Content about Costco

February 18, 2011
Walgreens, Supervalu brew biz with beer

CHICAGO — The real question behind the introductions of a store-brand beer from both Walgreens and Supervalu is whether or not the new brews will be hits by year’s end. In other words, can Big Flats 1901 and Buck Range Light be to beer what Trader Joe’s Two-Buck-Chuck was to wine?


February 1, 2011
CyberScholar Retail Network rolled out at Costco

Warehouse mass merchandiser Costco will use an online portal to increase in-store product knowledge and enhance shoppers’ experiences.

LOS ANGELES — Warehouse mass merchandiser Costco will use an online portal to increase in-store product knowledge and enhance shoppers’ experiences.

Shopper marketing agency Creative Channel Services announced Tuesday that Costco would use its CyberScholar Retail Network and had integrated it into its U.S. employee-development strategies for consumer electronics products.

February 1, 2011
Living Essentials brings shots of energy to shelves

“Do you know what 2:30 in the afternoon feels like?” Not if you have Living Essentials’ 5-Hour Energy on the shelf. The company peppered the airwaves with its commercial message, positioning 5-Hour Energy shots as an alternative to coffee for those 30-somethings in the work force.


NOVI, Mich. — “Do you know what 2:30 in the afternoon feels like?” Not if you have Living Essentials’ 5-Hour Energy on the shelf. The company peppered the airwaves with its commercial message, positioning 5-Hour Energy shots as an alternative to coffee for those 30-somethings in the work force.


February 1, 2011
Optimizing SKU lineup equals success with Curtis at Costco

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Vic Curtis has come a long way since he began working for Costco Wholesale in 1991 as a pharmacy manager. 


Recently, he was promoted to SVP pharmacy and has seen action in prescription and OTC merchandising, pharmacy operations, mail-order and Internet-based pharmacy, and pharmacy benefit management services, as part of Costco’s team led by Charlie Burnett, the “dean” of Costco’s pharmacy/health and beauty business.

January 6, 2011
Costco's sales rise in December

Net sales for December at Costco rose 11% to nearly $9.2 billion for the five weeks ended Jan. 2, compared with the year-ago period.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Net sales for December at Costco rose 11% to nearly $9.2 billion for the five weeks ended Jan. 2, compared with the year-ago period.

Same-store sales rose 4%, while international same-store sales rose 12%.

Costco currently operates 582 warehouses, including 425 in the United States and Puerto Rico.

December 8, 2010
Costco's Q1 global sales rise 11%

Mass merchandiser Costco had global sales of $18.82 billion during first quarter fiscal 2011, which ended Nov. 21, according to a regulatory filing Wednesday.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Mass merchandiser Costco had global sales of $18.82 billion during first quarter fiscal 2011, which ended Nov. 21, according to a regulatory filing Wednesday.

That represented an 11% increase over $16.92 billion in first quarter fiscal 2010.

Profits for the quarter were $312 million, compared with $266 million a year ago.

December 7, 2010
Annual DSN roundtables draw record crowd


NEW YORK — Walgreens. Costco. CVS Caremark. Rite Aid. H-E-B. Wegmans. Kerr Drug. The list goes on. In all, it was a veritable who’s who of retailing as Drug Store News’ annual Industry 
Issues Summit, which also included a Specialty Pharmacy Roundtable and Diabetes Roundtable, attracted more than 200 attendees — a new attendance record — and featured the most diverse retail panelists to date.


November 30, 2010
Leading industry execs gather for annual Diabetes Roundtable, Industry Issues Summit

The entire retail store is a diabetes destination, and pharmacists are critical in educating and communicating with consumers to help them and their loved ones better manage the chronic disease. That was one of several important messages that industry leaders expressed during Drug Store News’ 8th Annual Diabetes Roundtable discussion on Tuesday in New York at the New York Athletic Club. More than 100 leading industry players gathered for the event, which also included the 12th Annual Industry Issues Summit in the afternoon.

NEW YORK — The entire retail store is a diabetes destination, and pharmacists are critical in educating and communicating with consumers to help them and their loved ones better manage the chronic disease. That was one of several important messages that industry leaders expressed during Drug Store News’ 8th Annual Diabetes Roundtable discussion on Tuesday in New York at the New York Athletic Club. More than 100 leading industry players gathered for the event, which also included the 12th Annual Industry Issues Summit in the afternoon.

November 8, 2010
Boosting (energy) sales at Costco

Costco customers walking past this Living Essentials 5-Hour Energy pallet aren't likely to know what...

NEW YORK — Costco customers walking past this Living Essentials 5-Hour Energy pallet aren't likely to know what 2:30 in the afternoon feels like, and neither should Costco.

Energy shot sales projections are expected to nearly double in the coming year, even while consumers continue to be cautious around spending. According to Consumer Edge Research projections, overall food/drug/mass sales could crest to some $700 million, excluding Walmart.

November 4, 2010
Brand of cheese sold at Costco linked to E. coli infections

A brand of cheese sold at Costco stores has been linked to E. coli infections...

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — A brand of cheese sold at Costco stores has been linked to E. coli infections in five states, the mass merchandise chain, the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Thursday.

November 2, 2010
Report: Initiative to deregulate liquor sales fails in Washington state

A ballot initiative in Washington to deregulate liquor sales has failed, while another appears to...

SEATTLE — A ballot initiative in Washington to deregulate liquor sales has failed, while another appears to be headed in the same direction, according to published reports.

 

The Seattle Times reported Wednesday that Initiative-1105, which would abolish state liquor taxes and require retailers to buy liquor from distributors, failed with less than 37% of the vote. A second initiative, I-1100, which mass merchandiser Costco had strongly promoted, had around 48% of the vote with more than half the votes counted, according to the Times.

October 24, 2010
High-power lineup to headline retailer-supplier summit

“This is simply the best, most diverse lineup of retailers we have ever had.” That’s...

October 5, 2010
Costco does well in Q4, FY2010

Costco had a big pickup in sales during fourth quarter 2010 and the fiscal year...

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Costco had a big pickup in sales during fourth quarter 2010 and the fiscal year as a whole, according to an earnings report released Wednesday.

The membership-based mass-merchandise retailer reported fourth-quarter sales of $23.59 billion, an 8% increase over $21.89 billion in last year's fourth quarter. Sales for the entire fiscal year were $76.25 billion, a 9% increase over $69.89 billion in fiscal year 2009.

August 4, 2010
Costco's July sales inch up

Club-based mass merchandiser Costco had a slight increase in sales last month, compared with the...

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Club-based mass merchandiser Costco had a slight increase in sales last month, compared with the same period last year.

Costco said Thursday that sales for July were $5.86 billion, an 8% increase over the $5.42 billion in sales it had in July 2009.

Sales for the 48-week period ending Sunday were $70.37 billion, compared with $64.44 billion during the same period last year.

 

July 7, 2010
Costco to open fifth NYC location

Costco was scheduled to open another store in New York on Thursday at the Rego...

NEW YORK — Costco was scheduled to open another store in New York on Thursday at the Rego Park shopping center in Queens.

The store is the warehouse chain’s fifth location in the city and features such amenities as a pharmacy and a photo-processing department, according to published reports.

The chain operates another store in Queens, one in Brooklyn, one in Staten Island and one in Manhattan, which opened late last year in Spanish Harlem and showcases a scaled-down format.

 

June 2, 2010
Costco installs health kiosks in Canada pharmacies

Mass merchandiser Costco is adding information kiosks to its 25 pharmacies in Canada’s Ontario province....

PORTLAND, Ore. — Mass merchandiser Costco is adding information kiosks to its 25 pharmacies in Canada’s Ontario province.

Aisle7, the U.S.-based company that makes the kiosks, said the kiosks would make customer self-care education on generic and branded drugs, as well as drug information, available through an interactive kiosk-based display.

June 2, 2010
Costco reports third-quarter, year-to-date financial results

Costco Wholesale Corp. reported third-quarter net sales of $17.39 billion, a 12% increase over third...

May 31, 2010
Survey: Costco tops popular chain store list

A report released Tuesday by Consumer Reports said that more than 30,000 shoppers found Costco...

May 26, 2010
Costco's profit soars in Q3

Wholesaler Costco saw a surge in its third-quarter profit, the retailer reported Thursday....

May 16, 2010
Mack Elevation Forum aims to align boardrooms

You can say that for some members of the industry, the National Association of Chain...

May 16, 2010
NACDS awards Costco’s Burnett, S-P’s Barshay

Two highly regarded veterans of the retail and supplier sides of chain pharmacy retailing were...

May 12, 2010
FasTrak toll tags now available at Walgreens, Safeway, Costco

Local retailers are looking to help Bay Area customers who are affected by the state-owned...

May 5, 2010
Costco COO to retire in June

Dick DiCerchio will retire as Costco’s senior EVP and COO, effective June 4, the mass-merchandise...

April 29, 2010
NACDS Annual underscores value of pharmacy

The idyllic Palm Beach setting is splendid. The weather usually is sunny and sublime. And...

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT The idyllic Palm Beach setting is splendid. The weather usually is sunny and sublime. And the service, food and amenities served up by The Breakers nearly always are flawless.

(THE NEWS: Time to assert pharmacy’s role, new NACDS chairman urges. For the full story, click here)

March 3, 2010
Costco notes 11% jump in Q2

Costco got an 11% boost in sales for the second quarter of fiscal year 2010,...