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• Membership sign-up
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• Upgrading your membership online
• Find your membership number
• Lost membership card

Please note, if you sign up on Costco.com, your membership card won't be mailed to you. You can obtain your membership card by visiting the membership counter at your local Costco warehouse.

• At your local Costco warehouse
• On  Costco.com
• By contacting Costco Membership and Warehouse Services at 1-800-774-2678

Please note, it can take 24-48 hours for your membership to be renewed. ​ ​

• Go to Costco.com and sign in to your existing account or register
• Select Account 
• Select Account Details  on the menu on the right
• Enter your Membership Number if you haven't entered it into your online account previously
• Select Verify Membership and answer a series of verification questions
• Select Continue once your account is verified
• Select the item you wish to update  

Please note, if your membership number has rubbed off your card or is unreadable, you can contact  Costco Customer Service .

• Consumer cards: 1-855-378-6467
• Business cards: 1-855-378-6468

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Costco's Market Reign Continues With Solid August Sales Performance

September 09, 2024 — 09:07 am EDT

Written by Zacks Equity Research for Zacks  ->

Costco Wholesale Corporation COST continues to solidify its position as a market leader, with its August sales performance further proving the retailer’s resilience in an increasingly competitive retail environment. As shoppers continue to prioritize value, Costco’s unique membership model, competitive pricing and consistent customer loyalty have enabled the company to maintain its dominance, even in a challenging economic landscape.  Let’s delve into the details of Costco's recent performance.

Costco’s August Sales Underscore Its Unstoppable Market Strength

The retailer’s comparable sales for August illustrate its market strength across various regions. For the four weeks ended Sep. 1, comparable sales in the United States grew by 4.7%, while Canada and Other International markets saw increases of 4.5% and 7.5%, respectively. The total company comparable sales rose by 5%. This stellar performance follows consecutive increases of 5.2% and 5.3% in July and June, respectively. When adjusting for the effects of gasoline prices and foreign exchange rates, Costco’s comparable sales paint an even more impressive picture. In the United States, comparable sales, excluding these factors, rose by 6.7% in August, while Canada and Other International markets posted gains of 5.8% and 10.8%, respectively. The company’s total comparable sales, excluding these external factors, increased by 7.1%. One of the standout aspects of Costco’s August performance was its 22.9% increase in e-commerce comparable sales. This growth was even more pronounced when excluding the impacts of gasoline prices and foreign exchange, with e-commerce sales surging 23.3%. The surge in online sales underscores the company's effective digital strategy and ability to cater to the evolving shopping preferences of consumers. As a result, Costco's net sales for August increased 7.1%, reaching $19.83 billion, up from $18.51 billion in the same period last year. This follows improvements of 7.1% and 7.4% in July and June, reflecting a strong and consistent sales performance in the past few months.

Costco’s Membership Model Drives Customer Loyalty

Costco’s unique membership-based business model is a core component of its success. Costco members, who pay an annual fee, benefit from deep discounts and high-quality merchandise. In turn, Costco enjoys a steady revenue stream, with membership fees contributing significantly to its bottom line. The company maintains renewal rates above 90%, underscoring the value customers place on the savings and benefits offered. Costco officially raised its membership fees for U.S. and Canadian customers effective Sep. 1. Gold Star, Business and Business add-on memberships now cost $65 annually, a $5 increase, while Executive Memberships have risen from $120 to $130. This move also comes with a boost in the maximum annual 2% Reward for Executive Members, up from $1,000 to $1,250.

Final Word on Costco

Costco stands tall among its peers, boasting a wide array of high-quality merchandise. Its distinctive membership-based business model and pricing strength differentiate it from traditional competitors. The emphasis on bulk sales and efficient inventory management allows it to keep prices low, making it a preferred shopping destination for budget-conscious consumers.  We believe a favorable product mix, membership growth, pricing power and strong liquidity should benefit Costco. Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have advanced 22.8% in the past six months compared with the Retail – Discount Stores industry’s rise of 9%.

3 Picks You Can’t Miss Out On

The Chefs' Warehouse CHEF is a premier distributor of specialty food products in the United States, the Middle East and Canada. It currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). CHEF has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 33.7%, on average. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here . The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Chefs' current financial-year sales and earnings suggests growth of around 9.7% and 12.6%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers. Sprouts Farmers SFM , which is engaged in the retailing of fresh, natural and organic food products, currently sports a Zacks Rank #1. SFM has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 12%, on average.  The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Sprouts Farmers’ current financial-year sales and earnings implies growth of around 9.6% and 18.7%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers. Flowers Foods FLO , one of the largest producers of packaged bakery foods in the United States, currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). FLO has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 1.9%, on average.  The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Flowers Foods’ current financial-year sales and earnings calls for growth of around 1.1% and 4.2%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers.

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Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) : Free Stock Analysis Report

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To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

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You Can Use Your Costco Membership to Score Major Vacation Deals

Here’s what you need to know before booking with Costco Travel.

What is Costco Travel?

Do you have to have a membership to use costco travel.

• Ways to Book With Costco Travel

Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Shopping at Costco probably conjures up visions of a crowded store with larger-than-life packages of household essentials and snacks. While booking a vacation may not come to mind, in reality, you can purchase travel — and often get great deals — through Costco using its in-house travel agency called Costco Travel.

Let’s take a look at what you can expect when you use Costco Travel to book your next vacation.

Costco Travel is Costco’s in-house travel agency.  It’s open to all Costco members, but a separate Costco Travel account must be made before booking. While anyone can look at the Costco Travel website, only members can see pricing and book travel.

It acts like other online travel agencies, allowing Costco members to book vacation packages, hotels, cruises, rental cars, and theme park tickets. You’ll notice that flights can’t be booked separately through Costco Travel (they must be part of a travel package).

Courtesy of Disney Cruise Lines

Yes, you must have a Costco membership to use Costco Travel. There are two levels of Costco memberships, and either one will work. Gold Star membership costs $60 per year, while an Executive membership costs $120 per year.

The Executive membership may make sense to those who spend a lot at Costco because it earns 2% back each year, up to $1,000 per year, on qualifying Costco purchases, including Costco Travel. 

That means if you spend at least $3,000 per year at Costco (including in-store, online, and Costco Travel purchases), the Executive membership works out to be a better deal than the Gold Star membership.

Executive members are also eligible for extra benefits on select vacation packages. You’ll find these offers by going to the Costco Travel website and navigating to Deals>Member Specials>Executive Member Benefits . The benefits vary by package but can include things like a $100 spa credit, a $100 resort credit, a $100 shipboard credit, a private beach lunch, and more. These bonuses can easily be worth more than the price difference between Gold Star and Executive membership.

Related: The Best Budget Travel Tips — From Saving Money on Air Travel to Spending Less on Hotels

Ways to Book With Costco Travel 

George Tsamakdas/Getty Images

While you can book a hotel stay through Costco Travel, the options are limited unless the hotel is part of a vacation package. In fact, you’ll find some vacation destinations, including Maui, Cancun, and Punta Cana, that don’t offer any stand-alone hotels through Costco Travel.

If you do find a stand-alone hotel to book through Costco, remember that if it is part of a hotel loyalty program (like Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, or IHG), you likely won’t earn hotel points or elite night credits, and any status you have won’t be recognized. This makes booking these types of hotels through online travel agencies like Costco Travel unappealing for many travelers.

Costco Travel offers cruises on 11 cruise lines, including some of the industry’s most popular brands like Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian, and Princess.

There are so many cruise booking websites out there, and they all offer relatively similar pricing. The differences come in the extra perks like drink packages, onboard credit, and, in the case of Costco Travel, complimentary Costco shop cards. The value of the shop card varies based on the cruise and room type but usually falls somewhere between $25 and $95 for shorter cruises and can be as high as $425 for longer cruises.

While Costco Travel can offer great deals on cruises, one of the downsides is that you can only search one month at a time. This could add some extra work for those who have flexibility in their travel dates and want to search for a wide variety of dates at one time.

Theme Parks

Costco members can also purchase Disney (U.S. locations only) and Universal Orlando vacation packages through Costco Travel. These packages include hotel accommodations and theme park tickets and will usually come with extras like early park admission, transportation, waived resort fees, or a food and beverage credit.

Related: Splurge or Save? Here's How to Build the Perfect Walt Disney World Vacation for Your Budget

Katie Rice/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Rental Cars 

Booking a rental car through Costco Travel is straightforward with four rental car companies to pick from — Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise.

The search results are displayed in an easy-to-read grid format with the least expensive price for each car type shown in red. While this is excellent for someone who prefers simplicity, Costco Travel won’t necessarily always have the lowest price since it excludes so many car rental companies. 

Vacation Packages 

A Costco vacation package consists of a hotel with a flight and/or rental car. Packages are available for destinations all over North America as well as the South Pacific, Europe, and Africa. There are also specialty vacation packages available through a small collection of companies, including Contiki, Lion World Travel, Adventures by Disney , and Trafalgar Worldwide Guided Vacations.

Costco Travel vacation packages can offer tremendous savings over booking a hotel and flight separately, and they often come with extras like airport transfers and Costco shop cards. 

These shop cards vary in value and generally increase based on the cost of your vacation. We saw offers for Costco shop cards from about $150 all the way to over $900 for a one-week vacation package.

Some packages come with activities included in the price. While that might be a great deal for some, keep in mind that these activities may increase the price over what you’d pay by booking through another website or booking separately. 

Costco Travel can save you money, especially on vacation packages, but it’s smart to price out your vacation on multiple websites to ensure you’re getting the best price and package for your needs.

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Save $40 On A Costco Membership With This Deal

New members can save $20 to $40 on a one-year Costco membership thanks to a new deal from Stack Social.

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One of the most popular warehouse clubs, Costco has approximately 129.5 million cardholders and was ranked third in the National Retail Federation’s top 100 Retailers . And thanks to a new deal, you could save up to $40 on a one-year membership.

Costco offers competitive prices on any kind of product you can imagine — furniture, food, clothing, etc. — and constantly has special deals and discounts to help you save even more. However, there is one barrier to shopping at Costco, and that's its membership fee . To shop at a Costco warehouse, as well as to score the best online prices, you’ll need to be a member. 

Gold Star and Business memberships currently cost $60 annually, while an Executive membership costs $120 annually. But prices will soon increase. Recently, Costco raised membership fees for the first time since 2017 , and the new prices will go into effect on September 1, 2024. At that time, Gold Star and Business memberships will cost $65, while Executive memberships will cost $130.

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If you're interested in becoming a member, but the cost has been holding you back, the following deal can help you save $20 to $40. 

Save on a 2024 Costco membership

Right now, Stack Social is offering a deal that can save you money on a one-year Costco membership in the form of a digital gift card. With this deal, there are two options to choose from.  

Gold Star Membership + $20 Shop Card: The first deal Stack Social offers is a discount on a Gold Star Costco membership. How it works is you'll buy a Gold Star membership for $60, and then receive a $20 digital Costco Shop Card by email within 2 weeks of your purchase, effectively bringing the price of a membership to just $40 a year.

With a Gold Star membership, you'll be able to shop at all Costco warehouses and online at  Costco.com , receive 2 Membership Cards for you and a family member, and are entitled to a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. 

Executive Gold Star Membership + $40 Shop Card: The second deal is on an Executive Gold Star membership. You'll pay $120 for an Executive membership, and then receive a $40 gift card by email, effectively bringing the price of an annual membership to just $80. 

With Costco's highest level of membership, you'll enjoy all the benefits of Gold Star members, plus more. You'll earn an annual 2% reward on up to $1,000 on eligible Costco and Costco Travel purchases, as well as benefit from additional perks and discounts on many Costco services. 

Both deals are available for new members in the   U.S. & Puerto Rico only, or those whose memberships have been expired for more than 18 months. The max quantity that can be purchases by each customer is 2; one membership must be for personal use, while the other must be gifted. 

Related Content

• 20 Secrets to Shopping at Costco
• Costco vs. Sam's Club: Which Warehouse Club Is Best for Your Wallet?
• 5 Things You Can Get at Costco Without a Membership

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12 Mistakes You're Making When Shopping At Costco

O nce people start shopping at Costco, their entire way of buying food and supplies seems to change. While there are plenty of deals and exceptional offers available, it's important to know some of the common mistakes people make at Costco to guarantee that you're getting your money's worth. Just because the warehouse flaunts discounted prices and goods packaged in large volumes, that doesn't mean it's always the best deal around.

Perhaps you're missing out with your membership level, or failing to notice all of the additional discounts available. You might find yourself overbuying simply because a price offers a good value, when in reality you can't properly store all that food or get through the stocks of supplies. And let's not get started on showing up at Costco without a clear idea of what you need.

We've assembled a list of some of the most common mistakes people make when shopping at Costco to ensure that you avoid wasting money. With these insider tips and tricks, you'll be able to avoid pricy pitfalls and have a successful shopping trip.

Read more: 12 Popular Grocery Store Butter Brands, Ranked

Sticking With Gold Star Membership

One of the fundamentals of shopping at Costco is that it requires a membership. The two options for a personal membership are Gold Star and Executive, and each level comes with different features. In September of 2024, an increase in Costco membership fees  took effect, and now the Gold Star membership costs $65 a year and the Executive level costs double that at $130. The former level is the most basic, and you might think it's sufficient for your needs. However, once you start to look at what the Executive level has to offer, it's often a better choice.

Both memberships provide two cards, so that you and someone else in your household can shop online and at all Costco warehouse locations worldwide. However, the Executive membership also offers a 2% annual reward on most sales (some exclusions apply, including purchases of gas or tobacco), as well as additional discounts and benefits on services, such as insurance and travel offers.

When you break it down, you would need to spend $3,250 per year for the upgraded membership price to be refunded with the cash-back rewards, which comes out to just over $270 per month. If you're regularly stocking up on a large amount of food and household supplies, you'll quickly reach that number within the year — not to mention the savings you'll enjoy on services with Executive membership. 

Shopping Without A Plan

It's no secret that if you go to the grocery store hungry or without a plan, you'll end up buying all sorts of junk you don't really need. This is true at any ordinary supermarket, but the issue quickly amplifies at Costco. The layout of the store showcases aisle upon aisle of mass quantities of countless products that are both familiar and unfamiliar, and this can be overwhelming to say the least.

If you're the kind of shopper who likes to casually browse and pick up items as they pique your interest, you might find yourself spending hundreds of dollars more at Costco. Instead of picking up an extra package of tomato sauce or a wedge of cheese, you'll take home a carton with a dozen cans or a couple of pounds of cheddar. This is certainly useful if you regularly use these products, but less so if you're shopping on a whim. To avoid the pitfalls of overdoing it (and a hefty bill), plan your shopping list to make your trip more efficient , and have a budget in mind before setting foot into the warehouse.

Missing Out On Additional Deals And Sales

If you want to maximize your potential savings at Costco, you'll want to do a little bit more digging, rather than simply roaming the aisles. Online, the company provides additional offers that can be especially worthwhile. Some deals are exclusive to either warehouse or online purchases, whereas others can be used no matter how you shop.

Costco offers online coupons on a monthly basis, which includes exceptional limited-time offers for the duration of their validity. Meanwhile, Hot Buys are available from a couple of days to a week, and these feature items are offered at a heavily discounted price. Some coupons are exclusive to Executive membership holders and can be found online.

To avoid having to chase after all of these discounts, just sign up to receive alerts regarding new offers as they come up. If you're especially keen, join groups on platforms like Facebook or Reddit to exchange tips on the best deals. 

Ignoring The App

Having yet another app on your phone might feel like overkill, but if you want to be in the know, the Costco app is definitely a straightforward option. Just download it from the app store on your phone and sign in with your membership number for a personalized experience. Details about your account like your rewards balance and past orders are all located on the app, as well as a digital membership card. All the Costco deals and specials are also listed by category, including warehouse and online savings, "while supplies last" offers, and " treasure hunt " items. Instead of promptly forgetting about the sales you saw, you can mark the ones that interest you so you're all set for your shopping trip.

Everyone has their own technique for making shopping lists, but with Costco's app it's totally streamlined. Choose the items to include and have the app ready to go once you step foot inside the warehouse. Meanwhile, if you don't live close to a Costco location, gas prices are also monitored on the app, allowing you to keep track of fluctuations so that you always make the trip to fill up when the cost is lowest. Although the Costco app isn't exactly technologically advanced, it still offers plenty of neat tricks that make your shopping experience that much smoother.

Buying More Than You Need

One of the main draws of Costco is the value of buying items in high volumes. However, this can backfire if you end up purchasing far more than you need just because it seems like a good deal. Although you might think the smarter financial decision is to buy 24 cans of tomato sauce for a fraction of the price per unit, if you have nowhere to store them and end up stacking cans under your dining table, this is not ideal.

Meanwhile, non-shelf-stable items like produce, meat, dairy, and bread products pose even more of an issue, as these foods can quickly deteriorate. To  reduce Costco bulk-food waste , it's important to plan your shopping based on your needs, while considering what you can properly store in your home. Buying meat in bulk isn't a bad idea if you're separating large packages into portions and freezing them for several future dinners — but it won't be worth it if you leave all that meat in the fridge and throw most of it out a week later.

Overdoing it at Costco can be detrimental for your bank account. People typically shop at Costco because of the good deals, but if they're purchasing more than they need, the initial savings can become long-term losses. Keep your spending in check by making a shopping list and sticking to it. Limit your visits to the warehouse and use other smart-spending tips — like paying with a set amount of cash — to avoid going beyond your planned budget. 

Shopping At The Wrong Times

Finding time to go shopping can be difficult when you have a busy schedule, but if you're planning a monthly Costco trip, you'll want to choose the timing wisely to optimize the experience. From the selection of samples to the crowds in the parking lot, there are several reasons to go at specific times. The most obvious time to avoid shopping at Costco is on weekends, when people with weekday jobs are shopping there before starting a new workweek.

Of course, if you also work weekdays, then it'll be hard to avoid the weekend bargain-hunting hordes. The best time to shop at Costco for uncrowded aisles  is between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. from Tuesday through Thursday, so unless you have time for bulk shopping during a lunch break, your next best bet will be going right before closing time and keeping your visit quick.

Another reason to avoid weekend Costco visits is that you'll be fighting with crowds of people over samples. Unfortunately, if you're shopping on weekday evenings with the aim of avoiding crowds, chances are that you'll also end up with fewer samples, as they won't be offered in plentitude at those times. Keep in mind that if you're shopping on the first day of coupon sales and other special offers, you're likely to be among many other shoppers all trying to snag the latest deals, no matter what day of the week it is. 

Thinking Costco Always Has The Best Price

Costco provides great value for products packaged in high volumes — but it doesn't always offer the best deals in town. For items you buy regularly, you'll want to do a bit of research to see if you're actually getting the best price at Costco. You don't have to do all the calculations yourself; online spreadsheets list common grocery and household products to compare the prices at Costco versus other popular stores. 

The consensus is that some items are better purchased at your local supermarket when they're on sale — or even at their regular price. For example, soda and canned goods are commonly offered for deeper discounts at supermarkets. And while it will depend on your location and the other stores in your area, you might be better off getting many produce items from your local grocer.

If you're buying generic brands at the supermarket, they could actually be cheaper than what's offered at Costco. That said, for products of name-brand caliber, Costco is generally the more affordable option. At the warehouse, Costco's Kirkland Signature brand generally provides high quality for a low price. Although buying in bulk is a good option for products and foods that you consume regularly, keep in mind that it may not be such a great deal when buying items that you rarely use. 

Not Utilizing Costco's Price Adjustment Policy

Costco offers price adjustments when items that you recently bought subsequently go on sale. Simply go to the return counter at the Costco location where you made the purchase. There's no need to bring your receipt, since the customer-service employee will be able to access all your previous orders once you hand over your membership card.

A few rules are worth noting to ensure a smooth process. Price adjustment is only valid for items purchased within 30 days before a promotion begins. Additionally, not all items are eligible for this policy, and Costco reserves the right to deny price adjustments anytime.

Keep in mind that discrepancies between prices on the Costco website and at a warehouse location are also not eligible for an adjustment. For online purchases, there's a form to fill out on the Costco website to process the refund. Additionally, Costco price matches its own merchandise, but it does not offer adjustments for items sold by other stores.

Only Buying Brands You Already Know

Although you might be used to shopping for products from the same brands over and over again, you won't necessarily be able to find all of your favorites or get the best deals on them at Costco. One of the reasons the prices are low there is that the warehouses don't stock a huge variety of brands. If you are open to trying new brands, then you have more of a chance of saving on the items that you regularly shop for.

Part of the fun of shopping at Costco is discovering new products you've never tried before. In fact, plenty of social media platforms are dedicated to the pursuit of sharing product discoveries amongst customers. Aside from various brands that the warehouse carries, the house brand, Kirkland Signature, is beloved by many shoppers. Behind the Kirkland logo there are plenty of successful companies offering their brand-name quality under Costco's proprietary label. Numerous customers rave about the best Kirkland Signature products to buy, and chances are that once you start trying them at Costco, you'll realize why they're so popular. 

Skipping The Gift Cards

If you aren't taking advantage of special deals on gift cards at Costco, you're missing out. The warehouse offers excellent discounts on a wide variety of gift cards, but of course, they're mostly sold in bulk. To receive the deal, you'll need to buy multiple gift cards for a particular business or experience.

Gift cards for restaurants, cinemas, sports events, and concerts are some of the options on hand. If you're always ordering from chain restaurants like Peet's Coffee or Papa John's, pick up a bulk purchase of $100 in gift cards for just under $80, and you'll save 20% in the long run. You'll also find gift cards for travel experiences and video game downloads. 

It's worth noting that there are limits as to how many gift cards you can buy, with some of the offers having a maximum purchase of two per membership. Meanwhile, one hack for people who don't yet have a Costco membership is to ask a member to purchase a Costco shop gift card for them, which can be used by non-members online or in a store. If you're on the fence about getting your own membership, this is a great way to see what the shopping experience is like before committing. 

Failing To Pay Attention To The Return Policy

Costco has a very generous return policy, and one you'll want to be familiar with if you're a regular customer. The company's risk-free 100% satisfaction guarantee is just one more way that Costco simplifies the shopping process for members, who most likely don't even need to bring a receipt to make the return, since all purchases are recorded under their membership number.

On the one hand, the warehouse is very flexible about returns, making it extremely easy to bring back products you weren't satisfied with or realized you didn't actually want or need. If you're on the fence about an item, simply get it with the rest of your shopping haul and give it a try, if you don't mind possibly making a return trip if you're less than overjoyed about it.

However, it's important to note that although many returns can be made at any time following the purchase, some items must be returned within 90 days for a refund. Considering these include big-ticket items like electronics and appliances, you'll want to be clear about what's accepted at the return desk and within what time frame.

Not Knowing The Scoop About Prices

If you really want to make your Costco shopping trip even better , you'll want to pay attention to price tags — and not just the digits left of the decimal point. As it turns out, the two numbers on the right, along with a special symbol, divulge information that may be worth your time. Whether it's financial influencers or Costco employees spilling the beans, the secrets about Costco prices are becoming increasingly divulged, providing consumers with even more chances to shop smart and save.

For starters, the default price tag ends in ".99," which indicates that the item is priced at regular cost. Clearance items end with ".97," but aren't otherwise marked as being on sale. The tag will indicate the date the price was reduced, and this doesn't necessarily only happen once. Look out for prices ending in ".00," which denotes a manager's special; these will be some of the lowest markdowns you'll find, and they often include the last few units of a product, or sometimes a floor model. Depending on the item, you'll want to make sure it's in good condition.

Price tags ending with nines, from ".49," to ".89," are a bit less straightforward, and suggest the product may or may not be on sale. These could include items that are being tested for popularity at that particular store. However, if your favorite Costco buy suddenly has an asterisk on the tag, grab as many as you can, because it will no longer be restocked.

Read the original article on Tasting Table .

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Can Costco Travel Save You Money On Your Next Trip?

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

Hardcore Costco fans -- myself included -- agree on one thing: Costco doesn't carry every brand or item, but if Costco carries what you're looking for, it almost always has it at an incredible price. So a natural question for Costco fans who like to explore the world is, can you save money with Costco Travel?

Of course, planning a trip for your family is a lot more complicated than buying humongous boxes of cereal, but Costco Travel -- an arm of the big-box chain -- has plenty to offer. It's a bit like being a treasure hunter roaming the aisles: You'll need to work a little to find out if Costco has the best deal -- but we've done some of the legwork for you.

Let's take a look:

Costco Travel currently partners with the following hotel brands:

For the purposes of this article, I started with Fairmont for comparisons. I chose the Fairmont Mayakoba Resort in Riviera Maya (just south of Cancun). The Costco Travel website displayed the cheapest room type as a Deluxe Casita King. A three-night stay, with breakfast included, in November priced out at $844.97.

On the Fairmont website, the same stay priced out at $859.96 but did not appear to include a $22 per night resort fee. In a live chat session, a Costco Travel rep noted the resort fee was included in their price.

However, Fairmont is part of LeClub Accor Hotels. Accor offers up to a 10% discount to members of its loyalty program. In the case of Fairmont Mayakoba, it offers a 5% discount, which would knock about $50 off the reservation, bringing the direct booking cost relatively close to that of Costco Travel.

It's also worth noting that this specific property has a number of different room types. If you're looking for the cheapest room rate at this property, Costco Travel didn't actually have it. Fairmont's website displayed a cheaper room type with a rate that included breakfast like the Costco Travel rate. This is a good example of why you need to check multiple sources to verify you're getting the best deal.

Related: The Best Hotel Chains for Families

Hyatt is a different story. In the past, TPG had found that the Costco discount with Hyatt was 10% at most properties. A customer service agent at Costco Travel told TPG for this story that the discount varies by property -- which we found in our search results as well.

Like Fairmont, we started our search around Cancun. Costco Travel showed significant discounts at Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya . The Hyatt website quoted us a rate of $2,214 for a three-night stay. Costco Travel clocked in at $1,992.90. On top of that, you'd save about another $75 on that stay if you have the Costco Executive Membership plus the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi. (Of course, spending 25,000 World Of Hyatt points per night to stay there will sometimes be the best deal of all.)

Priceline, which we checked to see where it stacked up against booking directly with Hyatt or through Costco Travel, came in about $100 cheaper than booking direct with Hyatt but $100+ more than Costco Travel. Hyatt and Costco Travel had much more flexible cancellation policies than Priceline.

We also decided to dig in to the New York market with Hyatt. At the Hyatt Union Square New York, Costco Travel presented a rate of $1,308.66 all-in; I could book the exact same room type from Hyatt on the same flexible booking terms for $1,279.82 for the dates in question. Hyatt also offered a members an advance purchase rate that was another $10 or so cheaper per night. A quick check of Priceline had its rate at almost $1,400.

We also looked at Hyatt Place New York/Midtown-South. Our sample dates showed booking directly with Hyatt resulted in the exact same price as Costco Travel. You could save a few bucks if you have an Executive Membership and the Costco credit card, but keep in mind that as of late 2018, Hyatt Place no longer offers free breakfast unless you book directly with Hyatt .

Rental Cars

As with hotels, Costco Travel is not a guaranteed-cheapest, one-stop shop when it comes to car rentals, but it can be a winner if you are looking to rent with Alamo, Avis, Budget or Enterprise. It can also be a winner if you are looking for an included authorized driver. Mommy Points and her dad just used the heck out of that perk on a recent multi-generation trip to Hawaii . (Make sure you pay for the rental with a card that offers primary rental car coverage such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve.)

Our first search was in Miami for a three-day weekend. Costco Travel presented Avis as the cheapest for our sample dates, at $171 all-in for a full-size car rental. The Chase Ultimate Rewards portal clocked in at $192.01 with the cheapest option being from Dollar.

Priceline found a rate of $120 from a company called Easirent, which I've never heard of. If you're comfortable renting directly from Sixt (I would be), its rate was $152.

On a search at LAX, we found similar results. Costco Travel had the lowest rate of $170 from Avis for a full-size car rental. The Chase Ultimate Rewards portal found a much higher rate of $219.62 for a full-size car from Dollar.

If you include booking direct from Sixt in the mix, Priceline found a $136 rate for a full-size car rental on our sample dates. Last, we put a request into AutoSlash . It does a great job of not only finding excellent prices on car rentals but also tracking your car rental to find lower prices after you book. AutoSlash found that cheap Sixt rate that Costco Travel didn't have access to. Bottom line, Costco sometimes has the best rate for those rental companies it offers, but those rental companies aren't always the cheapest in a given market.

Theme Parks

Costco Travel can help you save money at Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando, as well as at Disneyland in California. As a self-avowed Disney nerd, even I was surprised by the savings on park tickets and hotel rooms. Costco Travel also sells vacation packages for Disney World, both with and without flights.

Related: Best Credit Cards for Theme Parks

For our sample package, we chose a package of a hotel and theme park tickets. We also chose one of the Marriott-affiliated properties, the Dolphin -- though Costco Travel does have other a good mix of other options both on- and off-site.

While you may give up some perks, staying off-site at Disney World and using your hotel points can save you a bunch of money on a Disney World vacation. ( Here's our full report on the best hotels you can book using points for your Disney World vacation .)

But if that's not an option, Costco Travel can save you a lot of money over normal cash rates. On our sample dates, Costco quoted us $3,452.89 for five nights at the Walt Disney World Dolphin resort and five days of Park Hopper tickets for two adults and two kids ages 3–9. When we priced that separately, the hotel would have cost $2,301 and the park tickets would have cost an additional $2,200.34, for a total of $4,501.34. A savings of more than $1,000 for a Disney World vacation? That's a lot of extra cash for Dole Whips and Hei Hei cones.

Costco Travel offers more modest (but still meaningful) savings at Universal Orlando. We priced out five days at the Loews Portofino Hotel, one of the hotels at Universal that include Express Passes, Universal's version of FastPass. The hotel rates are on the expensive side, but if you plan to visit Harry Potter's domain or other popular parts of Universal, the Express Pass benefits are something to strongly consider.

Costco Travel priced out five nights at Loews Portofino with two-park, park-to-park tickets for all five days of the stay at $2,880.75. This price included two adults and two children ages 3–9. Booking directly on the Universal Orlando website was $230 more, for a total of $3,116.52. (Though we have to point out that if you have The Platinum Card® from American Express and book Loews Portofino via the Amex Fine Hotel and Resorts program , you get perks like free breakfast, late check-out, etc.)

Cruises are the one category of travel where you can still reliably save money using a travel agent. That's because most travel agents will rebate you a portion of the total price of your cruise in the form of an onboard credit to spend on the ship. Costco Travel is no different, though its rebate is in the form of a Costco Cash Card.

Costco Travel has a long list of cruise partners. Popular options such as Carnival, Disney, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean are available, along with some more boutique cruise operations like Azamara Club Cruises. Since our own Mommy Points recently returned from a Disney Cruise and I booked a Disney Cruise a couple of months ago via Costco Travel, I focused my attention there.

Disney Cruise Line pricing is fairly standard across most sites. This may give the impression that you're better off booking directly with Disney. However, Costco offers a Costco Cash Card with every Disney cruise we researched. The amounts vary, but generally weigh in at about 8% of your total spending. That's one of the better "rebates" available on a Disney Cruise.

About two weeks after we returned from our Disney cruise this year, we had a Costco Cash Card in the mail for the amount promised. Obviously, if you're not a big spender at Costco, it could take you a while to burn through a big cash card -- but that's not a problem in our household.

In addition to the Costco Cash Card, you can still earn the 2% and 3% discounts, respectively, for Executive Membership and the Costco credit card. With the prices of some Disney Cruises, this can definitely add up. Last, you can save additional money with a Disney cruise when you book through Costco Travel because it allows you to pay with a Disney gift card. There are a number of ways to purchase Disney Gift Cards at a discount .

Related: How to Book a Cruise Using Miles and Points

Cruise Critic and CruiseCompete can be great resources when trying to compare fares that travel agencies are offering, though you generally won't find Costco's pricing advertised on those sites, so check Costco Travel directly.

Royal Caribbean is another popular cruise line I would recommend, both for families and couples. I took a peek at how Costco Travel's pricing for Royal Caribbean compared to other choices. Since an Alaska cruise has been on our family's wish list, I priced out a seven-night cruise from Vancouver to Seward in July 2020 on Radiance of the Seas.

For a family of four with two children ages 3 and 9, Royal Caribbean's website quoted me a price of $4,393.72 for a room with an ocean view. Although I have elite status with Royal Caribbean, I did not include any discounts that status might offer. However, Royal Caribbean was offering a $75 onboard credit if booked directly with them. Royal Caribbean has been running more promotions lately, but I don't generally find their cheapest price all-in via its website.

CruiseDirect.com quoted me the exact same price as Royal Caribbean's website but its price included a $175 onboard credit. (This is typically how I see Royal Caribbean's pricing. It mandates that all travel agencies sell at the same price but don't get too picky if those travel agents offer a rebate in the form of onboard credit.)

Costco Travel's website initially quoted me a price of $4,488.72. That puzzled me, so I used the excellent live chat feature. An agent confirmed that the pricing was a glitch and should be exactly the same as the Royal Caribbean website. Costco Travel's price also included a $260 Costco Cash Card.

If you value the Costco Cash Card as cash (I do), then Costco Travel's price was $85 cheaper than CruiseDirect and $185 cheaper than booking with Royal Caribbean direct. As a general rule, I've seen onboard credit as high as 10% of the booking price of our cruise as a rebate from travel agents when booking Royal Caribbean.

Saving On Travel at Costco Beyond Costco Travel

If you have a Costco membership, Costco Travel isn't the only way to save on travel. You'll also find deals at Costco.com and your local warehouse.

Right now, Costco.com has two interesting Universal Hollywood deals. The first is a three-visit pass for $139.99 . One-day tickets to Universal Hollywood range between $109 and $129 for a single day without Express Passes. Although this deal has a few blackout dates (essentially the week between Christmas and New Year's), this represents a phenomenal saving opportunity. You have 12 months from your first visit to use the additional two days in the park, which is plenty of flexibility.

Costco is also selling discounted 18-month passes that allow unlimited access with some blackout dates. The passes are $219.99 on the Costco website right now. Universal Hollywood doesn't sell this exact pass on its website, but their Gold Pass, which allows for 12 months of access and has similar blackout dates, sells for a higher $319. Check the blackout dates on Costco.com, but this pass can be a great deal for Universal Hollywood regulars.

Warehouse deals are generally geared to regional or local attractions. Living near Washington, DC, we've scored discounted tickets to Hersheypark and lift tickets for nearby ski mountains.

Keep an eye out around the holidays for Gaylord and other hotel gift cards. Marriott owns the small chain and the gift cards are generally valid at most Marriott hotels.

Bottom Line

Costco Travel isn't always the cheapest option out there and doesn't have every travel booking partner you may be interested in, but there are times when it does offer the best publicly available deal we could find. We found the best values were on hotel bookings, travel to Disney World, Disney Cruises and on car rentals when you wanted to use one of the brands available via Costco.

It's also worth a mention that in our tests, the live chat feature was extremely helpful and staffed by Costco Travel reps who know their travel. In most cases, you'll probably want to start your booking searches elsewhere, but be sure to compare Costco Travel before you commit. In the case of Disney Cruises, Costco Travel may be the only stop you'll need.

Savings from Costco Travel can absolutely pay for a Costco membership, currently $60. Remember that it's also possible to earn up to 5% off any of Costco Travel's listed prices. Costco Executive Members earn a 2% rebate on travel while Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi cardholders earn an additional 3% rebate on eligible travel expenses.

Edward Pizzarello covers family travel for TPG Family and also blogs at Pizza in Motion . You can find him podcasting at Miles to Go and eating doughnuts on Twitter and Instagram .