Do All Costco Locations Have The Same Limited-Time Treats?

You see a post on social media about a new, limited-time treat at Costco. You immediately head to your nearest location on a mission to try it for yourself. And when you get there, despite checking every crevice of the department where it should be, you come up with nothing. There isn't even a tag for it, signifying that your store sold out, so you console yourself with a super tasty food court hot dog. What gives? Doesn't every Costco store get the same specialty baked goods, or produce, or merchandise in general? As it happens, no, it does not.

The reason for this is likely because Costco has divvied up the United States into eight geographical regions for distribution. Some states get lumped together, like those that make up the Northeast Region: Pennsylvania, New York, and all the states up to Maine, as well as Virginia. Some regions are even city-focused, like Los Angeles and the Bay Area of San Francisco. Wyoming, Rhode Island, and West Virginia are not included in regional distribution as there are no Costco locations in these three states. 

Depending on where you live, Costco just might not have the logistics to get something like its new Italian-inspired Tiramisu Cheesecake to your store with the quality intact that it would like. Regional demand and preferences also plays a role: What customers who live in the Texas distribution area find tasty and enticing might be vastly different than the treats that people from New York or Connecticut frequently snag from the bakery aisle. 

It seems that merchandise isn't just different depending on what region you're in; what each Costco sells can also vary from store-to-store in any given city or metro area. And that's not all; prices can be different on the exact same item in different stores within the same city. Costco acknowledges these differences and explains on its website that price variations could be due to suppliers changing what they charge. Local competition may also be a factor: if a similar item is a lower price at a nearby warehouse chain like Sam's Club, for example, Costco would want to stay competitive and may adjust its price.

Another reason prices might vary among different stores in the same area is that based on different stock levels, managers may choose to discount specific items with a large markdown in order to get it sold. These prices tend to be reflected with handwriting on the printed price tag, or with prices that end in ".88" or ".00." If you see an item like a high-end cut of Wagyu steak with a handwritten markdown on its price tag, and it's a great deal, you might want to scoop it up — chances are good that the Costco across town won't be selling it for the same price.