What Is the Costco Death Star & What Should You Do When You See It?

Diet & Food

Around here, we’re regular shoppers at Costco. I mean, with deals like these on popular items we love, how could you not be a mega fan?! While we’re constantly on the lookout for what’s new at Costco, we also make sure we stock up on all of our favorite products whenever we get the chance. After all, it is so disappointing when items sell out — or worse — disappear for months.

Well, we just found out that Costco has a sneaky way of letting shoppers know if an item won’t be restocked in the near future. Introducing: the Costco ‘Death Star,’ an asterisk you might see on the price tag next to a few products on your next trip. Read on to find out exactly what it means, and what you should do if you see the death star on your go-to picks.

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Popular Costco fan account @costcohotfinds shared the info on TikTok, and said: “My favorite coffee has the dreaded asterisk on the price tag also known as the death star at Costco. This means that it won’t be restocked at least for a period of time maybe not even again this year.” They added: “If you see the death star on your favorite item, you may want to think about stocking up.”

In summary: an item with an asterisk on the price tag means either that the item will not be restocked or the item was discontinued. While there’s no official solution to ensuring your products get restocked, a few people in the comments did have some suggestions.

“Leave feedback/suggestions in the box! Costco employees say it’s the best way to get something in/back,” wrote one user, while another chimed in to confirm: “YES THIS!!! As an ex Costco employee the feedback box is the way to go to gauge interest.”

It might not be a sure-fire way, but at the very least it brings it to Costco’s attention — which can’t hurt.