Cost&Co Companion App

Overview

Making Sense of Costco's Ever-Changing Experience

How might I help Costco shoppers navigate constantly changing warehouse environments without disrupting Costco's business model?

Costco's warehouse experience thrives on discovery, but constantly rotating inventory, inconsistent layouts, and limited store information can make finding products frustrating. I designed a community companion app that helps shoppers navigate, discover products, and make informed decisions through real-time member driven insights.

Research

9 shoppers, contextual interviews and field observation

Output

Cost&Co, a community-powered companion app

Focus

Wayfinding, product discovery, decision-making

Constraint

Preserve Costco's discovery-driven shopping model

The Challenge

Where Did It Go?

With limited signage, inconsistent product availability, and constantly shifting product locations, shoppers often rely on memory and trial-and-error to locate products. This creates an unpredictable shopping experience that leads to unnecessary searching, increases stress, and contributes to warehouse congestion.

Three things made products hard to find

Understanding the Costco Experience

Observing shoppers in the warehouse

Research Insights

What I Discovered

Through my field research, I identified key patterns in how Costco shoppers navigate the warehouse, make purchasing decisions, and interact with the shopping environment.

01

Costco shoppers often lack the information needed to efficiently navigate the warehouse, forcing them to rely on memory, previous visits, and trial-and-error.

Uncertainty makes navigation frustrating

Availability

Product availability varies between Costco locations, making it difficult for shoppers to know what to expect

Signage

Customers struggle with unclear signage, product placement, and locating specific items

Visual cues

Some shoppers expressed interest in more visual information, such as pictures on signs or labels, to better distinguish products

Highlights from interviews

02

Costco's layout encourages exploration and discovery, but shoppers rely heavily on familiarity and routine to navigate an unpredictable environment.

Costco shopping is driven by discovery, value, and routine

Motivation

Customers are motivated by Costco's value, convenience, novelty, and established shopping routines

Routine

Many shoppers develop habitual paths through the warehouse and avoid certain areas based on past experiences

Highlights from interviews

03

Shoppers attempt to avoid crowded areas but often contribute to congestion when searching for unfamiliar products.

Crowding creates congestion

Stress

Crowded aisles and high traffic volumes contribute to shopper stress

Circling

Customers often circle around popular areas while searching for products, unintentionally creating more congestion

Overcrowding

While many shoppers enjoy visiting Costco with others, overcrowding can negatively impact the experience

Highlights from interviews

Costco shoppers rely on routine to navigate an unpredictable environment, but limited visibility into product locations and inventory creates uncertainty. Rather than needing a simpler warehouse, shoppers need better access to the information that helps them navigate it.

Design Direction

Designing Around Information, Not the Warehouse

My research revealed that Costco shoppers weren't necessarily frustrated by the warehouse experience itself, but by the lack of reliable, warehouse-specific information. Instead of designing against Costco's treasure-hunt shopping model, I explored how a companion app could enhance the experience by providing shoppers with the information they need before and during their visit.

The solution

Meet Cost&Co

A community powered companion app that helps Costco members navigate warehouses with greater confidence through real-time, location specific information contributed by fellow shoppers.

App features

1. 01

   Location-Specific Map

   Because product placement varies between locations, interactive maps tailored to each Costco warehouse help shoppers understand layouts and quickly locate products

2. 02

   In-Warehouse Navigation

   Guided navigation reduces unnecessary searching and helps shoppers move through the warehouse more efficiently

3. 03

   Community Store Updates

   Members contribute live updates on product availability, pricing, item locations, popularity, and free samples to keep warehouse information current

Cost&Co in action

From Planning to Purchase

To support shoppers throughout their Costco visit, I mapped the complete Cost&Co experience from trip planning to in-store navigation and community contributions. This flow ensures the right information is available at the right moment, before, during, and after shopping.

Application sequence flow

Design Impact

Reducing Uncertainty Without Removing Discovery

Behind every feature is a real shopper frustration. By designing around the information people were missing, Cost&Co makes navigating the warehouse feel more intuitive while preserving the treasure-hunt experience.

How research shaped the final design

• Research insight

  Shoppers rely on memory because product locations constantly change.

  Design response

  Location-specific warehouse maps and live navigation.

• Research insight

  Customers struggle to know whether products are in stock.

  Design response

  Community-contributed inventory and availability updates.

• Research insight

  Limited signage creates uncertainty and inefficient searching.

  Design response

  Real-time product locations and warehouse-specific information.

Expected user outcomes

Reflection

Observe first, then design

This project broadened my perspective on what user-centered research can look like in product design. Rather than starting with a predefined problem, I began by observing people in their natural environment and allowing insights to emerge through contextual inquiry. This process challenged me to set aside assumptions and let research guide the direction of the project.

Without watching users struggle, pause, or adapt in real time, I risk solving the wrong problems while overlooking the actual frustrations that shape their everyday experiences. Grounding my decisions in observed behaviors allowed me to identify meaningful opportunities that addressed genuine user needs. By observing first, I found patterns that define real interactions and ensure my final design supports how people actually navigate the world.

Interactive Prototype