The major difference between consumers' cooperatives and other forms of business is that the purpose of a consumers' cooperative association is to provide quality goods and services at the lowest cost to the consumer/owners rather than to sell goods and services at the highest price above cost that the consumer is willing to pay.
Tarbijate ühistute ja muude ettevõtlusvormide peamine erinevus seisneb selles, et tarbijate ühistu eesmärk on pakkuda tarbijatele / omanikele madalaima hinnaga kvaliteetseid kaupu ja teenuseid, mitte müüa kaupu ja teenuseid kõige kõrgemate hindadega, mida tarbija on nõus maksma.