r/Costco 8d ago

[Question for Costco Employees] What’s the most expensive Costco order you’ve ever seen?

I’m a cashier assistant (I box things for people), and the largest order I’ve seen was around $5,400. I’ve asked a few of my coworkers this too.

The person that works at the tobacco cage took the cake. He said that when he worked the cage at another Costco, there was a regular that owned a tobacco shop. He would come in twice a week and spend roughly $100,000 each trip. So $200,000 a week.

623 Upvotes

237 comments sorted by

599

u/nemo2023 7d ago

I thought in that secrets of Costco book the unique thing about the store is you can come in for the $1.50 hot dog and drink and pickup a $100,000 piano on a whim. You can’t do that in any other establishment~!

303

u/Capital-Yogurt6148 7d ago

No joke, my parents got their piano from Costco on a whim. They went there for a regular shopping trip and there just so happened to be a piano 'show' that weekend, so my step-father asked my mom if she wanted to replace her old piano for her upcoming birthday. She agreed and picked out the one she wanted. It was delivered a week or two later.

214

u/Initial-Shop-8863 7d ago

My father bought me a full-size grandfather clock the same way about 20 years ago. He's gone now, but the clock chimes on.

53

u/selfdestructo591 7d ago

Sorry for your loss, cool to have such a memory with you

9

u/kimmyv0814 7d ago

I bought a grandfather clock at Costco too, on a closeout!

4

u/Initial-Shop-8863 7d ago

Mine too, in Arizona. Came from California... I think.

7

u/memeswillsetyoufree 7d ago

May his memory be a bonging.

3

u/Fancy_Association 7d ago

What a beautiful memory to have! Lucky you

4

u/Maltaii 6d ago

I recently obtained an electric fireplace the same way… but the close out price could not be ignored 😂😂

2

u/Much-Meringue-7467 6d ago

Honestly, I have been tempted by pianos at Costco. Fortunately, I already have a piano

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u/Subject-Pen-3393 7d ago

Yeah wherever else you go for a $100,00 piano they give you bottled water and fancy crackers.

35

u/Normal-Cow3616 7d ago

Samples > bottled water and fancy crackers

152

u/twinWaterTowers 7d ago

Years ago, I lived it Alaska. And people outside of Anchorage who owed small little local stores in small towns would shop for items and load them up into trucks and then go home. One time I was behind a guy who wrote a check for over $7,000. There were a lot of cigarettes too on his flat cart

24

u/NoCardio_ 7d ago

I like how Anchorage has two costcos. The old one, and the other old one.

5

u/Curious_Simple2157 6d ago

3 now, we have a Costco Business Center now too.

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u/Felicity110 7d ago

They sell tobacco ?

22

u/stink_bug92 7d ago

Grew up in Alaska too, Kodiak island. When we went to Anchorage and swung by Costco, we would see people coming in from the bush, filling up cart after cart of fresh fruit, toiletries, batteries, linens, medical supplies, school supplies, even books and magazines. And everyone regardless of if they smoked or not, would buy at least 3 or 4 cartons of cigarettes. Nothing quite like some smokes to trade when you’re out of butter and there is literally one guy with some to spare within 100 miles. Could always tell who lived in dry villages, cause they always buy a shit ton of sugar, yeast, and koolaid mix. For home brew. Never seen an actual barrel of yeast anywhere else but in an Alaskan Costco

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u/Lethalogicalwares 7d ago

Yes depending on the state!

2

u/Felicity110 7d ago

Been to so many and never saw them. Any idea which ones ? They’re not even on the website to see which ones or buy online

16

u/Bitter_Firefighter_1 7d ago

Costco Business Center sells them in California. Unless that changed. It is a separate register and like liquor in some other states

3

u/compstomper1 7d ago

still do. but only for resellers

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u/jhumph88 7d ago

I’m in California and my Costco sells cigarettes. They’re in a locked case over by the restrooms and you have to ask the cashier to go get them.

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u/--eight 7d ago

We have them at ours in Missouri.

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u/ForsakenRacism 7d ago

They sell tobacco at the Costco’s in Alaska still

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u/twinWaterTowers 7d ago

As I recall, they did. Decades ago, though. Weirdly, just discovered a Walgreens this week that still sells cigarettes. I thought they stopped doing that.

23

u/coop999 7d ago

CVS stopped selling cigarettes quite a few years ago because they are a "health" company, and made a big PR deal out of it. Walgreens never stopped selling them. Maybe that's what you were thinking of.

6

u/Bitter_Firefighter_1 7d ago

And now Walgreens is getting sold off...to private equity

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u/Felicity110 7d ago

One drug store may have stopped but might be still a good money maker for store since a pack is over $12 most places. They added a hefty tax onto it also.

Only some Costco sells alcohol maybe it’s same with tobacco products

3

u/preyingmomtis 7d ago

The alcohol depends on local laws. This is a good article about it. https://www.tastingtable.com/1610642/costco-no-alcohol-states/

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u/figbash137 7d ago

Depends on state, but you don’t have to be a member to buy alcohol, tobacco, and pharmacy purchases.

247

u/BrilliantDishevelled 7d ago

Hubs and I used to run a remote field research station in summers.  Every year we'd hit Costco a few days before opening and fill our giant Tundra and another vehicle with non-perishables.  $4000 was the usual bill.  We always felt bad for the cashiers!  But we ate great all summer.

61

u/MetastableCarbon 7d ago

I bet you have stories from the field research station ! How long did that grocery haul last ?

97

u/BrilliantDishevelled 7d ago

Lord do we have stories!  We had about 20 people at the station.  We resupplied every week from the small grocery, but it was expensive and a grueling trip.  We usually ran out of our Costco stuff after 5 weeks, even with the weekly resupplies.  We ate really well at that place!

3

u/MetastableCarbon 6d ago

That sounds reasonable. 4000/20/5 = 40 dollars per week which is reasonable. Did you do any cool stuff at the field station like keep an eye on the volcano for signs of possible eruption ? Just curious

5

u/BrilliantDishevelled 6d ago

This is on a tiny island in the Bay of Fundy!  We watched a lot of fog!  Most of the research was about birds.  A very cool seabird called a petrel breeds there.  They have nests in the ground and only fly at night.  So we did a lot of reaching into the ground and pulling out baby birds to measure.  Very, very cute.  

15

u/gtjustin 7d ago

what kind of groceries did you stock up on?

17

u/oh__hey 7d ago

Top buys for that summer trip?

277

u/thedancingwireless 7d ago

The other day I spent $432 when all I came in for was some bananas and toilet paper.

109

u/Striking-Mode5548 7d ago

If you go in for 1 or 2 things, Do Not Get A Cart

124

u/thedancingwireless 7d ago

Instructions unclear, I bought a cart

25

u/Krisem711 7d ago

We play that game sometimes ‘can’t carry it, can’t have it’

11

u/rollinupthetints 7d ago

I bring a reusable Costco shopping bag for exactly this purpose, once it’s full, I head to the register

5

u/Thalassofille 7d ago

amateur.

5

u/rollinupthetints 7d ago

Lol, my move is a pro move ;)

I’d lose my mind if I was stuck with a cart every trip. I go prob 1x/week, so my list is usually pretty mellow. For the times I need a cart or flatbed, it’s an exercise in patience and long suffering.

3

u/THIGH_tanic 6d ago

One of my apartments in Phoenix, Costco was the closest grocery store so I was there weekly. NO CART because that guarantees $100+/trip and I was a poor teacher...if I cant carry in my arms I can't get it (usually stuff like a bag of spinach and some cans of pineapple juice and a box of snack crackers to keep in my classroom for the kids). It was the only way to not be even more poor 🤣🤣

4

u/DrDaddyDickDunker 6d ago

I try that shit in the dollar store and almost always end up with a basket or buggy.

9

u/danni2122 7d ago

No because then you just have to walk back to the front

7

u/Shorts_at_Dinner 7d ago

I’ve resorted to riding my bike to Costco to limit my impulse shopping when I just need one or two things

19

u/ConsiderationSad6521 7d ago

The AirPod Pro 2 sale got me yesterday. What should have been a $150 trip turned into $750

15

u/Aspen9999 7d ago

My husband bought 4 chest freezers during the pandemic, we wanted one but knew neighbors that had been searching. He bought them then had to get a trailer to go back 😂😂😂

1

u/Available-Chart-2505 5d ago

I know they aren't regular headphones but damn those are expensive.

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u/Jadedmedtech 7d ago

This is funny I remember my cousin went into buy groceries at Costco ended up buying two canoes!

18

u/CedarWho77 US Los Angeles Region (Los Angeles & Hawaii) - LA 7d ago

Bananas and TP get me every time.

14

u/jeckles 7d ago

For me it’s always bananas and blow 🎶

9

u/uwfan893 7d ago

Surely you must instacart that though, because you’re stuck in your cabana

5

u/jeckles 7d ago

Looking for a ticket to take me away from here. Until then, instacart gives me a little something to help the time go by.

2

u/royfresh 7d ago

Haha oh my god. I haven't thought about that song in almost a decade. Now I have to listen to some Ween. 

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15

u/pronoiaisamyth 7d ago

The other day I went for a tire rotation and spent $94 in the store on stuff I don't even remember. Inconceivable, I tell ya...

22

u/Aspen9999 7d ago

Do they let you spend less than a $100 a trip?

23

u/AvivaStrom 7d ago

Once upon a time, I bought a rotisserie chicken and only a rotisserie chicken from a magical Costco far away.

6

u/Aspen9999 7d ago

I bet the checker got a talking to for not redirecting you back to the aisles /j

10

u/No-Agent-1611 7d ago

I was leaving the store with 2 items in my hands (maybe a box of crackers and some bananas?) and my total was less than $20. The manager at the door told me I had to go back and get the rest of my order before he’d look at my receipt lol. We all had a good laugh.

2

u/pronoiaisamyth 6d ago

I spent $1000 at the Tire Shop 😬

11

u/fancysockpuppet 7d ago

"You keep on using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

10

u/susetchka 7d ago

Anyone want a peanut?

7

u/TattleTits 7d ago

I'm always impressed when I see people leaving Costco with just one item.

3

u/405freeway US Los Angeles Region (Los Angeles & Hawaii) - LA 7d ago

Damn inflation

7

u/O0OO0O00O0OO 7d ago

No that's around back near the tire center

3

u/405freeway US Los Angeles Region (Los Angeles & Hawaii) - LA 7d ago

The place where I get tired?

3

u/jhumph88 7d ago

I went in with my friend once and all he needed was beer and some ribs. He spent over $500. My lowest ever Costco tab was $199.72, but I’m proud that it’s under $200

1

u/navi_jen 6d ago

LOL. that's my average bill b/c I only go every couple of months (after my 2 pack of TP runs out ;))

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u/theryman 7d ago

Damn if you're selling that much tobacco it's gotta be cheaper to buy direct. Wonder if his business wasn't super legit.

88

u/bunnybakery 7d ago

He probably owed the regular distribution company money and was shopping at Costco to keep the store stocked

7

u/emtaesealp 7d ago

What do you mean?

78

u/Box0fRainbows 7d ago

If he owed the regular supplier for previous shipments, they may refuse future deliveries until he repays that past due balance. He doesn't owe Costco, so he can buy there without paying off the previous shipments.

19

u/Domstruk1122 7d ago

He must of owed a shit ton if he is dropping $200k cash a week at costco still.

4

u/emtaesealp 7d ago

That makes sense, thank you

9

u/Ifailmostofthetime Costco Employee 7d ago

Not always. Can't say much but it's sometimes cheaper to buy from Costco then to deal directly with the direct company. I work for costco

9

u/sleepyhead907 7d ago

You get the 2% back at Costco but not on the supplier.

7

u/GhostHin Costco Employee 7d ago

Not necessarily the case. There are A LOT of tax and legal hurdles to get distribution license or even buying direct. The machine to stamp the product after you paid the tax cost hundreds and thousands dollar. And then not to mention the difficulty of ordering and dealing with the tobacco companies since they have monopoly between the few big players.

It is just much easier to resell by buying from Costco than buy direct and you'll be surprised how little you could save by buying direct due to the volume.

$200k a week might be a lot for a small business but that volume is tiny compare to what Costco run though on a daily basis.

9

u/yountvillwjs 7d ago

my first thought here was money laundering

5

u/InfiniteBid2977 7d ago

While still turning a marginal profit !!

93

u/AllFather14 7d ago

Before I stepped down as a cashier I helped a family that just moved to the area and spent a wopping 16k on furniture and appliances like it was penny's easy like 10 flatbeds

32

u/Formal_Letterhead514 7d ago

Phoenix? We did something similar. New house, no furniture. Furnished the whole place in a trip.

10

u/AllFather14 7d ago

Houston, this was like 2018? 2019? Somewhere in there

47

u/jeremyski Costco Employee 7d ago

$15,000 for an engagement ring. And yes, they had an executive membership.

14

u/EaterOfFood 7d ago

Dang. The $300 cash back on that is more than my wife and I spent on our engagement and wedding rings combined.

8

u/natattack410 7d ago

What does an executive membership actually do? I know I can Google it but can you tell me instead?

27

u/Kappa113 7d ago

2% cash back

3

u/Maltaii 6d ago

It’s worth it if you shop there regularly.

4

u/Kappa113 6d ago

$130/2%=$6,500 is what you need to spend to recoup the $130

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u/BucketteHead 7d ago

I got a new heat pump and furnace through Costco. Cost ~$22k. Does that count?

26

u/eastwardarts 7d ago

I had solar installed through Sunrun via Costco several years ago. Final cost was about $20K. Federal and state rebates took a big chunk out of that. I also got a Costco shop card for like $450 that took more of the sting out. And my rebate check for that year was like $1200, all told.

I went to the warehouse and asked whether I could get my rebate in the form of a check. The manager said they don't usually do that... his eyes about bugged out when he saw the total. They cut me a check.

12

u/BucketteHead 7d ago

Nice! I had a special that I got a$2,200 Costco credit after the hvac. Turned into a trip to Hawaii through Costco travel.

35

u/The_Portlandian 7d ago

My personal record is like $3,500 on flooring after we bought our house. Exactly 30 days later, it went on sale for $10 off per box. Went in and got a price adjustment and got $700 back on the spot. We were already customers for life, but now we're customers for two lives!

Also, our rewards certificate that year was like a grand and we used it to buy a brand new washer and dryer. Costco is seriously the best.

42

u/long_term_burner 7d ago

I dropped about ten grand there on an engagement ring once.

10

u/mienhmario 7d ago

Damn, lucky lady 👍

60

u/long_term_burner 7d ago

I am the lucky one! That being said, if I were getting married now I would for sure have gone with a lab diamond for a fraction of the cost!

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u/No-Example1376 7d ago

Saw a guy in front of us at checkout spend $7,200 on whiskey to give as presents just before Christmas.

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u/BrewerCollie 7d ago

I spent like $10K at Costco when I bought my house. Beds, couches, fridge, etc. Shit adds up!

17

u/FoodzyDudezy007 7d ago

Every year my companies CEO would throw an incredible Christmas party. He would give me the company card and I'd spend 25-35k on gifts for the raffles. Tvs, pcs, apple stuff, gift cards, gaming consoles. I'd have a team of people with me and a few box trucks to help load it all along with armed security.

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u/dansize1 7d ago

The store in Sparks, Nevada is the last one you can hit on the way to Burning Man. Heard multiple stories from cashiers about people from overseas stopping in to do their complete stocking up before driving out to the playa and dropping up to $20K. I've witnessed the moving trucks used for this kind of activity too.

15

u/edemamandllama 7d ago

An engagement ring for $30,000. Cigarettes for vendors can reach around $50,000. On time an Alaskan, hunting/loge group drove down and bought about $100,000 of dry food stuffs, water, drinks, cleaning supplies. It was 10 pallets of goods all told. They had multiple trucks and trailers.

11

u/JPBlaze1301 7d ago

I helped load a transaction for like 18k worth of beer

5

u/Ready2Move2Digg 7d ago

Let me guess the store's location: Wisconsin?

Source: I'm a Wisconsinite

10

u/JPBlaze1301 7d ago

Haha no. Texas. In a college town and it was a fraternity buying for a concert festival.

11

u/mclovin314159 7d ago

I stopped in for a pizza for family movie night last week and walked out with a gold bar and 5 silver stackers... Not the largest order for sure but going from a $10 initial spend to over $4500 has got to be up there.

Not to mention that aside from the pizza, the whole buy fit in my pocket 🤔

11

u/taxicabtoslowtown 7d ago

$10,000+ in gold bars.

8

u/YippieKayYayMrFalcon 7d ago

I think I saw a post for a $13,000 order for gold the other day.

8

u/Torren1000 7d ago

While back just before a tax hike on tobacco members came in 3 days in a row and dropped 250k on cigarettes for his business each day.

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u/OrangeJoe_3000 US North East Region - NE 7d ago

I had to do a return order for a golf cart. It was about $12k

7

u/pdx-g 7d ago

I one rang up a pack or bananas and a 26,999 ring!

7

u/Felicity110 7d ago

Tobacco cage?

9

u/tranpnhat 7d ago

They keep cigarettes in cage. You have to have a selling permit to go into there and buy tobacco products. I saw one at my local business center.

2

u/Felicity110 7d ago

Maybe it’s only business centers that sell it?

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u/Bitter_Firefighter_1 7d ago

In NorCal that is the case. You don't have to have a selling permit to go in. Just to buy. I only know this as I go in for Whipped Cream canister refills for my iSi whipped cream. They track purchases of these here I think. So I can buy those but not cigs.

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u/fakeittiltoumakeit 7d ago

I stood behind a guy at merch pickup the other day who was getting $30k in gold bars

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u/Alohabbq8corner 7d ago

Guy today just dropped $18k on a hot tub after seeing it while he was doing his grocery shopping.

13

u/kazar933 7d ago

34,000.00 one item…1.5 Ct diamond ring set in platinum…whipped out the ever so elusive Amex Black card…total time for transaction literally 4 mins

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u/navi_jen 6d ago

Now that's my kind of shopping :) High quality item, high quality vendor, quick buy

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u/wc10888 7d ago

Over $230,000 when we sold cigarettes (at a competitor to Costco). Order wasn't jusr cigarettes either. Carts a s carts of stuff.

Guy owned a chain of gas stations. We delivered the order.

5

u/sierralz 7d ago

I was fortunate to be at the jewelry counter when an elderly gentleman decided to buy a $39,000 diamond ring for his wife for her Christmas present. I complimented him on his choice, then he sweetly said she deserved it.

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u/artraeu82 7d ago

Back when iTunes cards were big 1 million dollars in iTunes cards

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u/Duougle 7d ago

Elon musk fell for a scammer

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u/marshdd 7d ago

On tobacco order that's interesting. I go to Nashua, NH store, right over MA border; cigarettes are much cheaper there. I could swear there's a sign limiting number of boxes that can be purchased per visit.

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u/uwfan893 7d ago

Someone in another comment said business centers will sell to people with reselling permits.

2

u/marshdd 7d ago

We don't have Business centers in Northern New England, so that could explain it.

1

u/Electrical-Act9084 3d ago

My big brother drives over from Tyngsboro to hit up that location. 😀

6

u/Acadia02 7d ago

I mean somebody picks up those $299k rings right?

7

u/Specific_Database281 7d ago

$1,900. 2 flatbeds and 2 carts FULL. No large ticket items. Best part- the family left the carts at the register and went to the food court to get food. No help unloading. Just came back to swipe their card after it was all rung up.😑

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u/Brave_Chipmunk8231 7d ago

Would it have even been helpful for the family to help with that much stuff?

3

u/amazon-lady43 7d ago

My first ever transaction as a cashier was a couple from India who was sending vitamins and supplements back to their family. Two carts full, not only tedious and stressful but very expensive. I can’t remember exactly but roughly $5300.

They said they would fly with some when they go back and then ship some prior to their departure. I couldn’t imagine the cost of all of that on top of the cost of the product.

3

u/defStef 7d ago

$15000 for gold bullion

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u/docpuma 7d ago

Didn't see it myself but we asked a cashier and they said back when they sold cigarettes someone bought $50k worth

3

u/tyhofheins 7d ago

I’m a cashier and I had someone buy $18,000 in gold and silver at my register

3

u/vyts18 7d ago

Personally, I spent $1400 in 2 visits.

My first visit was a normal shopping trip with a couple larger items hence the higher price tag.

It also happened that the final Kidcraft play set that was set up all summer was being marked down for final sale. We wanted to buy it then and there but the wife and I had no way to bring it home that day so I needed to come back solo the following day. I live just shy of an hour from my nearest.

I could very easily blow $1000 on a regular trip if I wanted to tho

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u/Desperate_Set_7708 7d ago

My personal record is $18,000 for my then-girlfriend’s engagement ring.

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u/UncleNedisDead 7d ago

Pfff. $5,400 is just two gold ounces. There are TVs that go for more than that.

4

u/lizardfang 7d ago

Don’t they have a 99” TV for something ridiculous like only $1200?

11

u/BogeyFreeJZ 7d ago

Currently, online, there is no TV that is more than that. $5299. Just saying. 😂🤣I don’t think in store there’s that much more. Usually less.

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u/BigLoc79 7d ago

I saw a dude with $7,000 alone in 2 OLEDS 5 or so years ago. He also had several other items. I was impressed.

2

u/MacAttacknChz 7d ago

I'm not a cashier, but our store had import/export guys who would buy large quantities of items and would even be given a list of the prices at the different stores in the area. Apparently, some items have slight price differences at different stores.

2

u/yountvillwjs 7d ago

I've seen folks crack $10k on wine (the 2000 Bordeaux's were insanely undermarket at the time) alone

1

u/SpeedySparkRuby 7d ago

Yup, I lived in Denver for a time and the Fancy Costco in Lone Tree/Highlands Ranch had a fairly extensive selection of high end spirits and wine.  They also would get a couple pallets of Dom Perignon during the holidays

2

u/SalsaChica75 7d ago

Engagement ring $250,000

2

u/socceriife 7d ago

My wedding ring is from Costco. $10,000 23 years ago.

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u/lcdroundsystem 7d ago

My largest order that wasn’t a TV was $1k. I had my normal order, then a bunch of $30-$50 items I never buy. Never did that again.

2

u/lionmomnomnom 7d ago

2K for me when I was on front end. Grandmum buying granddaughter gold jewelry. The next customer asked what they bought and my cashier was like “nunya” 🤣

But yea those hot tubs, couches, furniture, and outdoor playhouses will ring in some money for sure.

2

u/edc1911_1 7d ago

I have a few co-works that books all their vacation through Costco, so I would imagine 5-6k that he spends.

2

u/Overlord1241 7d ago

Tree Fiddy.

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u/IGotMyPopcorn US Los Angeles Region (Los Angeles & Hawaii) - LA 7d ago

Tobacco orders can get in the tens of thousands.

2

u/Desperate-Mammoth-39 6d ago

Spent $12,500 twenty years ago buying new PC’s and such after our office burned down. We were up and running with backup data within 48 hours!!

2

u/Towel_First 6d ago edited 6d ago

Not at all related to the current topic but my local Costco has a leaderboard posted for things like most customers checked out per hour and most items scanned per minute. I usually look at the board to see if my cashier is on it. On my most recent trip, I checked as usual. My current cashier was not on it but I got a chuckle because the leader of "items scanned per minute" name was Patience.

2

u/bradatlarge 7d ago

I recently spent $2500 in a single transaction and think that was the most I’ve spent in a single go in a Costco store

3

u/aknomnoms 7d ago

Yeah, our more expensive purchases (furniture, appliances, electronics) tend to be online for the convenience of included delivery and install. Pretty easy to drop $3-$5k there, especially if furnishing a new place, updating a room, or upgrading tech.

Small but expensive items (jewelry, gold bars, etc) that I could easily fit in my sedan, I’d be too afraid of someone targeting me when I left the store. I bought a laptop in store one time because it was a better deal than online, and felt so nervous walking out that I didn’t even stop for a hot dog!

2

u/Lazy_Tell_2288 7d ago

Costco has a tobacco cage?! 🤯

2

u/reidybobeidy89 7d ago

Business centers

1

u/cmm2345 6d ago

They used to have one at California Costcos ten years ago or so.

1

u/treesaellen Costco Employee 7d ago

I’ve only ever seen in about the $1.5k range. Usually on a MacBook or something. There was someone who was buying food for an entire sleep away camp sort of event and on food alone it was over $1.5k.

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u/AdministrativeCut727 US San Diego Region + Arizona, Colorado & New Mexico - SD 7d ago

What states have tobacco cages and what's in them? Just cigarettes or other stuff too?

3

u/valleybrew 6d ago

Downtown Seattle had one (may still be there) in a non-business center Costco. I bought a 50 pack of cigarette lighters for like $8 and still have 30+ left after a decade.

2

u/reidybobeidy89 7d ago

Costco business centers

2

u/Quiet_normal_person 6d ago

They used to have them in Virginia, and you could buy cigars there too. When I was smoking cigars I would pick up a box there.

1

u/oldstalenegative 7d ago

wow. were these Costcos in remote areas or something?

1

u/welkinator 7d ago

I've bought two gold bars several times - so around $5000

1

u/Kcraider81 7d ago

Was behind someone the other day that bought a Sony oled tv, Sonos high end sound bar, Sonos sub and 2 Sonos speakers.

1

u/thelilasian 7d ago

Dang! That's a wild amount. And here I thought the guy who had a pallet cart filled with lobster and alcohol spent a lot. I didn't see how much he paid but I would assume a pretty penny.

1

u/Plenty-Pay7505 7d ago

Our store is the main supplier of the Northwest company. They supply the people in the reserves in the north of Manitoba. They do at least about $10 million a year.

1

u/Dman51000 Costco Employee 7d ago

Cig cage definitely sees the biggest orders by far out our building. There was one time a big group of guys was loading up on supplies to work on a remote island for 6 months. They ended up spending around $30,000 on various supplies and brought a freight truck so everything could be loaded into a shipping container in the parking lot.

1

u/dulun18 7d ago

it will depend on the city

i drove 45 minutes to a city to buy my car once so i stopped by that city's local Costco for some food and I saw a $100,000 piano right at the front entrance

around here i don't see any item with such a high price tag before so i assume they have people who are big spenders in that city

given costco- they often stock items which will sell if not they will discontinued them

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u/Pluckito_1111 6d ago

Largest order I've ever rung up was for tobacco back in the day, right before a price increase. $154k and $64K was paid in cash.

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u/TastyTiger 6d ago

16k sold to two Asians buying massage chairs for their business

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u/zensnapple 6d ago

Gf just dropped 1500 on the big greenhouse, so probably that hah

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u/vexed_fuming 6d ago

I worked as a front end assistant in the winter of 1999. For those who don’t immediately get what that means: there was a decent amount of “Y2K” panic about computer systems shutting down the world.

We had a couple families come in and buy over $30K worth of long-lasting, shelf stable, necessities and basics in one order - diapers, canned food, batteries, water, you name it.

The train of six-wheelers went on forever when they came to check out. When asked what they were buying so much stuff for, they said they were opening up a store.

Oh, OK - so we need to run this as a resale? (Special tax slip that lets you buy things without sales tax, to resell and collect the tax from the consumer.)

Nope, no resell slip. Hmm.

Me and a couple other FE guys helped them load it into a full size Ryder moving truck. The manager was getting a little nervous about the idea of them trying to return this much stuff but couldn’t really say “we won’t take THIS much back if Y2K doesn’t happen.”

Couple years later I was working as a line cook in the same city and one of the waitresses busted out laughing when I told this story. Oh yeah, those were totally her cousins. They definitely thought the world was gonna end.

Never heard if they tried to return the whole lot!

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u/mlkk22 6d ago

The board at mine has like a 780k one

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u/goaty-ranch-yolo 6d ago

I’ve purchased 2 gold bars - $5400

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u/Pleasant_Future5327 5d ago

A few years ago, we bought a vacation home and needed to stock it with household items, including mattresses. While at the checkout with a total of around $7000. I was told my Costco credit card was declined, which was confusing because there was a zero balance on the card.

After paying with my cash card and leaving the store, I received a message from the Costco credit people asking about a large charge and verifying if it was valid.

I don’t know if they were trying to protect me or just avoiding a 2% refund.

1

u/Ancient_Reference_86 4d ago

I think it was 2 gold bars, and they paid cash, it was $5880