Costco is the place to go for cheap snacks for soccer games, grad party planning, and bulk purchases you don’t want to make all the time (like toilet paper and paper towels).
Many people have come to rely on Costco’s reliability in offering deep discounts on quality products. We definitely appreciate the opportunity to taste a few new things along the way, thanks to those ubiquitous free samples.
Yet, change is happening. You can still head to the retailer to save on everyday essentials , but you may find a few differences in the store. Before your next trip, check for these changes coming to Costco in 2024.
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1. Membership fee change
It’s a big change and one that most people are not going to love. Costco recently announced that it is increasing annual membership prices by $5 for its Business and Business-add-on member rates as well as US and Canada Gold Star memberships for individuals. Those memberships will now cost $65 annually.
In the US and Canada, prices will also go up on Executive Memberships, from $120 to $130. The company is also raising the maximum annual 2% Reward from $1,000 to $1250.With about 52 million memberships, about half of which are Executive level memberships, that’s a price jump that impacts many.
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After a few hours of walking the endless aisles, you may want to reward yourself with a hot dog and soda combo deal (the price is just too good to pass up!) That’s not changing.
What is changing is that you now need to have a membership to the club to order from the food court. While many stores make it hard for non-members to make food court purchases since their eateries are located in the store, others are outdoors, providing locals with access to great deals. It may be time to pay for that membership if you haven’t done so yet.
3. Changes at the helm
It’s worth noting that 2024 brought two big leadership changes for the retailer. Craig Jelinek stepped down from his 12-year role as CEO to be replaced by Ron Vachris, who has a 40-year career with the company.
Also notable is the resignation of CFO Richard Galanti after nearly 40 years in that position. Will these changes lead to substantial differences in the Costco culture? Outgoing CEO Jelinek states that the company is in good hands.
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4. Lower prices
If you expected to see price increases at Costco, you might be surprised to learn that the retailer cut pricing on numerous products in March 2024 to make essential groceries a bit more affordable. They dropped prices on everything from produce to Kirkland batteries. That new garden patio set could also be less this year than it was 12 months prior.
That doesn’t mean that all prices are falling, nor that you will not see price increases on other products.
5. Changes to rotisserie chickens
You didn’t want to see anything change about the famous $4.99 rotisserie chicken deal at Costco. There’s good and bad news. The good news is the price isn’t changing.
For those who love to repurpose the plastic containers for leftovers, though, there‘s a change on the horizon. The company is moving to replace those plastic containers with more environmentally friendly plastic bags, which use about 75% less plastic.
6. New locations opening their doors
If you’ve always wished for a Costco near you, the company may be making you happy. Company leadership announced plans to open 30 new locations throughout the year, including relocating two of its existing stores.
New locations are opening in the US, China, and Japan. If you’re in California, Texas, Tennessee, Minnesota, or Florida, expect to see a new warehouse pop up.
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Costco’s app is pretty basic, but the company is planning some significant upgrades to make it easier for you to find what you need.
A few notable changes include a larger search bar and the addition of a digital membership card. The move is a foundational one, but the app still lacks some functionality that other retailers integrated into their apps, including barcode scanning and inventory searches.
8. Blending online and in-store shopping
Costco is planning big things for its new Fresno, California location, including making it a mega-warehouse. The significant difference is that the location — which would span 241,000 square feet, which is nearly 100,000 square feet larger than the average store — is that they will combine shopping and online order fulfillment.
There will also be an on-site car wash, 32-pump gas station, and 900 parking spots. That’s going to be one busy Saturday morning.
9. Menu changes
Costco is all about introducing us to new products and concepts, and that means changes are necessary. Two core changes include updating its food court menu, replacing the churro with a Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie, and adding chocolate ice cream.
There are even rumors of the pizza deal making its way back, which is something many shoppers will be happy to hear.
Also notable is the inclusion of sushi. The company is said to be planning to add a fresh sushi menu to some of its warehouses. With their large selection of fish, that’s a fantastic idea for sushi lovers.
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The good news is that it is still easy to save money at Costco , and these changes will only make you more excited to visit your local store. Change doesn’t always have to be hard and can often mean bigger and better opportunities.
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