9 Types of Costco Shoppers: Which One Are You?

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Costco has a unique shopping culture that’s created several interesting shopper personas. Learn the nine most common Costco shoppers. [[{“value”:”

With great prices and a wide selection of products, Costco has amassed a huge following of loyal customers. In fact, through all its savings opportunities and offerings, we might even say the warehouse retailer has created several breeds of its own shoppers. Sure, you might think you’re a regular Costco shopper (“I only go once a month!”). But if your habits match any of the following nine, you might belong to a class of shoppers unique to Costco’s culture.

1. Kirkland die-hards

Kirkland die-hards are brand ambassadors of Kirkland Signature products. It might be hard to spot them at a Costco store, but in their homes it’s clear where their loyalties lie: Everything is signed by the Kirkland name. Olive oil, toilet paper, paper towels, coffee grounds, wines, batteries — If Costco has packaged it under its label, you can bet the Kirkland die-hards have tried it at least once.

2. Weekday shoppers

We might also call these the shrewdest of the bunch. These shoppers are averse to lines and crowds and know the best time to shop at Costco is during the week. You might even see them pushing their carts in the — gasp — center of the aisle, because, guess what? They don’t have to worry about people coming up behind them or bumping into them upfront.

3. Stock-uppers

Whether they live far away from a Costco warehouse or they’re preparing for a doomsday scenario, the stock-uppers show up at Costco and buy a van-load of stuff to last a presumably long, long time. They’re not necessarily hoarders. They’re just taking advantage of what Costco does best: Giving us supremely good deals when we buy in bulk.

4. One-time purchasers

Of course, you don’t have to buy in bulk to help your personal finances at Costco, and the one-time purchasers know this well. Truth is, Costco frequently runs good deals on single items, like electronics, appliances, travel packages, outdoor equipment, and car tires. It might even be worth it to buy a Costco membership for a single purchase, but only if the savings are big enough to be worth the effort.

5. Samplers

The samplers give Costco’s sampling representatives a job to do. They never say no to a sample, even if they truly have no interest in buying it, and you can sometimes see them circling the aisles with almost nothing in their carts.

Another kind of sampler are those who are enthusiastic about Costco’s return policy. We might say they return things with a little more giddiness than others, treating it as an extension of the sampling stands. These shoppers, like all Costco members, can return most items at any time for a full refund, but they shouldn’t use the privilege too liberally. Costco could terminate your membership if you’re abusing its policy.

6. Executives

As you might guess, executives have an Executive Costco membership and earn 2% back on their Costco purchases. Every now and then, you might see them paying with their cash back vouchers (usually in March or April), which hopefully amount to more than $60, as they have to pay $60 extra each year ($120) to be a part of this group.

7. Fashionistas

A refined class of Costco shoppers, these members know how to spot the best deals on clothes. Most importantly, they know when Kirkland Signature clothes match the style of a more fashionable label, resulting in savings when the clothes, though indistinguishable, are much different in price. If you befriend a Costco fashionista, hold on to them for as long as you can — they’re an invaluable asset when you’re shopping for new clothes.

8. The budgeteers

The budgeteers are a very peculiar class of Costco shoppers. Typically, you can spot them by one characteristic: They carry their purchases out of Costco in one or two hands. Yes, no cart needed. We might say they’re ultra-disciplined, ultra-focused, ultra-rigid. Truth is, they’re on a strict budget and are not fazed by all the great, low-priced, tasty products that are not within their spending limits.

Truly, I admire the budgeteers, since they can squeeze value out of a Costco membership without letting it generate excess consumerism. You won’t see them walking out of Costco with a three-pound bag of Haribo gummy bears (which are great by the way and have lasted me one and a half months).

9. Instacarters

A relatively new breed of Costco shoppers, the Instacarters don’t shop at Costco warehouses. They order their groceries through Instacart or Costco’s app. Of course, they know by doing so they’re paying slightly more for each Costco product, as there’s a surcharge for buying things online. But if it means avoiding traffic and parking, the Instacarters are willing to pay a little extra to shop from their couches.

This list isn’t meant to be exhaustive (we didn’t even touch on the foodcourters). But next time you’re at Costco, take a look around. Chances are you’ll spot a few examples of these personas, or demonstrate one or several of them yourself.

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