Introduction
Costco is one of the most popular wholesale stores in the world, offering a wide variety of products at unbeatable prices. Shopping at Costco can be a great way to save money, but it can also be overwhelming. Knowing when the best times to shop at Costco can help you get the most out of your shopping experience. In this article, we will discuss the absolute best times to shop at Costco, so you can get the most bang for your buck.
These Are the Absolute Best Times to Shop at Costco
Costco is one of the most popular stores in the United States, and for good reason. It offers a wide selection of products at great prices, and it’s a great place to stock up on essentials. But if you want to get the most out of your shopping experience, it’s important to know when the best times to shop at Costco are.
The first thing to consider is the store’s hours. Costco is open from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. This means that the best times to shop are during the weekdays, when the store is less crowded and you can get in and out quickly.
Another great time to shop at Costco is during the weekdays when the store is less crowded. This is especially true during the summer months, when many people are on vacation and the store is less busy. You can also take advantage of the store’s early bird specials, which are usually available from 10 a.m. to noon on weekdays.
Finally, if you’re looking for the absolute best time to shop at Costco, it’s during the holidays. The store is usually packed with shoppers looking for deals on gifts and other items, so you can often find great deals on items that you wouldn’t normally find at other stores. Plus, the store is usually open late on holidays, so you can get your shopping done even after the store closes.
No matter when you decide to shop at Costco, you can be sure that you’ll find great deals and a wide selection of products. Just remember to plan ahead and take advantage of the store’s hours and specials to get the most out of your shopping experience.
Walking into a popular grocery store during a busy time of day can almost be like charging into battle. A Gallup poll conducted in July 2022 found that 97% of U.S. adults say they grocery shop in person at least monthly, including 82% who do so at least once a week. If shoppers happen to go grocery shopping at a time when traffic is especially high, typically on the weekends and weekday evenings when people stop by stores after work, they may have to deal with picked-over grocery selections, crowded aisles, shopping cart fender benders, and long checkout lines.
No chain, especially one as beloved as Costco, can escape especially busy retail periods. But customers may be able to avoid some of the heaviest traffic if they’re selective with when they head to the popular warehouse club.
Costco fans recently took to Reddit to discuss some of the best times to shop at Costco. According to Reddit user u/Cheesetorian, the “best time” to shop at Costco is during Super Bowl.
Nearly 193 million U.S. adults planned to watch the Super Bowl LVII, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics’ 2023 Super Bowl survey. So while grocery stores across the U.S. may have seen higher-than-usual traffic in the lead-up to the big game, the roughly 193 million who planned to watch would have theoretically vacated stores before or by the time the Super Bowl commenced on Sunday evening. In turn, that would leave it emptier for others who weren’t at football watch parties or bars.
Like u/Cheesetorian, several Reddit users attested that the big game is an ideal time to shop. However, this may not be the case for every Super Bowl Sunday or Costco location, and others on Reddit noted that Costco warehouses in later time zones close by the time the game starts each year.
While the Super Bowl and its prime shopping opportunity have now passed until 2024, this is not the only chance for customers to have a more laid back Costco visit. Reddit user u/HuaMana said that Valentine’s Day evening, when many are busy with dates and romantic outings, is best for a trip to the warehouse club.
“I know this from experience,” they added.
Multiple users suggested going to Costco on Halloween evening, when trick-or-treating and parties often take priority over grocery trips. And luckily for Costco members, favorable shopping times can be found on typical weekdays rather than holidays that roll around once a year, according to customers. Reddit user u/zinky30 wrote that late morning on a weekday is ideal for a Costco trip, while others pointed specifically to Tuesday mornings.
“Tuesday at 10am. No shoppers, no samples, no salesmen…easy peasy,” u/Fearless747 wrote.
For those who don’t have a Costco membership or prefer other chains, Google Maps released data in 2020 that can help pinpoint the best and worst times to head to grocery stores in general. The busiest time for grocery stores is between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturdays, while the least busy time is 8 a.m. on Mondays.
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Zoe Strozewski