Why You Shouldn't Hesitate To Buy Seasonal Products At Costco

The changing of the seasons is often marked by swapping out wardrobes, cleaning the house, a change in the menu at your favorite coffee shop, and exciting seasonal items lining the aisles at Costco. The four seasons and major holidays are filled with limited-time merchandise ranging from Christmas tree lights and evergreen wreaths to brightly colored Easter dresses, as well as inflatable kayaks and patio furniture for the warm months and sleds and winter gloves for cold months. Household and clothing items aren't the only seasonal items that Costco sells. Select cheeses, meats, and bakery items, such as the highly popular large pumpkin pies, get snatched up quickly at Costco's 815 warehouse stores by its 111 million international members. 

While seasonal items may be fun to purchase at Costco, the company is known for its jumbo-sized items sold at low prices. Sometimes it can be hard to know how to use up a 22-ounce jar of fresh pesto before it reaches its expiration date, but at least during the holidays, it's much easier to find reasons to share pieces of Kirkland peppermint bark or glasses of Martinelli's sparkling apple cider.

It's a given that seasonal and holiday items won't be on Costco's store shelves forever. But there is another reason they should be purchased when you see them: they often sell out quickly. So even though the inflatable snowman may be on display in early November, buy it if you want it and store it until you're ready to display it, or you may miss out. Ordering a limited amount of seasonal items is strategic for Costco — as the retailer doesn't want items left at the end of the season.

One way to know if an item has a limited time left to be sold at Costco is to look at its price tag. Two indicators that the time is running out to purchase the product are an asterisk on the sign, as well as the price ending in .97, signaling the item has been marked down. The asterisk means that the item will not be restocked. Next time you are pushing your already filled cart around Costco, think twice before passing on that tempting seasonal item like the shamrock-shaped ravioli because you may not get another chance at it.