Shopping at Costco is often described as a treasure hunt, but seasoned members know that it is actually a strategic game of inventory management. While most shoppers look only at the large bold price in the center of the signage, the real information is hidden in the corners. The most notorious symbol in the entire warehouse is a small, seven-pointed asterisk located in the upper right-hand corner of the price tag. Colloquially known among employees and superfans as the “Death Star,” this tiny mark serves as a silent alarm that signals the imminent end of a product’s life cycle on the shelf. Understanding what it means can be the difference between stocking up on a favorite item for pennies on the dollar or losing it forever.
