You might proudly flash your Costco membership card, fill up on free samples, then buy so many bulk goods that it takes hours to Tetris them into your pantry.
Those are standard Costco shopper moves. Today, you’re going to learn how to become a Costco pro.
From understanding the secret language of the price tags to learning unexpected Costco product offerings, I’ll give you all the tools you need to upgrade your shopping experience. It’s time to stop aimlessly wandering the isles and start being more strategic during your warehouse trips.
How to Make the Most Out of Your Costco Membership
Think you know everything there is to know about Costco? Think again!
Adopting even just a few of these tips and tricks can upgrade your Costco trips to a whole new level—and, most importantly, generate even more savings out of your Costco membership.
Here’s what to look for, pay attention to, and do differently when you shop at Costco.
1. Use Costco for Your Gift Card Needs
Retailers typically sell gift cards at face value. If you go into Target and buy your brother a $100 gift card to Domino’s, expect that purchase to cost you $100.
However, Costco frequently offers discounted gift card deals. For instance: Rather than forking over $100 for that Domino’s gift card, you could get four Domino’s $25 eGift Cards ($100 value) from Costco’s website for only $74.99!
Note that gift card deals change over time, so you’ll want to snatch your favorites fast. A tiny sample of some of the gift card offers I saw while writing this article include:
- 1 $50 Regal Cinemas eGift Card for $39.99
- 4 $25 Nintendo eShop eGift Cards for $89.99
- 2 $50 Dave & Busters eGift Cards for $79.99
- 2 $50 Spafinder eGift Cards for $79.99
- 4 $25 Chuck E. Cheese eGift Cards for $74.99
If you give out a lot of gift cards during the holiday season, buying them all from Costco could save you a substantial amount of money.
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2. Download the Costco App
I know, I know. I’m also annoyed at how every store, restaurant, and experiential business forces you to download an app these days. But some apps are better than others, and the free Costco app is among the ones that are actually worth dealing with.
Some of the useful app features include (but aren’t limited to):
- Receipts (both for in-warehouse and online purchases)
- Mobile payment
- Digital membership card
- Viewing current promotions
- Refilling prescriptions with the pharmacy
- Viewing current gas prices at your local warehouse
- Creating shopping lists
- Finding travel deals
- Checking gift card balances
- Printing and ordering photos
- Grocery delivery
- Learning about special events
On Apple’s App Store, the Costco app enjoys an average star rating of 4.9 out of a possible 5.0 across more than a million ratings.
3. Stock Up on Kirkland Signature Products
Store-brand products are often a trade-off: You’ll save money, but you’ll get a lower-quality product.
But a few store brands have risen above that reputation, delivering a high-quality product at a reasonable price—and that includes Costco’s white-label behemoth: Kirkland Signature.
You do not want to miss out on the highest-rated Kirkland Signature products. Not only are Kirkland Signature items affordable, but fans insist some of the products—spanning a variety of categories, including groceries, personal care, household goods, even pet products—boast better quality than their name-brand counterparts.
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4. Fill Up Your Gas Tank at Costco
Costco is able to charge low prices in part because of their membership business model. Costco’s memberships make up only about 2% of revenues … but it costs Costco virtually nothing to simply provide those memberships, so they end up accounting for the majority of the company’s profits, and gives the retailer room to absorb thinner margins on everything else.
Among the biggest selling points of those memberships are the low gas prices. Members can typically expect to save between 5¢ and 25¢ per gallon.
You can check the current gas prices at nearby warehouses on the Costco app to see ahead of time how it compares to competitors. Even if the prices near you are similar to Costco’s prices, you’re likely going to Costco anyways, so why drive out of your way for little to no savings?
Also worth noting: Costco uses long hoses that allow you to fill your car’s tank regardless of which side your tank is on, meaning you can always choose the shortest line.
5. Pay Attention to Asterisks
Some price signs at Costco will display an asterisk (the star-like symbol) in one of the top corners. This usually indicates the item won’t be restocked once it’s sold out. So, if one of your favorite items has an asterisk on the sign, you might want to buy it in bulk because it might not be there next time.
However, while these items might be discontinued, it might only be on a temporary basis. For example, seasonal items may simply return around the same time next year. And in some cases, the item might not be restocked in the physical store but can still be found online.
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6. Watch for Prices NOT Ending in .99
At Costco, prices commonly end in .99. However, when you see prices ending in different decimals, there’s likely a secret meaning behind it.
For instance, prices that end in .97 indicate a store manager deal: pricing that’s exclusive to the store you’re in and that will only be offered for a limited time. If this is one of your favorite items, you might want to stock up! Alternatively, this is a great opportunity to try something new.
Prices that end in .00 typically mean the item is low in stock and possibly won’t be restocked. These are generally priced to sell. Price tags ending with a 9, but that don’t end in .99, are a bit more mysterious. Some sources say these indicate manufacturer markdowns, while others say it means the items are seasonal or stocked at Costco on a rotating basis.
7. Check out the Food Court
Despite soaring inflation and shrinkflation, Costco has refused to raise the price of its legendary $1.50 hot dog combo meal (though it did change the soda from Pepsi to Coca-Cola in 2025).
These hot dogs have such devoted fans that, for some people, hot dogs are among the first thoughts that come to mind when someone brings up Costco.
But what if you, like me, don’t eat hot dogs?
Costco’s food court still has something for you. It offers a variety of affordable sweet and savory foods, from pizza to ice cream sundaes to the iconic ‘chicken bake.’ If you’re just thirsty, fountain drinks are refillable, and (as of the time of this writing) bottled water costs a mere quarter.
Whether you want to eat before you shop to combat hungry impulse buys or grab yourself a little treat after shopping as a reward for traversing the large warehouse, the food court is highly convenient.
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8. Consider CostcoGrocery
I’ve listed plenty of benefits to in-person Costco visits, such as getting gas and hitting up the food court. But using CostcoGrocery—Costco’s online grocery delivery service—has its advantages, too.
For one, you can place an order any time of day, so night owls can put orders in long after their local warehouse has closed. Many people also find ordering online to make meal planning easier; you can see all your ingredients in one place to ensure nothing is forgotten.
Same-day delivery is available for orders totaling at least $35, for a free. There’s no minimum order for two-day delivery, and you can get free two-day delivery if your order is more than $75. However, no matter how long your delivery takes, you’re paying for the convenience—regardless of whether a delivery fee is added to your order, the items you buy online will be priced higher than they are in-store.
From a financial standpoint, it usually makes more sense to take trips to the warehouse. But if you’re sick or unusually busy, the occasional CostcoGrocery delivery might be worth the inflated prices.
9. Use (Don’t Abuse) the 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
Costco offers a ‘risk-free 100% satisfaction guarantee’ for most types of products. The return policy doesn’t state an official time limit for returning items and receiving a refund; it simply says that for merchandise, ‘We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell, and will return your purchase price,’ though an asterisk notes that limitations apply. If you buy a sweatshirt, later realize you grabbed the wrong size, and try to return it six months later, Costco still might give you a full refund.
That being said, don’t be the person who ruins this generous return policy for everyone else.
I once saw a Reddit thread asking if they could return a toaster to Costco that they bought five years ago. Could they return it for a refund? Possibly. Should they? Absolutely not. There’s a difference between an item being defective and having normal wear and tear over the years.
There are exceptions to the generous return policy. The following types of items are non-refundable:
- Cigarettes and alcohol
- Gift card and ticket items
- Special order kiosk and custom installed programs
- Shop cards
- Airline and live performance event items
- Precious metals
Some products are refundable, but have limitations, such as:
- Electronics returns are only accepted within 90 days
- Diamonds 1.00 carats or larger have special restrictions
- Products with a limited useful life expectancy, such as batteries, might be sold with a product-specific limited warranty
Despite these restrictions, Costco’s return policy is quite lenient, so feel free to utilize it if you accidentally buy a dud product.
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10. Consider Costco’s Caskets
Funeral planning is an unpleasant but necessary task, and among the most common funeral costs to consider is the casket.
The Funeral Rule mandates that funeral directors show people a list of caskets the company sells, paired with descriptions and prices, before they show caskets in person. But just because they offer caskets doesn’t mean you need to buy one from them. Not only must funeral homes allow you to use a casket you bought elsewhere, but they can’t charge you a fee for doing so, either.
According to the National Funeral Directions Association (NFDA), the median price for a metal burial casket is $2,500. Costco offers caskets far below that cost, with several currently priced around $1,350. $1,349.99.
