Costco shelves are always filled with great items at even greater prices—and now, one TikToker has revealed a way to get even more about of your Costco experience and save big bucks by spotting “insane deals.”
Did you know that the number at the end of a price tag can indicate the type of discount that’s been applied to a product? That’s what TikTok user Ryan Quinlan, @butthatsmyopinion, explained in a recent video that has amassed over one million views. According to him, paying attention to these numbers is one of the best ways to “Never miss a great deal again.” Learn all about this money-savvy hack below.
@butthatsmyopinion Never miss a great deal again #costcofinds #costcotiktok #costcodeals #costcodealsandsteals #costcodealsnsteals #costcodealsoftheweek #costcodeals2023 ♬ original sound – But That’s My Opinion
How to decode Costco price tags
Costco prices are already insanely low, but knowing how to spot a great discount can bring your savings to another level. And Quinlan recently discovered how to do just that. Luckily, he took to TikTok to share the inside scoop with his followers.
“If you’re at Costco and you see either the star or prices not ending in 99 cents, it may be an insane deal,” he spilled. Here’s a quick rundown of what each price means.
- .99 – If a product is marked in a price ending in .99, then this is likely a full-price item. No big discount here.
- .97 – Anything priced with a number ending in .97, Quinlan says, is a “store manager deal.” According to him, this discount is “exclusive to that store” and “probably not gonna last long,” so it may be in your best interest to grab it ASAP.
- .49 or .79 – If you spot a price ending in .49 or .79, you’ve found a manufacturer deal. Quinlan says that this means the manufacturer is “running a special deal to see how it does in the store,” which means it’s “usually cheaper than the retail price.” Nice!
- .00 – Found an item with a price tag rounding out to end at an even .00? Quinlan tells followers that this is a low-stock item, so you should buy it before it sells out.
- * – Additionally, Quinlan points out, items marked with an asterisk have a special meaning. These are discontinued items that the store is doing their best to get rid of. That means the price is likely very low. Jackpot! “They just want it gone, so they usually do some bonky deals on these,” Quinlan says.
Costco pricing theory confirmed by employees
It seems like Quinlan's theories are correct, as one commenter jumped in to say: "I work at costco. Can confirm. Also, if you buy an item full price within 30 days and we still have the item in the inventory you can price-adjust." Good to know!
One comment shared another great tip: "Any time I see the special pricing I always check retail price online so I can see what it’d cost me at other retailers. Like if it’s $100 in store but $200 on amazon and bestbuy, then I know it’s a great deal." We'll definitely be doing this from now on.
So next time you're at Costco, pay attention to the price tag on all those fan-favorite items you're adding to the cart.
And while you're at it, you should definitely consider stocking up on gift cards. There are some surprisingly amazing deals. Happy Shopping!
READ MORE: The Costco Seasonal Dessert Customers Say You Should Never Buy: ‘1/10’ And ‘Hated It’
