Why Costco is selling precious metals

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Costco’s move to sell precious metals, the latest being 1 oz. platinum bars, is an attempt to reinforce the treasure-hunt aspect of its stores.

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The well-documented strategy attempts to draw consumers in by continuously introducing new, unexpected products and intentionally running out of them from time to time.

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It seems to work —

1. Costco shoppers swarm stores for a chance to buy the latest precious metal, not knowing whether it will be there next time
2. Costco makes a pretty penny; they now sell $200 million worth of precious metals monthly
3. Those shoppers then spend money on other products, too