13 Insider Costco Tips That Most Shoppers Don't Know

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Even if you shop at Costco all the time, there are still likely some insider tips that you don't know! To really make the most of your membership, you need to be aware of these hacks. Some are tested and confirmed by other Costco superfans to make sure your everyday shopping experience feels easier and more elevated. Some are services that are included with your card that you might have never even heard of, or thought to use if you have. Others are ways to save even more money (if you even thought that was possible!) when you buy big things for your home.

Sure, there are genius ways to make the most out of old Costco boxes, but these tips are for making the most of the restocking trip on your chores list. So, whether you're looking to save on previous purchases or floor models, or just want some food for thought while racking up all the free samples, here is what you need to know.

Do you need to restock your bathroom medicine cabinets after a recent bout of organizing? Most shoppers don't know that the medicine at Costco is typically a lot cheaper than what you can find at other non-bulk stores. "One of my favorite hacks is the over-the-counter stuff behind the pharmacy," Costco expert, The Sushi Guy, told his followers on TikTok. "$2 Imodium and $2 Sudafed," he continued, panning his camera over each item to confirm the cost.

Yet the best part of Costco's medicine selection isn't even the low prices. Instead, it's the overall availability to keep your house stocked with what you actually need. That is, if you want to have something special on hand but it's not in the store, Costco can still make it happen for you. "If you can't find it, fill out this special form, and they'll have it for you the next business day," he continued, showing the order form to demonstrate its contents.

Costco loses money on its famous rotisserie chickens because it prices them so cheaply. However, this works well for the company because they entice people to come into the store and spend money. However, if you are doing a grocery run along with some home goods shopping, there is a special hack for keeping things separate. "The shopping cart hook is perfect for the chicken," The Sushi Guy said on TikTok, showing viewers how to drape the handle of the bag on the hook at the top of the cart's seat.

This keeps the hot chicken separate from refrigerated and frozen foods or the home goods you're purchasing on the same trip. It is verified to be a favorite among employees and shoppers alike. "Costco employee here," someone chimed in in the comments. "The way people are MINDBLOWN when I hang the chicken for them. I'm like it keeps your cold stuff from melting, it's amazing."

Costco is just one giant warehouse, so most of the goods for sale are already on display. Unlike other stores, there isn't a massive back room where employees can go and pull more stock from. If you're shopping for a couch, but want a different color, or the grill you want seems to be sold out at your location, the employees won't be able to grab one for you. "Every single item should be available on the floor, or in worst case in the steel due to the case of merch mistakes, so no there is no 'backroom,'" Costco employee ElephantSounding posted on Reddit.

Knowing this tip can save you from plenty of frustration. Overall, merchandise moves quickly at Costco. So if you see something you want for your home, go for it now instead of waiting. If it's no longer in your location, you can always look for it online as well and have it shipped to you. However, to save on costs, it's best to call about availability at other stores in the area (or have an employee check for you!) and go pick it up yourself.

Part of the fun of shopping at Costco is wandering the warehouse and enjoying the free samples. However, you might not know that there is another perk to shopping in-store instead of online: lower overall pricing. "Almost everything on Costco's website (if it's sold in stores) costs more. Their way of charging you for shipping," Costco fan Warm_Objective4162 said on Reddit. This is confirmed by the chain's website, which states that many items are shipped straight from the companies that make them. Each company has its own shipping costs, and Costco can't reduce them for shoppers.

So if you want to buy something big, like a desk or patio furniture, and can't get it in your car, you won't be doing yourself any favors by ordering it online. Instead, Costco insiders recommend a DIY transportation solution to save you more cash. "Just go rent a Uhaul or Home Depot truck and bring it home yourself. The store will help load it, and then you can take it out piece by piece when you get home," the Redditor continued.

There are a few Costco price codes you should know to save money on home goods and bulk groceries. The first is to understand the ending numbers on each of the price tags. Signs that end in .99 usually mean that the item is at the regular price. However, other price points ending in a 9, like .29 or .59, often indicate a manufacturer's sale. If you aren't able to pick up the item at the moment, you can look at the label and see when the sale will end, which will also be printed on it.

The other common ending number is .97 on clearance items. Finally, there is a special symbol that looks like a star printed on the corner. "The star up at the top, we call that the star of death. That means it's not being reordered," Costco fan Meganepauly told followers on TikTok. So, what should you do if you see Costco's Death Star marked on any of its items? If it's something you want, this may be your last chance to buy it ... so go for it, and don't say we didn't warn you!

It can be very frustrating if you recently made a large purchase at Costco, only to come back the next week and see that item marked with .97, meaning it's on clearance. Luckily, you can still take advantage of this new price. Many shoppers don't know that, while the chain doesn't price-match other stores, it does price-match itself! If you buy something and it goes on sale within 30 days, the store will refund the difference. Understanding Costco's return policy before splurging for your home is essential to getting a good deal.

To accommodate the difference in price between online and in-person shopping, you must seek your refund at your point of purchase. For online shopping, this includes filling out a request on the chain's website. For purchase in store, that means a quick visit to the customer service desk.

Costco is famous for not having shopping bags for its guests. It's a cost-saving measure and also better for the environment, as it reduces the number of plastic bags in circulation. However, getting all your stuff to your car or into your house after can be difficult. Even if you have reusable grocery bags, they can be heavy and hard to handle. Plus, the large items available at Costco hardly ever fit into them nicely, anyway.

Instead, a Costco hack going viral on TikTok encourages shoppers to bring a large laundry basket to transport goods instead. It's easier to distribute the weight of heavy containers of snacks or the bulkiness of napkins in a basket rather than in a bag. The shape of the handles is also a bit more gentle on your hands, rather than the flimsy bag straps that dig in and leave marks. Try the SAMMART 11-Gallon Collapsible Plastic Laundry Basket for easy storage in your car when you're not using it, since it collapses down.

The running joke is that you can get everything at Costco, even a casket (you can, really), but most people treat the chain like a grocery and home goods store. And it is, sure, but you can also get the most out of your Costco membership with its home improvement services, like new floors and windows, plus HVAC consultations. No, you don't go shopping for the actual products in the store. Instead, Costco's website can connect you to recommended providers to complete the work.

Using this service comes with two main perks. The first is that Costco has done all the vetting for you. If you like the store and shop there often, you can simply accept its contractor and product recommendations, thus saving time on researching a good fit for you. Plus, members will get a gift card or receive a discount on some services booked via Costco's website. 

If you want to buy something big at Costco, like patio furniture, hot tubs, or office furniture, you can negotiate on purchasing the last unit available. "​​Floor model discounts — if we have only the floor model, and nothing else is coming in, and we're out, you can get a discount on the floor model (usually 10% off, can be more if damaged)," Costco employee SorryImEhCanadian shared on Reddit. This would be on top of any "star of death" markdowns that Costco has already applied to the item.

While the roaming store employees likely can't authorize the discount, you can ask to speak to a manager. You will need to confirm that the item is, one, the last one in the store, and two, that it's being discontinued before any sort of discount is likely to apply. For example, if more hot tubs are due to arrive next week, then this hack won't work.

Kirkland is the store brand for Costco. You might think it's always a safe bet to reach for it over name brands to save a few more dollars on your haul. However, buyer beware, as not all Kirkland products are created equal. Some items, like laundry detergent, are well reviewed. Others, like toilet paper, rank low. So don't trust it just because it's the in-house offering!

For smaller items, you can likely afford a little bit of trial and error. If you don't like these products, you haven't wasted much money. Of course, there are Costco Kirkland brand home items that customers say aren't worth buying, like batteries that are prone to leaking. However, on larger purchases, like buying a Costco Kirkland mattress, there is more at stake. While the mattresses tend to perform well, it's best to read the individual reviews for a larger product before pulling the trigger, just in case. While Costco has a generous return policy, moving bulky items back to the store can be a major inconvenience.

Since the store is constantly updating its inventory, the best time to shop the home section at Costco is on Mondays. Most locations typically restock most of their inventory super early in the morning. So get there when they open, and you'll be one of the first to get a fresh look at what is new in home and decor before everyone else. If you really want to avoid the crowds, get to the store before 11:00 AM, as early morning tends to be the quietest time. Once the lunch rush hits, things don't really slow down much the rest of the day, save for an occasional drop between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM.

Of course, if there is a specific item you are dying to get your hands on, call the location closest to you before heading in. Have the item's inventory number from the Costco website ready. This can make things infinitely easier for the team member who answers your call to look up the item.

While most think of Costco as a members-only club, there are still a few ways that non-members can access its inventory. The first is the company's website. Anyone can shop on Costco.com. However, non-members do have to pay a 5% fee on their order to cover the costs. For this reason, unless it's just a one-off purchase, you might as well just grab a membership. You can also shop for the warehouse club's groceries (and have them delivered), using the Instacart service. However, keep in mind that these prices are higher than those in the club.

Plus, you don't need to be accompanied by a member to buy items at the warehouse if you have a Costco Shop Card. Essentially a gift card, a member can give you one of these, and you can shop until you drop inside the store, chaperone or no chaperone. The idea is to lure you into becoming a member by giving you a taste of what it's like, but it's great for one-off big purchases, like TVs and furniture. The cost can be more than the card, as it's just what gets you in the door. "They're extremely confident in the offering and in the addictive properties of the Costco shopping experience. So that's why they still have it, and it's working out for them," Joanie Demer, Costo fan and co-founder of The Krazy Coupon Lady, told CNBC.

Most forget that you can buy plants in stores or online, making Costco an easy place to pick up greenery for your home. However, before you make any purchases, be sure to take a close look at what kind of plant you are actually buying. "Something you might not think about when buying plants online is the delivery date," House Digest's master gardener Tiffany Selvey notes. Unlike other products, when you buy a plant from Costco online, it's not going to arrive right away. "Costco delivers outdoor plants to different regions at different times according to the ideal planting schedule. So, you may make a purchase, but the plant(s) may not arrive for a few weeks."

Plus, the generous return policy applies to greenery, too. "Yes. You can return them. My husband and I stood in line and returned a 6-ft-tall palm tree," user wz91734 shared on Reddit. "I once saw a guy return two huge bushes that were crispy brown," user DeflatedGrapefruit shared on the same thread. This safety net can make trying new varieties feel much less risky, rather than ordering from smaller specialty nurseries that may have stricter policies.