How to Crack the Secret Costco Price Tag Code
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Paramus NJ, it’s official: get ready to buy in bulk, Bergen County! After an eight-month review process, the Paramus Planning Board unanimously approved the application for the massive discount warehouse giant, Costco Wholesale, on October 2nd.
This exciting development marks a major revitalization effort for a prime piece of commercial real estate. The new, 184,000-square-foot Costco will be built at 859 Route 17 South, replacing a site that has been largely vacant for years, including a former Stop & Shop, an adjacent Kmart, and a strip mall.
This location will be Costco’s 21st retail location in New Jersey, adding a powerful shopping magnet to the North Jersey landscape alongside existing stores in Teterboro, Wayne, Clifton, and East Hanover.
The Shopper’s Edge: Crack the Secret Costco Price Tag Code
The arrival of Costco means incredible deals, but savvy shoppers know that the true savings are hidden in plain sight. For those preparing to explore the aisles of the new Paramus location (or any Costco), we’ve cracked the retailer’s secret price tag code based on insights from current and former Costco employees and personal finance creators.
Understanding these simple number codes and symbols can tell you when to grab a deal, when to wait, and when an item is leaving the store forever!
1. The Full-Price Standard: Ends in .99
If you see a price ending in .99 (e.g., $19.99), it’s a full-priced item. This means the price reflects the best deal Costco could get from the supplier, but there are no additional store markdowns applied. You’re still getting Costco’s low baseline price, but not a special clearance.
2. Manufacturer Specials: Ends in .49, .59, .69… (Any .X9 except .99)
Prices ending in any other number besides 9 or the clearance numbers below (e.g., $15.49 or $22.69) represent special offers negotiated directly with the manufacturer. These deals might be trial runs for a new product or a push to increase sales. If you like the product, buy it now—the price is not guaranteed to drop and might even go up!
3. Manager Clearance: Ends in .00 or .88
Spotting a price ending in .00 (e.g., $10.00) or .88 (or sometimes just .8) is a clear sign of a local manager discount. These discounts are usually implemented for items that are low in stock and need to be cleared out quickly. If you see these, the item is likely almost gone and won’t be there tomorrow. Act fast!
4. The BEST Deal: Clearance Markdowns End in .97
The golden ticket for Costco shoppers is a price ending in .97 (e.g., $49.97). This signals a final clearance markdown. The item didn’t sell well, is overstocked, or is possibly a perishable item nearing its date, and management wants it gone to make space. These are the fantastic, limited-time offers you don’t want to miss.
5. The Fatal Asterisk: Goodbye Forever!
Always check the upper right corner of the price tag for a small asterisk (*). Regardless of the price ending, the asterisk means the item is pending deletion and will not be restocked in its current form. It might be discontinued, changing packaging, or seasonal. If you love it, this is your last chance!
6. The Bottom Corner: Tracking Price Changes
Veteran tag readers should look at the date listed in the bottom right corner of the tag. This date indicates when the price was last changed. If the date is old, the item might be due for a price drop soon. If the date is recent and the price ends in .97, that confirms it’s a very fresh markdown!
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Dreading the traffic nightmare. The neighbors (or Ridgewood) ought to petition or sue ASAP to have the side entrance closed off.
Paramus planning board members along with the mayor simply don’t care about the residents’ concerns about increased traffic, etc. This was very evident in the meeting where Costco was given the final approval to build.It’s all about the $$$. And for those that dismiss Paramus residents’ concerns about the new Costco, maybe the company should build in your town instead. Just a thought.
simply not true – if you follow the municipal land use law- Costco needs to prepare and submit a traffic study. if they did, and it was reviewed by the PB, then there is no foul play here.
They did and it was nonsense.
It’s a state / county road….Ridgewood ain’t gonna do dick.
You should be worried about the old Valley site where the affordable housing is going. You NIMBY’s are getting your comeuppance.
From the plans I saw there is no side entrance. Entrance and exit are both on route 17.
Fantastic promotion! Can’t wait for this to open.
I am more concerned with the 40 townhomes approved for the NW corner of E. Ridgewood Ave and Paramus Road. And if the drop a 7-11 in that little gas station on the SW corner …. forget about it!
Build baby build!