Costco Price Tags Explained

The Standard: Prices ending in .99

The Verdict: Full Retail Price.

Prices ending in .99 are Costco's standard pricing. This is what you see on the staples you buy every week—milk, meat, bread, eggs, etc.

Don't overthink the essentials. It's a fair price and you need them regardless, so just grab them. But if you're eyeing a big-ticket item like a TV, furniture, or seasonal gear, take a closer look. A .99 tag means you are paying full retail. If you don't need it right this second, it pays to wait.

A standard price tag ending in 99.

The Deal: Prices ending in .97

The Verdict: Clearance Price.

This is the number you are hunting for. A price ending in .97 is a clearance price. This isn't just a small sale; it means Costco is clearing out the item to make room for new inventory.

These deals are specific to that individual warehouse. The same vacuum cleaner might be full price at a Costco ten miles away, but marked down to a .97 clearance price at your local store.

Warning: Because these are clearance items, stock is limited. Once they are sold out, they are usually gone for good.

The .97 indicates a clearance deal. The price has been slashed to move inventory.

The "Death Star": The Asterisk (*)

The Verdict: Not Reordering / Pending Delete.

Look at the top right corner of the price tag. Do you see a small asterisk? Inside Costco, this is known as "The Death Star."

It simply means Costco is not reordering this item. This happens for a few reasons:

• •The item is being discontinued.
• •The manufacturer is changing the packaging or model number.
• •It was a "one-time buy" trial that Costco isn't restocking.

If you see an asterisk on an item that is priced at .99, hang in there. If inventory doesn't sell out fast enough, it will be marked down to .97.

A .99 priced item with an asterisk. This could be on clearance soon if it doesn't sell out fast enough.

The Liquidations: .00 and .88

The Verdict: "Get it out of here."

Prices ending in .00 or .88 are the lowest of the low. While these codes can vary slightly by store, they generally mean the manager wants this inventory gone today.

Sometimes these are customer returns or floor models, but often they are just brand-new items that have been sitting on .97 clearance for too long and are taking up valuable floor space.

A rare .00 tag. This is the final price drop before the item disappears.

Get the Deals Before They Disappear

Knowing the secret code is great, but you can't be at Costco 24/7 scanning every aisle. Clearance deals move fast—sometimes selling out in a single morning. That's why CostLow sends instant alerts the moment new clearance items hit your local warehouse.

That's where CostLow gives you the advantage. We take the luck out of the equation:

• •Instant Notifications: Set your local warehouse in the app and get push notifications for every new clearance item the moment it appears. You'll know about the deal before most shoppers even park their cars.
• •See the Real Savings: The app shows you the original price (something the paper tag doesn't always show), so you know exactly how much you're saving.
• •Find it Nearby: Item sold out at your store? The app instantly checks stock at other warehouses in your area.
• •Contribute: If you spot a .97 that isn't in the app yet, scan the tag with CostLow to alert the community and help other deal hunters.