco 提供金條的決定讓消費者更容易投資貴金屬。儘管對每位顧客有限制，但許多黃金買家表示，好市多的價格低於其他零售商提供的價格。 2023 年，這家倉儲零售商售出了價值 1 億美元的金條，後來又擴大了庫存，納入了銀幣。根據《華爾街日報》報道，這些貴金屬銷售推動 Costco 最近一個季度的電子商務銷售額年增 18%。
根據《華爾街日報》報道，雖然歷史上黃金在經濟低迷時期表現較好，但考慮到 2023 年經濟持續增長和通膨降溫，黃金在 Costco 購物者中受歡迎程度的上升值得注意。
週四，金價觸及每盎司 2,305.65 美元的歷史新高。截至本文撰寫時（世界標準時間 4 月 5 日上午 10:05），黃金交易價格為 2,292.61 美元，與當天基本持平。
精選圖片來自Pixabay

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