--- title: 9 Costco Price Tag Secrets Longtime Members Know description: Costco shoppers often speculate about what various prices at the retailer mean. Here are what members think nine different tags mean. authors: - name: Marc Guberti url: https://money.com/author/marc-guberti/ bio: Marc Guberti is a personal finance writer who hosts Breakthrough Success, a podcast where he teaches listeners how to grow their businesses and achieve personal transformations. at_money_since: 2024 articles: 468 covers: - Shopping - Banking - Career Advice - Credit - Credit Cards - Debt - Economy and Politics - Health and Wellness - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Pets - Professional Services - Retirement - Taxes published: '2026-11-09T14:30:30.000Z' section: Shopping word_count: 603 canonical: https://money.com/costco-price-tag-secrets/ type: Article source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** Money may earn a commission when you click on the products and services below. Opinions are our own, but compensation and in-depth research determine where and how they appear. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/) about how we make money. ![Costco wholesale storefront](https://img.money.com/2026/10/Explainer-Costco-Price-Secrets.jpg) Why do the price of some Costco products end with 99 cents, and others end with 88 cents? What does an asterisk mean, and when might prices drop again? Members of the retailer speculate widely on social media about Costco’s price changes, and what signals that price changes are coming. Costco doesn’t officially confirm these patterns, so there’s no way to be sure that members are right about what certain signals mean. But here are some ways that shoppers interpret the price changes at Costco. ## 1\. Regular prices end with 99 cents Shoppers say if a price ends with 99 cents, it’s a regularly-priced item and it will likely be on Costco shelves at the same price the next time you visit. ## 2\. Clearance prices end with 97 cents When a Costco product’s price ends with 97 cents, speculative shoppers say it’s usually a sign that the company wants to sell inventory quickly to make room for something new. The price may continue to drop further if inventory continues to move slowly. ## 3\. Manager markdown prices end with zero or 88 cents Members believe a flat price tag often indicates a manager markdown. You may not find this price tag for the same item at a different Costco location since it’s based on individual locations. They say prices that end with 88 cents are another example of a manager markdown that you may not see in other Costco stores. It usually applies to specific items, which could mean ones that have been returned, so you should give the product a closer inspection before buying. ## 4\. Prices ending with 49 or 79 cents Not everyone agrees on what on what prices ending with 49 or 79 cents mean for a Costco product. Some shoppers argue that it’s connected to a manufacturer detail, while others say it is standard pricing. Either way, it’s cheaper than the standard price ending with 99 cents. ## 5\. An asterisk is the ‘death star’ The asterisk, often called the “death star” by members, is believed to indicate that an item will not be restocked. They say this is your last chance to buy this particular product, and it is storewide. ## 6\. The strongest buy signal The asterisk and a price ending in 97 cents may indicate that Costco wants to quickly clear a product from its shelves and not restock it. This combination is often a major buying signal for people who want discounts and the ability to buy a certain product one last time. ## 7\. When a price might drop again If you see a markdown without an asterisk, it’s possible that the product will continue to get cheaper if sales are slow. Shoppers say it’s an idea good to periodically check this product to see if the price has changed, because the price likely isn’t as firm as something that ends in 99 cents. ## 8\. The small date shows when the price last changed The Costco price tag may have a small date that indicates when the price was last changed. Some customers use this information to their advantage in clearance sections and for products with the price tag ending in 97 cents. If the small date isn’t recent, and an item is still on clearance, it may suggest that another price cut is on the way. ## 9\. Green tags mean an item is organic Shoppers say that a green tag is reserved for organic food. However, it’s still a good idea to read labels since not every organic item may contain a green tag. 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