Navigating Seasonal Items at Costco

Most items are always available at Costco. You can always buy most food items (e.g., milk; yogurt; cereal; pasta), paper goods, toiletries, etc. anytime. However, some items are are only available during certain times of year because they are seasonal/weather-related or holiday-related. I found an article with some tips about seasonal shopping so I will list them and also add my own experiences.

**Note: I reference several products that *may* be certified for Passover. Obviously, check before using on Passover.**

1. Know when seasonal sales begin

According to the article, seasonal items become available one to three months before the season begins. (E.g., summer clothing appears in May; winter items by November;  Halloween candy in August). 

The seasonal patterns have always been noticeable. I remember growing up and needing to start buying items months before I actually needed them. It was always disappointing to be in “Summer mode” and seeing the arrival of “back to school” clothing and supplies. With respect to Costco’s seasonal items, I don’t know how much the patterns differ, depending on the climate. For example, there are like more changes in items that depend on weather in Boston (and as we saw in Canada (Costco in Canada (International Series #1)) than in places where weather rarely changes.

2. Know when seasonal sales end

The author writes that the general seasonal items tend to be gone halfway through the season (or earlier, if the products are sold out before then; e.g., many summer items gone by early July; all summer items gone by August). In contrast, holiday items are available until right after the holiday (unless sold out before then). 

It is helpful to know that seasonal items are likely to be gone before the season ends. I am not surprised, as this pattern occurs in other stores as well. However, it is a good reminder to buy seasonal items early.

3. Know the best time to get deals 

The author mentions that the best deals on seasonal items is right at the end of the season. However, she cautions that the timing can be difficult, because Costco changes inventory quickly in order to move to new products. For example, because bathing suits are likely to stop being available in early July, any remaining inventory will be discounted this month. However, after July, it is unlikely that bathing suits will remain in the store. 

This tip is helpful for items that are good to have bit not essential, as their availability is not guaranteed. For example, if one would like to save money on an extra winter coat, it helps to know that the best deals may be in mid-Winter. However, clearly people in colder climates need a coat earlier and therefore cannot wait until mid-Winter to buy a coat. 

4. Know what Costco sells for the holidays

The article provides a list of the items available for many of the major holidays so that members can know what to expect and look for. The items are as follows:

-Valentine’s Day: floral arrangements, chocolate assortments, stuffed animals

-Easter: gift baskets, floral arrangements

-Halloween: costumes, bulk candy, outdoor decor

-Thanksgiving: pumpkin-flavored products, indoor decor

-Christmas: gift wrap, decorations, trees, lights, gift baskets, candy and chocolate assortments, a selection of toys beyond what’s usually available

Being Jewish, I don’t celebrate most of these holidays. I focus more on the different food items that Costco tends to carry for the Jewish holidays. For example, although Costco has decreased its selection for Rosh Hashanah over the past few years (Disappointing Costco performance for the Jewish New Year), they still tend to sell brisket and kugel (Product Review: Golden Taste Broccoli Kugel) at that time of year. The Passover selection has also decreased. However, I can usually still find brisket, kugels, certified fish (Product Review: Golden Taste Tuna Deluxe); (Product Review: Bluehill Bay Smoked Whitefish Salad); (Product Review: Foppen Hot Smoked Salmon); (Product Review:Kirkland Signature Smoked Salmon)), Cole slaw (Product Review: Golden Taste Cole Slaw), gefilte fish, cakes (Product Review: World of Chantilly Passover 7-layer cake), macaroons (Product Review: Haddar Chocolate Drizzled Coconut Macaroons), matzah, and candy.

5. How to stay informed about Costco’s seasonal deals

Costco members receive a book in the mail every month with information about the new and discounted items. This information is also available online. 

I always look up the book online to know about the monthly deals. However, this book will not contain information about sales due to items being discontinued (Price endings are not random).

6. Shop at Costco regularly 

According to the article, the most effective strategy for being informed about seasonal sales is shopping frequently at Costco. Apparently, even seasonal items change frequently. In addition, the prices may change (Price endings are not random), depending on how quickly they sell. 

I have definitely found that I need to keep going to the store for the holiday food. For example, when shopping for Passover, the fish (Product Review: Golden Taste Tuna Deluxe); (Product Review: Bluehill Bay Smoked Whitefish Salad); (Product Review: Foppen Hot Smoked Salmon); (Product Review:Kirkland Signature Smoked Salmon)) may be certified over a month in advance due to when the factory changes/cleans its equipment for the holiday. In contrast, the cakes (Product Review: World of Chantilly Passover 7-layer cake) are often the last to arrive at the store. However, if one waits to buy the earlier items until the later ones are available , the earlier ones  may be sold out. Therefore, we have occasionally gone several times (even multiple times a week) leading up to the holiday to be able to get what we want. 

Were you aware of these seasonal patterns? If so, have you taken advantage of them? If not, will you now take advantage of them?