Beware of These Costco Shopping Tricks
By DB
@dgobucks226 (37621)
January 11, 2020 4:57pm CST
I'm sure food stores try certain strategies to get you to buy more food items. After all, their a business and need to maximize profits, right? Of course they do and here are some tricks one chain, Costco, uses to get you to spend more money while shopping there.
1. Free samples- who doesn't like "free." "Many studies have shown that providing free samples can boost sales by at least 30 percent, influencing you to buy things you never planned on purchasing." I've fallen victim to that one, how about you?
2. No Express Lines- If your going to have to wait on line for awhile you probably won't buy just a few items. No, your going to make it worth your time.
3. Shopping Cart Size- Costco recently purchased new larger shopping carts. Sounds like it's just for convenience but perhaps a subtle way to get you to fill them up with more items, yes?
4. Confusing Layouts- Costco stores are enormous and finding items your looking for can be like a treasure hunt. So, it's a way to keep you in the store longer in hopes of you spending more.
5. Selling A Few Items For A Small Profit- One item I always buy at Costco is their rotisserie chickens. It's a great buy compared with ones sold in supermarkets. But that loss is Costco's gain by getting me to overspend on other items while there.
6. Everything is a Bulk Buy- while some items make sense to buy in bulk, many others do not.
So, if your a Costco shopper have you fallen for any of these tricks? Or if not, does the store you shop at use similar ways to get you to spend more?
Source- Best Life
13 people like this
12 responses
@dgobucks226 (37621)
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13 Jan 20
How about grocery stores? Notice any gimmicks they use to make you buy more items?
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Jan 20
I used to shop at Costco, but then realized I was spending more money than I would have if I had just gone to a regular grocery store. When I started dong some checking, it turned out I was pretty much still paying the same price for food items, even though I was buying them in bulk. I let my membership expire and I just shop at the grocery store now.
But, with that being said, there are still some amazing deals available at Costco, if you know where to look!
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@dgobucks226 (37621)
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13 Jan 20
That is very true about bulk buying on many of their items. Items like paper towels, toilet tissue, napkins and many food items are really not cheaper. I do like trying out some of their item brands I would not find in my grocery store and enjoy their rotisserie chickens.
Costco does have an overwhelming stock and variety of items. Another trick to keep you shopping as you wander the aisles looking at their different products.
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@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
15 Jan 20
@dgobucks226 I'm not going to lie, I love gong to Costco and walking up and down the aisles looking at all the great merchandise and food items they have for sale!
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@LadyDuck (502491)
• Italy
12 Jan 20
We do not ave Costco here, but as a general rule in a grocery store, I accept some free samples, but I test first and I buy ONLY if I really liked the samples. We always use the "self cashiers", no waiting at all, so we do not look around and buy unwanted stuff. I buy bulk some things (like toilet paper) never food, we are only two.
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@LadyDuck (502491)
• Italy
14 Jan 20
@dgobucks226 I always compare the unit prices and I never buy those big packages that are only good if you have a 10 persons family. You end up throwing food.
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@dgobucks226 (37621)
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13 Jan 20
I also use the self cashiers whenever possible. I try to check the unit prices when comparing different brands. It's surprising what saving you find.
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@dgobucks226 (37621)
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15 Jan 20
@LadyDuck Yes, good point there about the big packages 
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@dgobucks226 (37621)
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13 Jan 20
In our grocery stores I notice many items like chewing gum, People magazine, tic tacs and other candy products right at the checkout line.
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@JudyEv (382109)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Jan 20
@dgobucks226 Yes, they're all there in the hope that you'll buy something.
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@LindaOHio (222417)
• United States
12 Jan 20
Most stores use those tactics. We don't have a Costco; but I stick to a list anyway.
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@LindaOHio (222417)
• United States
14 Jan 20
@dgobucks226 I haven't shopped at a department store in years. I buy as much online as I can.
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@dgobucks226 (37621)
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13 Jan 20
Many stores like to put items right where you walk inside to get you to impulse buy.
Costco does the same thing putting the big ticket items like electronics, TV's and other products right in front where you walk in the store. And they are always deep discounted to entice you to splurge.
Have you ever experienced this in the department stores you shop at?
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@porwest (112876)
• United States
11 Jan 20
I know all the tricks. They can't get me. I am just too anal retentive about my shopping habits and too tight with my wallet. I shop by unit cost almost exclusively, so even if you dupe me into buying more of something, I am ultimately still saving money. Incidentally, I have not been a member of Sam's Club or Costco for years, and really never found the 'deals' at either place to be all that fantastic. If you SHOP, if you KNOW your prices, you quickly see what LOOKS like a good deal is actually NOT. That has been my experience.
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@dgobucks226 (37621)
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13 Jan 20
Yes, I too have the anal gene and also look at unit prices. I only shop at stores that not only offer discounts but offer coupon savings so I can combine them whenever possible. I comparison shop to find the best prices on pretty much everything I buy.
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@porwest (112876)
• United States
16 Jan 20
@dgobucks226 Great minds think alike as the old saying goes.
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@dgobucks226 (37621)
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13 Jan 20
I like to compare online prices too. Costco's store design is definitely like a huge warehouse. Which makes one think they offer everything at the cheapest prices.
Grocery stores try some of these same tricks like putting impulse buy items as you enter the store or
chewing gum, People magazine, Tic Tacs and other candy products right at the checkout line.
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@KristenH (33591)
• Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
14 Jan 20
@dgobucks226 Thanks for the tips. Maybe someday....
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@dgobucks226 (37621)
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13 Jan 20
It's not all bad Kristen. If you can stay focused on your shopping list some of their items are good.
I do like trying out some of their item brands I would not find in my grocery store and enjoy their rotisserie chickens. It can be a fun treasure hunt if you stay disciplined 
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@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
12 Jan 20
I don't have a Costco membership, but I do have a Sam's membership, and yes, I've seen those tricks. I've fallen victim to the 'free' samples many times. The store layout is another one, especially when you don't go often and then they change things up. I always liked buying in bulk. Now, I don't have the room for it.
2 people like this
@dgobucks226 (37621)
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13 Jan 20
Totally agree with those comments Valerie. Yep, I too have been suckered by the free samples and bought the product. Excellent point about the store layout, exactly! That's another trick Costco uses unlabeled aisles to get you to wander around and impulse buy.
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@dgobucks226 (37621)
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13 Jan 20
I enjoy the sample idea. Sometimes I will buy the item if the taste is really good. On occasion I like trying out new things.
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@dgobucks226 (37621)
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10 Feb 20
Yes we do. I've fallen victim to the sample trick..
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@Hannihar (130150)
• Israel
30 Jan 20
@dgobucks226
We do not have Costco here. Thank you DB for sharing that. All of that can apply at grocery stores outside of the United States too. You made very good points.
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@Hannihar (130150)
• Israel
1 Feb 20
@dgobucks226
So so true DB and thank you for posting it. We do not have Costco here so I really do not know anything about them.
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@dgobucks226 (37621)
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1 Feb 20
Sure thing Hanni! I thought it would be helpful to post. I agree it can apply to other stores as well.
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