Costco’s ‘Death Star’ symbol has a hidden meaning every shopper should know

Costco is much more than a place to buy paper towels in bulk. The warehouse experience isn’t quite complete without trying a sample (or three) and adding something unfamiliar to your cart—but the inventory at each Costco warehouse is unique and constantly rotates to make room for new products. Luckily, Costco will give you a warning before discontinuing products: All you have to do is look for the Death Star.

While this little-known symbol is colloquially called the Death Star among Costco super-fans, it isn’t actually a Star Wars space station. It’s an asterisk in the top right corner of the price tag. The Death Star denotes that your warehouse will soon stop stocking that product.

What the asterisk doesn’t tell you, however, is if or when Costco is planning to bring the product back. “That doesn't mean that it's always going to be discontinued forever,” said David Schwartz, co-author of The Joy of Costco: A Treasure Hunt from A to Z, in a 2023 interview with Delish. “That could mean that it's gonna be given a rest for three months, and then come back.”

Death Stars are commonly used for seasonal products, like Christmas decorations, Halloween costumes, and holiday food items. They are also placed on tags for products that warehouse buyers deem to be unpopular.

But don’t despair! Costco members still have the chance to make their voices heard and request that items return. You’ll likely have to wait until next year for seasonal products, but there are ways to convince Costco to bring back soon-to-be-retired items.

Schwartz, along with his wife and co-author Susan, recommends that you stock up once you see the Death Star. The increased demand in that particular product signals to Costco product buyers that they should restock it.

If it’s too late and your favorite items are gone, you can also reach out to your warehouse directly. Send your local Costco an email to inquire about specific products and request a restock. If they’re already planning to put the item back on the shelf, the team will let you know when it will return.