The wholesale club has been quietly rolling out a new product availability feature on its mobile app and website in recent weeks that shows whether an item is in-stock at a particular location.
Available in select markets (including the area near Costco's headquarters near Seattle), the tool lets shoppers know if a product is at a local warehouse, though it stops short of showing where the item can be found within the building.
A screenshot of the feature on Costco's website. The feature is also available for some users of Costco's mobile app.
Costco.com
In an interesting twist, Business Insider was able to view availability information for warehouses in Wisconsin after updating the primary location setting in the website and app to Issaquah, and then using the "Check Nearby Warehouses" option to find a closer warehouse.
The long-desired feature has been enthusiastically received by shoppers on social media.
"I just looked out the window to see if a pig flew by. My Costco app has LOCAL INVENTORY SEARCH. Amazing," X user Neil Enns posted last week.
Never one to be on the vanguard of technology, Costco's app is still years behind other major retailers, whose apps are more robust .
Walmart and Target each will tell app users where to find items in their stores, as well as how many they might expect to see when they get there.
A screenshot of Home Depot's website, which shows more granular availability info compared to Costco.
HomeDepot.com
Home Depot and Lowe's have also invested considerable resources into helping shoppers identify the right aisle and bin numbers in their sprawling warehouses to find a particular screw needed to finish a project.
Even Ace Hardware, where most locations are locally owned and operated, allows shoppers to check if an item is on the shelf of their favorite store before heading out the door.
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