11 Costco Canada SECRETS Canadians NEED To Know About

11 Costco Canada SECRETS Canadians NEED To Know About

Millions of Canadians shop at Costco every single week.
You probably do too.
But here’s the truth most members never realize:

Costco has hidden pricing codes, quiet timing tricks, and member perks that can save you hundreds of dollars a year—and the worst part, almost no one uses them.
Today, we’re breaking down the insider knowledge that separates casual Costco shoppers from savvy Canadian members.
From tiny symbols on price tags to knowing exactly when to buy—and when to walk away—these are the Costco strategies every Canadian should know.
And by the end of this video, we promise you that you won’t shop at Costco the same way again.

Let’s begin.
Costco price tags contain coded information that most shoppers ignore.
But once you understand the system, these tags become a roadmap to the best deals in the warehouse.
Here's what the price endings mean:
When you see a price ending in 99 cents that’s the regular price.
You’ll see this one on most items throughout the store.
That means the item is being sold at Costco's typical margin and will likely remain at this price until the next coupon book cycle or seasonal rotation.
But here’s where things get very interesting.
When you see 97 cents, it means that that specific warehouse location is trying to move inventory.
This could be because the item didn't sell as expected, they over-ordered, or corporate is discontinuing it chain-wide.
But this last one is extremely rare.
And its the 88 cents or zero cents price tag ending.
This is when there’s an additional discount.
This is where you take action.
These endings typically indicate a manager's special or a local clearance decision.
This represents the final markdown before removal from the floor for that item.
And if you do see the 0 cents price, that's often the lowest that item will go.
No point in waiting.
But here's the most important symbol:
The asterisk.
This small star in the upper right corner of the price tag indicates the item won't be restocked once current inventory sells out.
Now, this is crucial to understand correctly: the asterisk doesn't automatically mean the item is on sale or clearance.
Sometimes you'll see an asterisk on an item that's still priced at .99 --- regular price.
This simply means Costco has decided to discontinue carrying that product.
So, if you see that asterisk on something you regularly buy -- your favorite coffee brand, a specific supplement, that granola your kids love -- that's your signal to make a decision asap.
It’s not coming back.
Now let’s talk about those free samples.