Have you ever encountered an asterisk on a Costco price tag and found yourself wondering what it means? The answer to that may have you scrambling to Costco, as you're about to learn a clever shopping hack.

Costco tags can tell you a lot if you know how to read them, and if you see an asterisk on a price tag at Costco, that means that the item won't be restocked. Even though some discontinued items have returned due to their popularity, it’s best to stock up on asterisked items while you can, because there’s no guarantee.

Full-price items at Costco will have a price tag ending in $.99, but price tags that end in $.00 or $.88 can mean that the item was returned to the store, so check it for possible damage before buying. If you see price tags ending in $.97, that means that the item has been marked down to what is typically its lowest price.