ment,” says Stacy Thrailkill, a Costco
buyer for Special Events. “Special Events
also provide Costco members with the
opportunity to listen directly to the
supplier and receive in-depth informa-
tion about the quality and attributes of
the product.”
Driven by research
The buyers determine what products
to feature through extensive research.
“We travel to industry trade shows in
every category that we sell [see sidebar
for a list], research trends and find out
what the next popular product will be in
that space,” says Vetter. “We also listen to
ideas from Costco members and deter-
mine what will resonate.”
The Special Events team then
reaches out to the suppliers and partners
with them to offer special products that
may not be found in the warehouse or at
Costco.com. The buyers collaborate with
regional Costco teams to determine the
schedule of shows in each warehouse.
“Not all Special Events are held at all
warehouses at the same time,” says Vetter.
Amazingly, in 2018 more than 20,000
Special Events were provided to Costco
members across the U.S.
Partnerships that work
Special Event suppliers create their
own displays, provide staffing, and mar-
ket and sell their products differently
than what’s traditionally done in the
warehouse or online. “It’s their brand,
Tracking Special Events
USp108_109_BuyingSmart_SpecialEvents_R1.indd 109
their marketing, their product, and they
get an unbeatable opportunity to tell the
story themselves,” says Thrailkill. “It’s a
unique partnership with Costco, and
when we contract with suppliers for a
certain number of events, we commit
to ensuring that they will have an excep-
tional opportunity to maximize exposure
of their products.
She adds, “I was a Costco member
for years and never stopped to listen to
one of the product pitches. I didn’t know
what I was missing. The type of infor-
mation and demonstrations suppliers
provide directly to members can really
make a huge difference in the decision
to purchase.”
Costco members benefit from access
to products with short-term special
pricing, with the assurance that Costco
has vetted the quality and negotiated
the value in advance. Everyone wins.
Grab it when you see it
Check out the Special Events sched-
ule online to learn about what’s coming
to your local warehouse (see “Tracking
Special Events,” below, as well as the
listing on page 119).
“Take time to listen to the story; the
product is there because it’s high quality
and unique, provided at a terrific value,”
says Thrailkill. “Give it a shot: You may
be amazed.”
Special Events
categories
Special Events try to hit all
areas that Costco members
might be interested in. Here
are just a few.
• Area rugs
• Blenders
• Camping equipment
• Cutlery
• Electric bikes
• Exercise equipment
• Greenhouses
• Grills
• Handbags
• Hot tubs
• Indoor and outdoor
furniture
• Jewelry
• Kitchen cookware
• Massage chairs
• Mattresses and bedding
• Men’s suits
• Musical instruments
• Safes and vaults
• Skin care products
• Spas
• Sports apparel
• Storage sheds
• Women’s fashions
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