8 Fascinating Secrets That Will Change Your Costco Shopping Experience

Even if you've held a Costco membership since 1983 when the first official Costco opened its doors, there may be a few insider secrets you've never heard about. While some of these may be old news, you may just find a nugget or two of info to use on your next Costco run.

1. It's okay to call ahead

Whether you're planning a party for 10 or 100, you probably know that Costco sells a variety of platters for every occasion. What you may not know is that party platters can sell out fast. In fact, all it takes is one social butterfly swinging by to snap up everything on display. You can save yourself a hassle by calling the deli department a day early to let them know you'll be coming by and the type of platters you need.

Whether you're celebrating a birthday or the purchase of a new home, enjoying good food is half the fun.

2. It's also okay to place a food court order early, too

There's no need to place the order a day early, but if you'd like to take an 18-inch pizza home to the family, place the order before you begin to shop. Imagine checking out with a full shopping card and the knowledge that dinner is already made.

3. If everything seems oddly out of place, there's a good reason for it

Costco continually cycles stock around its stores. According to Reader's Digest, Costco refers to the practice as a "treasure hunt," but what those sneaky characters are actually trying to do is encourage shoppers to spend more time scanning the aisles.

After all, the more time you spend looking around the store, the more likely you are to find another product you want to add to your cart. The trick is to only pick up what you need and avoid loading your cart down with items that will send your household budget totally off-course.

4. If everything is in exactly the same spot, there's also a good reason for it

But wait! There's an exception to the whole "moving things around" rule. If an item sells particularly well in one spot, it's going to remain in that spot for the foreseeable future. So, if that delicious maple syrup is selling like hot cakes, it's probably going to be in the same place the next time you're in the store.

5. That's the dinner bell you're hearing

If you happen to hear a bell go off near the back of the store, you might want to head back to the deli. That bell signals that fresh rotisserie chickens have just been put out. These birds are delicious and the cost won't drain your bank account.

6. If you see it and like it, you probably ought to buy it

Costco is not a place to leave something you need on a shelf. That's because there is no additional storage, and what you see displayed is all the store has in stock. Additionally, if there's an asterisk in the upper right corner of a price tag, that means the store will not be reordering the item.

7. If you missed out on a sale price, Costco has your back

If you're a relatively new Costco member, you may not realize that Costco honors its own sale prices on previous purchases. Okay, here's how it works:

• You purchase matching urns just to give your partner the creeps.
• Two weeks later, Costco runs a sale on the exact same urns.
• If you made the purchase on Costco.com, you make an online request for a price adjustment and Costco refunds you the difference between the price you paid and the sale price. The sticky bit here is that the request must be made within 30 days of purchase.
• If you purchased the (shockingly attractive) urns in-store, you take your original receipt to the customer service desk and request a price adjustment. The catch here is that the adjustment needs to take place at the Costco location where the purchase was made. Don't worry if you don't have the receipt. The customer service desk can usually look up the purchase on your account.

8. Wade in, you won't be sorry

While other retailers are famous for displaying their deepest discounts around the perimeter of the store, Costco does things a little differently. You're likely to get the best bang for your buck deeper into the heart of the store. Costco employees call it "center court," and it's where you'll find the best prices.

We're all looking for ways to save money, and it's nice to know where the bargains can be found. If Costco is your jam, you can count on hearing new insider secrets from time to time as the retailer adapts to customer feedback.