Costco low pricing secrets finally explained

Costco is an institution for those who are always on the hunt for a bargain, and now, we have some secret intel on what those Costco prices actually mean.

Costco doesn’t do clearance sections or discounted labels, all the deals are run based on a secret code, and if you don’t know what to look out for, you could miss them.

Don’t worry though, we’ve got you covered so you know what to look for.

The code has been cracked by some sleuths on X, and the meanings are as follows:

Prices ending in 9s are normal

When most Costco products hit shelves, they are listed as .99 before any clearances or discounts are applied.

“Standard pricing ends in .99, which is just the regular price that has not been marked down,” says Jessica Spangler, the influencer, author and money educator behind @ecommjess with 735,000 TikTok followers, in a popular video where she breaks down Costco’s pricing practices.

Prices ending in 7 are marked down

Most stores will strike through original costs and add a discounted price, so that you can see how much money you’re saving.

When you see a price ending in .97, basically, you should grab it while you can. This means that it’s a manager’s deal that won’t be around for long and could mean an major discount.

Prices ending in 49 or 79 are new products

Products that end in .49 or .79 are usually manufacturer’s special deals that signify that a product is newer and could be in a trial run phase. This means that the next time you see this product on shelves, it will be at a higher cost.

Prices ending in 0 are the biggest discounts

When a price ends in .00, this is the lowest it is going to get. This is usually seen on non-seasonal items that are nearly out of stock or about to be discontinued.

Basically, it means that the manager wants these items off the shelves as soon as possible.

Prices with an asterisk are discontinued

If you see an item with an * beside the price, it means that this item has already been discontinued, and again, the store wants rid of them. The price can end in any number, but if you see something with an asterisk beside it, the likelihood is that you won’t see it on shelves again.

Pro tip: Check the date on the label

You may need a magnifying glass for this, because the date will be tiny. However, some people on social media swear that this date could indicate that an item is due for a markdown.

Costco often changes their prices to keep customers interested, so if the date on the label is a few weeks old, it could mean that you’re better holding off for a few days as the price could be discounted soon.

While you’re at Costco, it would be rude not to visit the food court and grab this secret menu item that’s been hiding in plain sight.