Costco Has Mastered the Art of Monetizing Whatever People Are Talking About

Internet trends may fade, but Costco’sCOST

talent for turning them into profit endures. The warehouse giant recently announced it’ll stock Ozempic and Wegovy at over 500 pharmacy locations nationwide, offering the coveted weight-loss injections for $499 monthly. From the pandemic’s trading card craze to gold bars that vanished in hours, Costco has built a billion-dollar empire by knowing exactly what people want before they do.

• As the GLP-1 frenzy fuels a new health economy, Costco is matching prices with CVSCVS
  and WalmartWMT
  to stake its claim in the weight-loss gold rush.
• Meanwhile, its gold bars have climbed ~73% since 2020 — another reminder that proves how the company’s trend-spotting instincts turn hype into enduring gains.

Membership has its privileges: Costco’s formula for growth extends well beyond viral trends. Membership fee income rose 14% year-over-year, fueled by a wave of executive upgrades while renewal rates remain strong at 92.3% in North America, even as younger, digital-first members test retention. Still, with over 100M shoppers and the retailer ranking as the world’s third-largest by revenue, Costco’s warehouse model has become an avenue for accessing whatever’s capturing America’s imagination — and wallets.