Why You Shouldn't Ask Costco Employees To Check The Back Of The Store

We've all experienced the frustration of looking for a certain item on the store shelves in vain. The only glimmer of hope is asking a store employee whether the item is still stocked "in the back" and fervently hoping they'll return with the item after they go and check the mysterious back of the store. While this tactic works at many grocery stores, it's actually a shopping mistake at Costco. There is no "back." What you see on the massive shelves is all the inventory the store has.

Costco is conceptually a large wholesaler, which means it doesn't really need a separate stockroom. The entire store serves like a warehouse, so all the products can be stored directly on the shelves. In fact, operating like a warehouse is partially how Costco is able to keep its prices lower than most other retailers.

If you're having trouble finding an item at Costco, check whether it has simply been moved. The store's treasure hunt shopping style (that has the employees rearranging the aisles at 4:30 a.m.) is a core part of the Costco experience, even though it leaves many customers infuriated as they try to track down a particular item that has been moved from its previous location. There are several ways to check if an item is in stock at your store's particular location: Call the store, ask at the membership counter, or check the store's website.

Chances are, the item you missed out on will be restocked the very next day, so you might need to come back tomorrow. A helpful Costco shopping hack is to visit the store earlier in the day — Costco restocks its inventory overnight, so you'll have a much better chance of finding an item if you shop in the morning, especially if you're coveting something popular that tends to sell out fast. Unfortunately, the store doesn't offer direct notifications for its restocks, but there are some third-party websites that can help you with that.

You should also learn how to decipher Costco's price tags, so that when an item is still in stock, you know exactly what its future at the store is. If you see a price ending in .00 or .88, the item's price has been significantly cut because the store wants to clear it out — sometimes because it's the very last piece in stock. When the store doesn't plan to restock an item, it will mark the price tag with an asterisk. If you see any of these secret codes on the price tags, take it as a sign to stock up while you can.