Costco has launched a new feature on its app that will change the way customers shop.
The warehouse-based retailer will now allow its customers to check if an item is in stock at their local store before making the trip to purchase it.
The ‘Search Warehouse Inventory’ tool is currently in beta testing and is currently only available to select customers at this time.
The new feature can be found by clicking on “storage” at the bottom of the app’s home page, and is located between “account” and “cart.”
Customers can select the stores most convenient for them to track and the app will display gas prices and a search bar to look up individual items.
Costco is currently testing the new feature, which has been rolled out for some users to try out.
The search bar allows users to search for products by name or even by description.
Customers reported that the new feature first appeared in their apps in June.
“You can now search for items from your local Costco warehouse in the Costco app!” wrote one excited member on X.
The customer said he had been using the app for other purposes, but was now excited to “see actual store prices to compare prices as well.”
However, others were less convinced of the app’s usefulness and pointed to other complaints they would like the retail giant to address.
“It’ll be interesting to see how accurate it is… I’m not holding my breath,” one customer complained on Reddit.
“As someone who has done inventory at several warehouses, I can assure you that even the item counts in the stores are not accurate. Let alone the ones in the app,” another agreed.
“I hope this is correct. I would also love it if it would tell me the location of something. Home Depot is amazing, it tells you the aisle and bin number of an item,” wrote a third.
The app change comes as Costco raised its membership prices for the first time in seven years.
The retail giant announced in July that it would increase its standard membership from $60 to $65 and its executive level from $120 to $130 per year.
Costco said the increase will reach 52 million memberships, about half of which are at the top tier.
Costco membership allows customers to purchase groceries and electronics at a discount in-store.
It also provides access to services such as hearing tests and home insurance.
The new feature is rolling out to some users of Costco’s own app.
The new feature allows you to search for items and reveal whether they are in stock at a local store.
Many Costco fans had been expecting a fee increase, as the retailer typically raises fees every six years or sooner.
Costco shares, which have risen more than 37 percent this year, have been rewarded by investors who were eager to see increases in membership prices.
In the three months ended Feb. 18, Costco generated $1.11 billion in membership fees, nearly 2 percent of its total revenue for the quarter.
That means Costco makes about $4 billion more a year in commissions, a figure that is likely to grow with the increase.
