The best time to shop at Costco for stock availability, clearances, and to avoid crowds is 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Monday to Thursday. If you can only do your shopping on the Weekend, the best time to shop at Costco is when the doors open so you have first access to the products.

What Are The Best Times To Shop At Costco For Stock Availability?

If you want to get your hands on a specific item, get to Costco early and avoid the store during the weekends and especially holidays.

Costco restocks the entire store from 4:00 a.m. until opening, so arriving at the opening time increases your chances of fresh stock and renewed inventory. 

Additionally, staff restocks essentials and specialty items during the day, but the stock availability will dwindle towards closing time.

Costco.com also has a real-time inventory that is consistently updated as products arrive at the processing depot.

So if your item appears as out-of-stock, keep checking the website for updated stock inventory—online stock is typically renewed around 9:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 2:30 p.m., as pallets are received and inventoried and orders are fulfilled.

What Are The Best Times To Shop At Costco For Clearance Options?

Our research found that going bargain hunting between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on weekdays is the prime way to avoid masses of competing shoppers and your pick of the clearance bunch.

Look for any items with an asterisk in the top right-hand corner of the price tag—these are special clearance goods.

The asterisk indicates this item is not to be restocked, has been discontinued by the manufacturer, or that Costco has decided to stop carrying it. So, if this is your favorite item, it’s time to stock up for much cheaper!

For more savings, check the ends of aisles for majorly discounted items, shop Costco’s private label Kirkland Signature over other name brands, and check the Costco mobile app for exclusive sales and special deals.

What Are The Quietest Times To Shop At Costco? 

Because Costco can be so busy, you should likely avoid the more crowded shopping times, especially on the weekend.

Shopping at Costco on weekdays is much quieter, so narrow your shopping window between Tuesday and Thursday.

Additionally, the quietest times are in the morning—right at the 10:00 a.m. opening—or in the afternoon, between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

When going during these specific times, you will avoid the lunch break shoppers and those stopping by after work. The first and last hours of Costco’s opening time are prime for quiet shopping.

If you want to check out how busy your local Costco is on a given day, try this Costco wait time calculator. If your area is covered, avoid shopping at Costco during lunch hour, after 5 p.m., Mondays, Fridays, and on the weekends.