5 Things Costco Doesn't Tell Shoppers About Free Samples

Costco intrigues shoppers via numerous strategies, ranging from cheap rotisserie chicken to a perpetually $1.50 food court hot dog meal. Plus – like other retailers – the grocery hands out a variety of free samples, enticing shoppers with a pleasant bite or sip. A practice easy to take for granted, Costco's free samples are a genius money-making strategy, remarkably increasing both sales and customer satisfaction. 

Even from a shopper's perspective, it's handy to know the ins and outs of the complimentary bites. Naturally, it's critical to do your part in politeness, which can mean expressing pleasantries, watching your shopping cart placement, and properly disposing of the sample vessel. Simultaneously, being too nice breaks Costco sample etiquette; there's no need to grab an unwanted package out of guilt. Remember: Costco's free samples truly live up to their name — no purchase is expected.

The abundance mentality is all part of the plan. Costco approaches the grocery game distinctly from other stores, and such an innovative mindset applies to samples, too. Behind the scenes of the doled-out small plastic cups, the store conceals a handful of its own free sample secrets, deftly shaping your shopping experience.

Try out a Costco bite, and still unsure if the product's for you? Don't worry, the retailer comes with an unlimited stance regarding samples. It's a policy that might seem hard to believe, yet comes backed by insider verification. "We can't say no. It's worth our job to tell someone they can't have something," a Costco sample worker wrote on a Reddit IAmA. They even go on to detail a customer once taking an entire tray's worth of products, a move a touch too far but still, technically, allowed.

Whether it's okay to reach for subsequent rounds comes down to context. Sometimes, the item might be on the verge of disposal, so staff might encourage grabbing several. Other occasions — say with a small sip of a beverage or just a nibble of a dip –  another go around is understandable. And even with a typical product, there's no need to feel nervous regarding a second round of two. On a different Costco Reddit thread, another employee reaffirmed such a stance, noting reruns are "usually fine as long as they are courteous," although they cite they might politely enforce a limit with children.

Curiously, the workers handling the entire process are not Costco employees, adding another layer of intricacy to the experience. Instead, sampling matters are handled by Club Demonstration Services, an international marketing enterprise that has worked alongside the retailer for decades. Aimed at boosting sales, the CDS-Costco relationship is an example of the grocer's unusual business structure.  Although the staff work in warehouse locations — and don't hand out samples at other retailers — CDS employees aren't on Costco's payroll.

Instead, their role occupies a unique dynamic within the store locations. According to a Reddit IAmA with a CDS employee, "We [don't] have any radios or know when things will be on sale/back in stock," making driving specific product sales their primary occupation. Every sampling run comes accompanied by a quota, which is adjusted based on various factors. "How it works is that if we personally sell over the warehouse goal on average throughout a pay period (two weeks), we get scheduled more. If our warehouse (the sample team) collectively is above the warehouse goal, our supervisor gets a bonus. We do not get any monetary commission for doing well," noted a CDS employee on a different Reddit IAmA. Nevertheless, as passing by the abundant sample stations, it's useful to note such behind-the-scenes dynamics — sample staff aren't the ones to clarify general Costco questions.

Ultimately, Costco's generous free sampling is designed to drive sales and lend an extra membership perk. Yet the rationale for what gets placed onto the tray is wide-ranging. Surprisingly, Costco doesn't make the selections. "The sample program is run by Club Demo Services, and the products pay to be sampled," noted a CDS employee on Facebook. Another user adds that the sampled products are regionally selected, with frequent variation a priority. Still, as companies themselves pay for samples, larger brands are more likely candidates for sampling. "I work for a company that sells through Costco[,] and the demos are pricey but effective," wrote a commenter on a Costco Reddit thread.

Yet the intention of sampling isn't exclusively to market new releases. On a different Costco Reddit thread, a commenter highlighted the diverse reasons for sampling: clearances, intentional competition, and even "items that have an upcoming expiration date." A user added that occasionally, "Costco approaches us to sample new products." By way of such diverse motivations, customers have spotted both surprising Kirkland Signature items (like freezer bags!) and well-known brands like Doritos distributed as samples, adding to the freebie intrigue.

Free foods at peak times mean streams of shoppers sipping and biting, oftentimes all at once. By way of such crowds, it's reasonable to get nervous regarding sanitation. Thankfully, the sample station's behind-the-scenes reveal stringent hygiene measures. One self-reported CDS employee claimed in a Reddit AMA that all the equipment is sanitized before the demonstration, and that gloves must be changed every five minutes.

Furthermore, as noted on the CDS website, samples are kept under constant supervision, and the employees are food safety certified. Such vigilance ensures various scenarios are well considered, nearly eliminating unwanted contact. If any of the food is suspected of being contaminated — say, a customer grabs something from the bag directly — the entire product is thrown away, according to that same Redditor. They added that such disposal even applies to accidental contact on an employee's end — reassuring signs that Costco's sample food safety is nothing to worry about.

Walk into Costco most days of the week, and most likely, samples are available. Yet as with other aspects of the experience, the distribution schedule comes with its own intricacy. Expectedly, the store increases free sample output for weekend crowds, making Saturday and Sunday the best time to try free samples at Costco.

On Reddit, users confirm such a late week pick-up in frequency, as well as outline some of the typical CDS employee shift times. One commenter noted that one shift ran morning to afternoon, and the following ran afternoon to evening — adding on that free samples occur more often surrounding holidays, sports events, and other marketable occurrences. Meanwhile, a different Costco Reddit thread reported a separate schedule entirely — so it depends on the location for specific times. Since not all Costco warehouses have the same opening hours, the variable range of sample times is understandable. Subsequently, don't expect to encounter the complimentary bites on a dependable rhythm.