Want to save more money when you shop at Costco? Then you’ll want to familiarize yourself with their language. When you’re looking at a price tag at Costco, there are many things there that could mean savings for you. Here are some helpful hints for interpreting their price tag codes:

Prices That End in “.97” Have Most Likely Been Marked Down

For the most part, regular prices at Costco end in 99 cents. So if you see a price ending with 97 cent, you’re probably seeing a marked-down price:

[…]the [items] with the 97 cent endings are those items that did not sell and must be cleared out. They are marked-down, but unlike all other retailers, Costco doesn’t like you to know this, so the don’t put the original prices with a slash and then the new price as many stores do. So to take advantage of these special deals, you have to know the code to know it is a close-out.

It’s important to note that while something may be marked down, you should ask a manager or employee what the price was to begin with. That way, you’ll be sure about whether or not you’re getting a deal.

Items with an “*” in the Upper Right-Hand Corner Aren’t Being Reordered

This doesn’t mean that the price for these items has been lowered, but it does mean that the price probably won’t get much lower as stock won’t be replenished.

Look for Odd Pricing

Items that end in .49, .79 and .89 can be indicative of the fact that Costco got a special deal from the manufacturer. So this might mean that you’re getting the benefit of lower prices.

Looking for more tricks for savings at Costco? You won’t want to miss this ridiculously informative article by Len Rapoport over at Hub Pages: Secret Price Codes Will Save You Money at Costco

Thanks to The Consumerist for the heads up!

Find more Costco tips here: 10 Tips for Shopping at Costco