7 Costco Price Tag Secrets Every Savvy Shopper Needs to Know
Most of us glance at food price tags just to check the price, not really paying attention to the many codes and symbols on the tags—but those numbers actually have meanings that are useful to know. The information on those price tags lets you know if something has been marked down, is on sale, is on a manager's special, and will not be restocked once it's sold out. Costco experts have cracked the code on these labels and are sharing their insider knowledge with members who want to use this info to change the way they shop. Here are 7 price tag secrets every Costco member should know.
Regular Pricing Ends In 9
If the price ends in a 9, it's a full-priced item, experts say. "It could end in .79, .89, or .29. It doesn't matter — if it ends in a nine, it's a regular price," Marie Clark, editor of CostContessa, tells The Kitchn. "It will generally be below retail price because Costco negotiates embedded discounts in its products, but for Costco it's a full-priced item." This means it has not been marked down.
Sales End In .97
Items that are priced with .97 at the end are on sale, according to Jessica Spangler from the ecommjess Instagram account. "So if you see this, you can consider it clearance. Pro tip: The date it was last marked down is in tiny print at the bottom right hand corner," Spangler says. "So if it's been a while, they might mark it down again.
Pricing Ending In .39, .49, Is a Special Deal
Spangler says anything that ends in .39, .49, .79 and so on is typically a special deal from the manufacturer on brand name products (for example, the Starbucks bacon and gruyere egg bites, which Kirkland now has an exact dupe of). This includes Mobile, Panera, etc.
An Asterisk Means It's Not Permanent
Everyone knows the pain of items you like suddenly being yanked from shelves, never to be seen again, but there are very specific warning signs to look out for. "If you see an asterisk, the item won't be restocked, so if it's something you like, grab it now before it goes away," Spangler says. That's why that asterisk is known as the "death star" amongst Costco employees and customers in the know.
Green Tag Means Organic
If you're looking for organic goods in Costco, they (mostly) have a green tag while regular stuff has a white tag. "Not 100 percent of Costco's organic stuff gets flagged as organic," Clark says. "But they do try, and most of the organic items will have a green tag," she says.
007 Means On Sale
No, it's not a spy code—unless Costco managers consider it a license to save. "If you see an item marked down and its price ends in .97 or in an even .00 (say, $5.00), then you know it's on clearance," Clark says. "You tend to see the .00 price tags on clothing." If you see .88 on a price tag, that means it's a manager markdown, usually for floor models or slightly damaged items that are still able to sell.
Markdown But No Asterisk
If there is a markdown in the bottom right hand corner of the price tag but no asterisk, it means the item could be marked down again soon, so keep checking. As mentioned above, once the asterisk in on the tag, it's time is limited, even if it's already been marked down.
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