Costco's Price Tag Asterisk Doesn't Always Mean What You Think It Does

Costco is a unique place to shop. Operating as a wholesaler, its shelves are stacked with items sold in larger quantities than you could find in regular grocery stores and at lower prices than most other retailers. The expansive warehouse interior, the mandatory membership, and the affordable food court are all part of Costco's charm, too. But you can't really call yourself a Costco connoisseur unless you know how to decipher the price tags. One of the symbols that often appears on a price tag is the infamous asterisk. The lore of the asterisk dubs it the "death star," which marks the inevitable discontinuation of the item, allegedly indicating it is never coming back. But that's not the full truth — sometimes the item with an asterisk does return to shelves at a later time.

We spoke to Costco and got confirmation that items marked with an asterisk are indeed being discontinued ... for now. They could very well reappear at a later date or even remain in stock on Costco's online store. In other words, if the warehouse marks the price tag with an asterisk, it's not planning to restock it shortly, but that doesn't necessarily mean the item will be gone for good.

Many loyal Costco shoppers live by the "buy it the first time you see it" philosophy due to the store's ever-changing inventory (and possibly for the treasure hunt shopping experience). However, some Costco employees revealed on Reddit that certain soon-to-be-discontinued items eventually return to the shelves in new packaging, a different quantity, or even under Costco's own brand, Kirkland Signature. This is especially the case with staple food items that people regularly stock up on. You might also notice the asterisk on seasonal items, which means Costco won't sell them again ... until next season.

Keep in mind that price tag asterisks only apply to the specific warehouse you're seeing them at. One warehouse could be discontinuing the item, but another will restock it. It all comes down to how well the items are selling, therefore things can't be identical at every location. That said, if you see an item is marked with an asterisk and it's one of your absolute favorites that you can't live without, definitely stock up. There's no way to know when, or in what form, the item will return to the shelves — so buy it while it's there.