Lunar New Year 2026: The Secret Costco Clearance Window Opens Today

Lunar New Year 2026: The Secret Costco Clearance Window Opens Today

Tuesday, February 17, 2026. While millions of families are sitting down to reunion dinners for the Year of the Fire Horse, a different ritual is playing out under the fluorescent lights of the local warehouse. Today isn't just a holiday; for the veteran Costco shopper, it signals the opening bell of the "Flash Clearance" window.

The general public sees Lunar New Year as a day of celebration. The warehouse managers see it as a deadline. Those seasonal aisles need to vanish to make room for pallets of spring gardening soil. That urgency translates into aggressive markdowns right now. We aren't looking at a polite 10 percent off. We are seeing price collapses north of 70 percent on specific SKUs.

This isn't just about cheap snacks. From investment-grade gold bars behaving like arbitrage assets to limited-edition collectibles, the opportunities inside the warehouse this week are significant. Here is the tactical guide to the 2026 Lunar New Year markdown cycle.

Key Takeaways: The Feb 17-20 Watchlist

• The "Isabelle" Indicator: The popular Year of the Horse pastry tin has already been spotted at $5.97 (down from ~$22.99) in select locations.
• Gold Bar Arbitrage: 2026 PAMP Suisse Horse bars are selling on secondary markets for $5,000+. The spread against Costco's member pricing is massive.
• Perishable Drop Date: Watch for "Manager Specials" on unsold whole fish and bulk citrus starting tomorrow, February 18th.
• The Collectible Play: The 8-inch Hello Kitty Year of the Horse plush is holding value at $27.99, with stock moving fast.

The $5.97 Signal: Why You Need to Scan "Isabelle" Tins Now

Walk into a warehouse today and head straight to the seasonal pallet area. The "Isabelle Year of the Horse Assortment"—a premium pastry gift tin that moved briskly in January for roughly $22.99—is the primary target for clearance hunters.

Price checks from this morning (Feb 17, 2026) show this item hitting the legendary .97 clearance code in multiple regions. The price has floored at $5.97. That represents a 74% price reduction.

Code .97 — A warehouse-specific pricing code ending in $.97 indicating an item is on clearance, will not be restocked, and is priced below cost to clear floor space.

Inventory data shows that while 148 warehouses started the week with stock, 40.5% of those locations have already sold out. The window to snag these high-quality tins for less than the cost of a latte is closing rapidly.

Strategic Advice: If you purchased this item in the last 30 days at full price, scan your receipt into CostRefund immediately. Clearance pricing varies by store, making adjustments tricky, but having the data logged ensures you don't miss a retroactive credit if your specific warehouse drops the price while stock remains.

The Gold Bar Anomaly: A Store of Value?

Costco's precious metals program has shifted from a novelty to a legitimate financial tool for members. This year's release, the PAMP Suisse 1oz 'Year of the Horse' Gold Bar, is exhibiting unusual market behavior.

Gold bars typically sell near the spot price. However, the 2026 Lunar design has triggered a collector frenzy. Listings on external bullion dealer sites like BullionByPost have appeared as high as $5,295, driven by scarcity and the "Fire Horse" zodiac significance.

Retail Arbitrage — The practice of buying products from retailers at a lower price and reselling them in another marketplace for a profit.

As Edward Kelly, an equity analyst at Wells Fargo, noted in previous reports on Costco's metals program, the retailer's aggressive pricing often undercuts traditional bullion dealers, creating instant equity for members (Wells Fargo Equity Research, 2024).

Members finding these in stock at the warehouse (or online during random restocks) are effectively buying equity instantly. Unlike the pastry tins, these will not go on clearance. The "deal" here is simply finding inventory at member pricing before it disappears. Always verify the spot price, but the current premiums on 2026 Lunar gold suggest this is one of the few items you can buy, hold, and potentially resell for a profit.

The "Manager Special" Window for Fresh Food

Starting tomorrow, February 18th, the strategy shifts to perishables. The Lunar New Year dinner demands specific ingredients—whole fish, bulk dumplings, and premium fruit like Sumo oranges. Once the holiday passes today, demand for these specific bulk items plummets.

According to the National Retail Federation (2025), retailers typically clear 68% of holiday-specific perishable inventory within 96 hours of the event to avoid spoilage costs. Smart shoppers should look for neon green "Manager Special" stickers on these items starting Wednesday morning. Specific targets include:

• Whole Tilapia and Snapper: Often discounted by $3-$5 per pack to clear cooler space.
• Sumo Citrus: These have a short shelf life and high spoilage cost, leading to aggressive markdowns.
• Golden Nest Gift Sets: The new "Simply Swift Bird's Nest" kit released for 2026 is a shelf-stable item, but seasonal packaging often forces a markdown.

Jessica Chan, a food blogger at Jecca Chantilly, notes that warehouses are "well-stocked with plenty of affordable celebration-worthy items" right up until the holiday, which inevitably leads to a surplus the day after. If you have freezer space, this is the week to stock up on high-quality seafood.

Collectibles and Liquor: The Hidden Value

Beyond food, two categories are seeing specific activity this week: plush toys and spirits.

1. Hello Kitty Year of the Horse Plush (8-inch): Priced at $27.99 in-store. Reviews from the Costco Lovers YouTube channel (Feb 15, 2026) confirm high demand, with resellers listing the same item for $35+ plus shipping. If you see it, buy it—it is unlikely to survive until a markdown.
2. Johnny Walker Blue Label (Year of the Horse Edition): Priced at $189.99. While expensive, this limited bottle art often appreciates as a collector's item.
3. Kirkland Signature Single Malt: At $54.99, this remains the budget alternative. It rarely goes on clearance, but it is the smartest buy for post-holiday gifting if you missed the name-brand sales.

Price Strategy Comparison Table

Item Category	Target Price	Strategy	Risk Level
Pastry Tins	$5.97 (.97 Code)	Wait for markdown	Low (High Availability)
Gold Bars	Spot + 2%	Buy immediately	Medium (Market Volatility)
Fresh Fish	Manager Special	Buy Feb 18-20	Low (Consumable)
Collectibles	MSRP ($27.99)	Buy immediately	High (Resale Dependent)

Automated Tracking: Don't Leave Money on the Table

The challenge with seasonal clearance is the speed of price changes. A manager might mark down the Isabelle tins at 10:00 AM, and they are gone by noon. Or you might have bought the Golden Nest kit last week for $49.99, only to see it drop to $29.97 tomorrow.

Price Protection Policy — Costco's official guarantee allowing members to request a refund for the price difference if an item drops in cost within 30 days of purchase.

Costco offers a 30-day price adjustment window. If you bought an item and the price drops, you are entitled to the difference. However, Costco does not automatically notify you. You have to catch the drop yourself and request the refund.

This is where manual tracking fails. Most people don't have time to return to the warehouse daily to check signs. Tools like CostRefund solve this by digitizing the process—monitoring your purchase history against real-time data to alert you when a refund is eligible. In a week as volatile as this one, that automation is the difference between missing a deal and getting $20 back in your pocket.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I get a price adjustment if I bought Lunar New Year items before they went on clearance? A: Yes, officially Costco allows price adjustments within 30 days of purchase. According to Consumer Reports (2025), Costco's adjustment policy is among the most generous in retail, though specific clearance items (prices ending in .97) are sometimes subject to manager discretion if the item is out of stock at that specific location.

Q: Do unsold Year of the Horse food items get returned to the vendor? A: Typically, no. Costco owns its inventory. According to inventory analysis from Supply Chain Dive (2024), big-box retailers like Costco prefer to mark down seasonal food items by up to 75% rather than incur the reverse logistics costs of returning them. This is why you see such drastic price cuts—the store needs to physically clear the space.

Q: Is the return policy different for seasonal Lunar New Year items? A: The standard "Risk-Free 100% Satisfaction Guarantee" applies. You can return unopened non-perishable items like the Golden Nest gift sets without issue. However, be aware that serial returning of eaten holiday food is tracked and discouraged, as noted in recent policy analyses from January 2026.

Q: How do I know if the Gold Bars are in stock at my local warehouse? A: You cannot check warehouse stock for gold bars online reliably. The best method is to call your local warehouse's administrative line and select the option for "Membership" or "Merchandise," then provide the item number for the PAMP Suisse Lunar bar. Stock varies wildly by location, with high-volume stores receiving shipments weekly.