If you are a regular buyer at Costco (just like me, guilty shopaholic), because of its offers and its almost infinite variety of products, we are making over the years a list of rock stars that cannot be missing in the home cupboard every month.
I have already made a list of my 6 favorite Costco products here, but I have to reveal a little thing that I left out in that article: originally there were 10, but 4 of them are no longer in stores, and there’s a reason why. It’s not as mysterious as it could sound, but you better take a look here if you don’t want to run out of your favorite Costco items.
The secret of the “death mark”
Costco, as well as the other supermarket chains, usually take out products from their shelves for different reasons, which can include the lack of stock of their suppliers (due to good sales), due to changes in the strategy of the stores or because a specific season is over.
The “death star” that no one knows about
It is highly probable that the employees at your local Costco don’t know what is the “Death Star”, if you ask them. And if you run into a heavy Star Wars fan, they will give you a whole speech about the saga and take you to some related items (and you will end buying, because they are sooo cool!). But please, let’s stay focussed: what then is the famous “star” that we are talking about?
Actually, it is not a star per se, but an asterisk that is placed on the price tag of some items that indicates to customers that this item will be taken out of circulation shortly.
It doesn’t always mean that your favorite Halloween cookies will never come back (You know I love you, Mrs. Fields cookies, don’t ever do that to me!). In cases like this, I mean, seasonal products, the asterisk appears right at the end of the season to indicate that they are about to disappear temporarily, to resurface (perhaps) next Halloween.
But, on other occasions, you may find the asterisk in the price of products that are not seasonal, so you have to be very aware to decide if you have to stock up your deposit with those cookies or those mint candies that you like to eat while you are having a nice movies Saturday in your couch.
But watch out! Before buying four hundred packs, check the expiration dates, so you won’t have a pantry full of expiring food you are not able to eat before the due date.
Sometimes, it is better to embrace the mourning for that old friend who is leaving you, and look for a new one to replace him. If you see the death mark, you can take the opportunity to find new products to love from Costco.
If you feel sad because you lost your favorite product, killed by the “death star”, you could check on this take a walk by the aisles and grab a bite to eat because Costco is bringing back the free samples!