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SALT LAKE CITY — Costco has a reputation for some good prices. But there are ways to know if an item has been marked down even more.
Cracking the Costco price code is as simple as looking at the last two digits on the price tag itself.
Regularly priced items usually end with 99 cents. When you see that, chances are you're paying full price. But if the price ends with 97 cents instead, that's Costco-speak for a markdown.
“We have marked down those items to move them,” said Craig Jamieson, general manager at the Salt Lake City Costco store.
Jamieson has worked at Costco for 25 years and insists there's no mystery or intrigue behind the pricing code. And no associate has been harmed for revealing it.
“There’s no nut-and-shell game going on out there,” he said. “It’s a very straightforward process.”
Jamieson said prices ending in double zeros also indicate markdowns. Shoppers can expect good deals because managers want those items gone.
“We’re getting down to the last items — one sizing, one color, one style. That’s typically why we’re getting out of it, to make room for more items coming in,” he explained.
Some shopping bloggers say items ending in 49, 79 or 89 cents are special manufacturer deals. Jamieson said those odd prices have more to do with pricing negotiations than discounts.
But another thing to look for is asterisks. If a product has one on its tag, it will be discontinued and probably is at its lowest price.
“We’re not going to be reordering that item. So what we have in the building is what we have,” Jamieson said.
Both an asterisk and 97 cents on a price tag could indicate a killer deal.
