Costco shoppers are noticing something different in the aisles, and it has nothing to do with the $1.50 hot dog combo.
The warehouse club has been rotating its famous "death star" clearance items faster than usual, and the markdown patterns suggest a deliberate strategy shift heading into the back half of the year.
For the uninitiated, the "death star" is the asterisk on a price sign.
When you see it, that item is discontinued and won't be restocked.
Pair it with a price ending in .97, and you're looking at a manager's clearance price.
That combination has long been the treasure map for Costco deal hunters.
What's changing is the volume and timing.
Members across multiple states have reported entire furniture displays, seasonal patio sets, and even some electronics vanishing weeks earlier than in prior years.
Some stores are clearing floor space for incoming holiday inventory well before Labor Day.
The practical takeaway: waiting for a deeper markdown is riskier now.
Historically, a .97 price might drop again if the item lingered.
If you spot a death star on something you actually need, the math usually favors buying it on the spot rather than gambling on a second cut that may never come.
Beyond clearance, Costco's in-store coupons remain one of the most reliable ways to save.
The monthly coupon book typically runs about three weeks, and stacked with an Executive membership's 2% annual reward, the effective discount on big-ticket items can get meaningful.
Just remember the 2% reward is capped, and it arrives as a store credit, not cash.
Kirkland Signature products deserve a closer look too.
The private label now covers everything from coffee to batteries to golf balls, and in many categories it's manufactured by the same suppliers behind name brands.
The price gap is often 20% to 30%, which adds up fast on a household budget that's already stretched by grocery inflation.
One caveat worth flagging: not every "deal" at Costco is a deal.
Unit-price comparisons still matter, especially on bulk perishables that spoil before you finish them.
Buying 36 muffins at a great per-muffin price is only a win if they actually get eaten.
The same logic applies to giant bags of produce and family-size snacks.
There's also the membership math to consider.
The Gold Star fee rose in recent years, and the Executive tier costs roughly double.
If you're not spending enough annually to earn back the upgrade through the 2% reward plus other perks, the basic card is the smarter play.
Costco's return policy is generous, but it won't refund your membership fee just because you didn't shop enough.
Gas remains an underrated piece of the value equation.
Costco fuel regularly undercuts nearby stations by a noticeable margin, and for commuters that savings can offset a chunk of the membership cost on its own.
For budget-conscious households, the smartest approach is to treat Costco as a targeted resource rather than a weekly default.
Go in with a list, know your unit prices, watch for the asterisk, and resist the urge to buy a five-gallon drum of something just because the sign is yellow.
Our take: the warehouse model still rewards disciplined shoppers, but the days of leisurely waiting for a second markdown are fading.
If you see a death star on something you genuinely need, grab it.
Final Thoughts
The best Costco deals in 2025 increasingly belong to the people who move first, not the ones who wait.