Costco Price Tag Meanings: 6 Codes Explained [2026]
Costco price tag endings can flag standard pricing, promotions, warehouse markdowns and manager-specific reductions. A price ending in .97 usually marks a warehouse markdown, while .00 or .88 often points to a manager reduction. An asterisk means the warehouse does not plan to restock that item, but the symbol alone does not mean the price has dropped.
What do Costco price tag endings mean?
Costco shoppers can read the final cents as clues about how a warehouse priced an item. Food & Wine, The Kitchn and Allrecipes agree on the main signals: .99 is standard pricing, .97 marks a warehouse markdown, and .00 or .88 often marks a manager reduction. Other endings vary, so use them as clues and verify the details.
- .99: Costco's standard price for that item
- .97: a warehouse markdown or clearance price
- .00 or .88: a manager-specific reduction, often on low-stock, returned, display or imperfect merchandise
- .49 or .79: a limited-time manufacturer promotion
- Other prices ending in 9: usually standard or promotional pricing, depending on the specific ending
- Asterisk in the upper-right corner: the warehouse does not plan to restock the item
- Green sign: Costco uses green signs for many organic items, though stores do not apply this marker to every organic product
Food & Wine's Costco price tag guide and The Kitchn's interview with Costco shopper Marie Clark support the table above. Costco does not publish this as a company-wide pricing manual, so shoppers should ask warehouse staff when a specific tag is unclear.
What does .97 mean at Costco?
A Costco price ending in .97 usually means the local warehouse has marked the item down. Food & Wine describes .97 as clearance or a location-specific manager markdown, while The Kitchn also identifies it as a sale ending. The tag may omit the former price, so compare the unit price and ask staff if you need the markdown history.
The signal belongs to the item number and warehouse in front of you. Another Costco can carry the same product at a different price. If you are deciding whether to wait, check the date printed near the bottom of the sign; it records when staff last updated that price, according to Food & Wine.
What do .00 and .88 mean at Costco?
Prices ending in .00 or .88 often identify a manager-specific markdown. Food & Wine says these endings can appear on returns, products with superficial damage or missing parts, and items running low in stock. The Kitchn reports the same pattern and advises shoppers to inspect the product before buying because some discounted units may be incomplete.
Look at the box, seals, included parts and model number before checkout. The cents ending tells you why the tag deserves a closer look; it does not certify the product's condition. Ask a warehouse employee about the item when the packaging looks opened or the display is the last unit.
What does an asterisk on a Costco price tag mean?
An asterisk in the upper-right corner means the warehouse does not plan to restock that item after the current inventory sells. Shoppers often call it the “death star.” The symbol can appear on seasonal, discontinued or slow-selling merchandise, and Allrecipes notes that the manufacturer may also have discontinued the product.
The asterisk does not confirm a markdown. The Kitchn separates the restock signal from the price signal: an asterisk tells you availability may end, while the cents ending tells you how Costco priced the item. Read both before deciding whether the tag represents a deal.
Do Costco price codes guarantee the lowest price?
Costco price codes do not guarantee that an item is the cheapest choice or that its price will never change. The tag supplies a pricing clue for that warehouse. Shoppers still need to compare unit prices, inspect manager-marked merchandise and decide whether they can use the quantity before the product expires or sits unused.
A .97 tag can be a real markdown and still lose to a smaller package elsewhere on unit cost. An asterisk can signal limited availability without any discount. Use the ending to decide what to check next, then compare the price per ounce, count or unit shown on the sign.
How can you find clearance deals at other stores?
Retailers use different clearance signals, so the Costco code does not transfer to another chain. Scavenger's live deals page helps shoppers check current penny and deep-clearance candidates. The Home Depot clearance schedule, Walmart clearance schedule, and hidden clearance guide explain how tags, apps and store systems differ.
For a store-by-store overview, What Is Penny Shopping? explains why some retailers leave final-markdown inventory on the floor and why staff may remove an item instead of selling it. Check the retailer's current price before making a trip because inventory and markdowns vary by location.