That asterisk on a Costco price tag is doing more work than most shoppers realize.
It signals a "death star" item — a product the warehouse is discontinuing — and it's often where the steepest markdowns hide.
One ending in .97 means the item was discounted by the buyer, usually because it's about to vanish.
Prices ending in .00 or .88 tend to show up at specific warehouses as manager markdowns, and those can drop below anything advertised online.
The catch is that death star deals are local.
Two stores 20 miles apart can price the same patio set differently.
That's why warehouse-hopping, or checking a deal-tracking community before you drive, often beats waiting for a mailed coupon book.
Costco's official monthly savings book is still worth flipping through — the instant rebates are real and stack onto already-low warehouse pricing.
But the bigger wins usually come from the clearance aisle, the seasonal transition weeks in late summer and January, and the endcaps, where discontinued furniture, small appliances, and holiday leftovers get slashed.
Costco tends to clear seasonal goods right before new inventory lands.
Late August through September is prime time for patio furniture, grills, and pool gear.
Early January is when holiday decor and winter clothing hit their lowest tags.
Both windows reward shoppers who can wait a few weeks.
Costco's whole model is built on volume — the 30-roll paper towel pack, the two-pound block of cheese, the jumbo jar of peanut butter.
A .97 price on a giant container is only a bargain if you'll actually use it.
A discounted item you throw away is still a loss.
The Gold Star fee runs $65 a year, and Executive membership jumps to $130 with 2% back on most purchases.
If you're not spending enough to earn back that $65 difference in rewards, Executive isn't paying for itself.
The break-even sits around $3,250 in annual qualifying spending, so the upgrade only makes sense for households that already treat Costco as their main grocery run.
Costco fuel typically undercuts nearby stations by a noticeable margin, and it's open to members only.
For anyone filling up weekly, that alone can cover a chunk of the membership fee over a year.
The real skill is knowing what not to buy at Costco.
Fresh produce in bulk spoils fast in small households.
Spices go stale before you finish the tub.
And some electronics carry the same price as a big-box competitor without the easier return window, so compare before you assume the warehouse always wins.
If you want to play this well, go on a weekday morning when aisles are calm and staff have time to check prices.
Bring the item number to the service desk and ask whether a lower price exists at another location — sometimes they'll match it.
And keep an eye out for the asterisk, because that little star is the closest thing Costco has to a flashing clearance sign.
The honest takeaway: Costco deals reward attention, not impulse.
Members who track the code, shop the seasonal windows, and skip the oversized items they won't finish get far more value than the ones who just grab whatever's on the endcap.
Final Thoughts
Treat the warehouse like a treasure hunt with rules, and the discounts stop being accidental.