If You See This Symbol on Your Favorite Costco Item, Stock Up Now

Updated: Mar. 31, 2022

That product might not be on the shelves for long.

Costco

Big box store members are already smitten with perks like having a Costco card. But then there are the products themselves. Not only does Costco have unbeatable prices, but it also carries top-quality options. So when you find a favorite item, it can be devastating to realize it’s no longer carried the next time you stop by.

Part of the reason Costco’s prices are so cheap is that it only carries a limited number of products. Of course, that also means that the store won’t hang onto an item that isn’t selling when it could replace it with something more appealing. Luckily, there’s an easy way to find out if your favorite product is about to be discontinued.

Take a look at the upper right corner of a Costco price tag. If you see an asterisk, that’s a sign that the wholesale store won’t be restocking the item. Maybe the product hasn’t been selling well, or maybe the manufacturer upped its prices. Either way, it could be your last shot to get your hands on that item in-store—at least for now. (Check out these other Costco secrets that will save you money.)

Even if a product disappears from the shelves temporarily, it might pop up again in the future. For instance, seasonal items like holiday gift wrap or certain foods might not appear until the next year, but they’ll show up again once they’re back in season. Still, if you have your sights on a nonperishable item that you know you’ll use up within a few months, might as well stock up on more to make it through the year.

[Source: MentalFloss, Snopes]