The .97 Secret: How I Furnished My Apartment on a Costco Budget

To successfully navigate the Teterboro or Wayne warehouses today, you need to look past the products and read the metadata on the price tags.

1. The 2026 Price Tag Cheat Sheet

Costco’s pricing logic is rigid. If you know these four codes, you can predict exactly how long you have before a deal vanishes.

$.99 (Full Price): Standard retail. Unless it has an "Instant Savings" flyer next to it, the price is not moving.
$.97 (Manager Markdown): This is the gold standard. The local manager has manually lowered the price to clear inventory. This price is often store-specific; what’s $.97 in Teterboro might still be $.99 in Hackensack.
$.00 or $.88 (Final Clearance): This usually indicates the last few items in stock or a floor model. Managers use these to "zero out" the inventory. This is the lowest a price will ever go.
The Asterisk (*): Known as the "Death Star." It means the item has been "deleted" from the system and will not be restocked. If you see a $.97 tag with an asterisk, you are looking at the absolute bottom-dollar price for that item's history.

2. The 2026 Seasonal Furniture Churn

Costco furniture is high-quality but takes up massive floor space, which is why the markdowns are so aggressive.

Event	Inventory Type	Markdown Window
Indoor Furniture	Sectionals, Bedroom Sets, Desks	Late Jan – Mid Feb
Outdoor Furniture	Patio Sets, Gazebos, Grills	Late June – July 4th
Holiday Decor	Trees, Lights, Oversized Displays	Nov 1 – Nov 15

Pro Tip: In 2026, Thomasville Tisdale sectionals remain the most flipped furniture item. If you see one at $999.97, the profit margin for a local flip on Facebook Marketplace is roughly $400, even after factoring in truck rental.

3. The 2026 E-Bike "Steal"

Electric bikes have become a Costco staple, but they are a logistical nightmare for warehouse managers because of their size.

Models to Watch: The Jetson OTG Elite and the Favorite Hybrid CSC are the most common clearance candidates in 2026.
The Strategy: These rarely go to $.97 on the main floor. Check the "Center Court" near the apparel or the Automotive/Hardlines aisles. If an e-bike has been sitting for more than 3 weeks, it almost always gets a "manager special" ending in .00.

4. Reselling with Closo: The "Saturation" Check

Retail arbitrage at Costco is lucrative, but "tanking" is a major risk in 2026. If every Costco in the Northeast marks down the same LEGO set to $.97, the Amazon and eBay prices will crash within 48 hours.

Closo Demand Signals: Use Closo to check the "Saturation Index." If Closo shows a massive spike in "New Sellers" for a specific Costco-exclusive SKU, do not buy. It means the deal has gone viral on social media, and the profit margin is about to evaporate.
Closo 100% Free Crosslister: If you do snag a deal, use the crosslister to hit eBay, Mercari, and Poshmarkimmediately. Local pickup on Marketplace is often better for bulky Costco items (like those Thomasville sofas) to avoid the $200+ freight shipping costs.

Decoding the Price Tag: The Secret Language of Savings

If you are walking through the warehouse looking for big red "Clearance" banners, you are doing it wrong.Does costco have clearance sales? Yes, but they whisper, they don't shout. To find them, you have to look at the cents.

Ends in .99: This is full price. Nothing to see here.
Ends in .97: This is the holy grail. It means it is a "Manager Markdown." The local manager wants this item gone to clear space.
Ends in .00: This is the "Get it out of here" price. It usually means it is the floor model or the very last units of a stock item.
The Asterisk (*): Located on the top right of the tag. We call this the "Death Star." It means the item is discontinued and will not be restocked.

Here's where it gets interesting... If you see a price ending in .97 and it has an asterisk, buy it immediately. That is the final price drop before it disappears forever.

My Anecdote: Last month, I found a 4-pack of Philips Sonicare toothbrush heads marked at $14.97 with an asterisk. The regular price was $39.99. I bought five packs. My dentist is happy, and my wallet is happier.

Lesson: Shelf-stable clearance items are the best investment you can make.

Does Costco Have a Clearance Section? (The Geography of Deals)

People often ask, "does costco have a clearance section like Target?" No. Costco wants you to walk every aisle. This is called the "Treasure Hunt" strategy. However, there are patterns.

Where to Look:

The "Fence": The area right after the checkout but before the exit. Sometimes they stack the "last chance" furniture or seasonal items here.
End-Caps: The shelving units at the end of the aisles facing the main drag. These often hold the .97 markdowns that need to move fast.
The Center Court: The middle of the store (clothing and books) is where seasonal transitions happen.

Honest Failure: I once spent an hour circling the store looking for a specific costco electric bike clearance sale I saw online. I finally asked an employee. He pointed to the ceiling. The last remaining bike was on a pallet on the steel racking above the dog food. I couldn't even reach it.

Lesson: If you can't find it on the floor, look up. Sometimes the clearance stock is staged in the overhead bins.

Costco Furniture Clearance 2026: Timing Is Everything

If you are looking for a couch, dining set, or patio furniture, you need to understand the Costco "seasonality churn."Costco furniture clearance is predictable.

Indoor Furniture: Arrives in late December. Clears out in late February/early March to make room for patio gear.
Outdoor Furniture: Arrives in March. Clears out in late June/early July to make room for Christmas stuff (yes,in July).

Specific Product Names to Watch:

Thomasville Sectionals: These are the gold standard.
Tresanti Adjustable Desks: Often drop to $199.97.
SunVilla Patio Sets: Look for these in July.

Opinion Statement: I believe buying furniture at Costco at full price is a mistake. The turnover is so fast that if you just wait 6 weeks, that $800 dining table will likely drop to $499.97. The risk, of course, is that it sells out. But in my experience, the savings are worth the gamble.

The Electric Bike Boom: Costco Electric Bike Clearance Sale

In 2026, e-mobility is huge.Costco electric bike clearance sale events are becoming legendary.Models like the Jetson OTG Elite or the Favorite Hybrid CSC often appear in warehouses. Because e-bikes take up a lot of floor space and have lithium batteries (which are a pain to store), managers are aggressive about marking them down.

Parenthetical Aside: (I saw a guy in the parking lot trying to fit two clearance Jetson Bolt Pros into a Mini Cooper. He managed to do it by putting the second one through the sunroof. The things we do for a $150 discount.)

How to find costco clearance items like e-bikes: Check the "hardlines" section (usually the aisles with automotive and tools). Also, keep an eye on the returns cart near the membership desk. Sometimes a returned e-bike (ridden once) will be sold as-is for a massive discount.

Can You Return Clearance Items to Costco?

Now the tricky part... You bought a .97 item. It broke. Can you return clearance items to costco?Yes. Costco's legendary satisfaction guarantee applies to clearance items too. There is no "All Sales Final" stamp on a Costco receipt.

The Exception:Electronics (TVs, Computers, Major Appliances) still have the 90-day return window, regardless of whether you bought them on clearance or full price.

My Advice: Keep your receipt, but even if you lose it, they can look it up on your membership card.

Strategies for Finding Costco Promo Code 2026 Deals

While Costco doesn't really do "coupons" in the traditional sense, there are ways to get extra value.

Costco Promo Code Online: Occasionally, Costco.com will offer "Buy More, Save More" events (e.g., save $500 when you buy 3 appliances).
Costco Membership Coupon: In 2026, looking for a costco promo code like "CJPROMO" or "WINTERSAMEDAY26" can score you a $20 or $40 Shop Card when you sign up as a new member.
Costco Furniture Promo Code: These are rare but sometimes appear for online-only items ("Save $400 at checkout").

Comparison Table: In-Store vs. Online Clearance

Feature	In-Store (.97)	Online (While Supplies Last)
Pricing	Aggressive (Manager Discretion)	Standardized Markdown
Stock	"What you see is what you get"	Centralized Inventory
Shipping	You haul it	Included in price (usually)
Competition	Local shoppers only	Everyone with internet
Best For	Furniture, Food, Bulky items	Clothing, Electronics

Flipping Costco Finds using Closo

Let's say you walk in and find 20 units of a high-end Lego set marked down to $49.97 (Retail $99.99). This is an arbitrage opportunity. But you need to be sure before you spend $1,000.

I use Closo to automate checking demand – saves me about 3 hours weekly. Here is my workflow:

Scan: I use the Amazon Seller app or eBay app to scan the barcode.
Verify: I check Closo Demand Signals. It tells me if the price is stable or tanking.
Cross-List: If I buy them, I use Closo 100% Free crosslister to list them on eBay, Mercari, and Amazon simultaneously.

Why Closo? Buying Closo Wholesale lots is great, but retail arbitrage at Costco is immediate cash flow. Closo helps me verify that the "Clearance" price is actually a deal compared to the online market. Sometimes Costco's .97 price is still higher than the Amazon Buy Box. Closo saves me from making a bad buy.

People always ask me...

Can I price match a clearance item if I bought it at full price?

Common question I see. Officially, Costco does not offer price matching. However, they do offer "Price Adjustment" within 30 days. If you bought a TV for $500 and it drops to $400 standard price, you can get the $100 back. But for clearance (.97) items? It is up to the manager. Many managers will deny a price adjustment on clearance items because the stock is so low. The workaround? Buy the clearance item at the low price, then immediately return it using your oldreceipt (the high price one). It’s perfectly legal and follows their policy.

Does Costco have a "Markdown Monday"?

People always ask me if there is a specific day to shop. Rumor has it that markdowns happen on Tuesdays or Wednesdays for the weekend rush. But online, "Markdown Monday" is a real thing on Costco.com where they release new costco clearance items. Set an alarm.

Conclusion

Mastering the costco clearance game is about observation and timing. It’s about knowing that a price ending in .00 means "buy it now or never see it again." It’s about understanding that the costco furniture promo code you are looking for might actually just be a .97 tag on a Tuesday morning.

Don't be afraid to wander the aisles. Look for the asterisks. And if you decide to turn your shopping trip into a side hustle,use tools like Closo Demand Signals to ensure your treasure hunt is actually profitable. Happy hunting, and may the .97s be ever in your favor.

Start cross-listing with Closo today—because that clearance Thomasville sectional isn't going to fit in your car, but the profits from flipping those clearance Legos definitely will.