> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://guides.stellaraio.com/stellar/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://guides.stellaraio.com/stellar/retailers/costco-us-ca.md). # Costco US/CA
Our Costco module supports account based checkout and is designed to handle both API and frontend monitoring, multiple queue entry attempts and standard add to cart flows. Costco often uses queues, strict cart validation and fast sellouts but Stellar streamlines the process with session based logins, watch task pairing and optional queue farm setups. This module performs best for high demand products, electronics, limited drops and products known to appear with little warning. *** ## **Video Guide** Watch the complete Costco setup `Video guide coming soon...` *** ## Quick Start: Recommended Setup Costco has two primary setup types: * **Standard restock:** Use Monitor and Normal modes. * **Queue drop:** Use Queue-It and Normal modes. Identify the expected release type before creating your tasks. Always follow newer drop-specific instructions when provided. #### 1. Prepare Your Costco Accounts Before creating tasks: 1. Add your Costco accounts under **Identities → Sessions → Costco**. 2. Confirm each account’s email and password are correct. 3. Save a default shipping address inside each Costco account. 4. Create a matching Stellar profile with valid billing, shipping, and payment information. 5. Match the profile email to the Costco account email when possible. 6. Clear the Costco account’s cart before starting tasks. 7. Test the account on an in-stock product before an important release. Do not add a login proxy to the Costco session unless newer instructions specifically recommend one. Costco accounts log in when the task starts, not when the session is created. Use strictly one active Normal checkout task per Costco account. Running multiple checkout tasks on the same account can cause account locks, login instability, and checkout failures. Costco US supports Visa and Mastercard. American Express is not supported. #### 2. Prepare Your Proxies [Proxy](/stellar/getting-started-with-stellaraio/proxies.md) quality is one of the most important parts of a Costco setup. Recommended approach: * Prioritize high-quality residential proxies for Normal checkout tasks. * Use multiple residential providers or pools. * Test US, Canadian, and UK residential pools. * Canadian and UK residential proxies may perform well on Costco US. * Keep separate proxy groups for monitoring and checkout when possible. * Remove proxies that repeatedly receive Akamai or Kasada bans. * Test ISP and residential proxies for Queue-It tasks when current drop guidance permits it. Do not rely on a single provider or proxy pool. #### 3. Choose the Correct Setup **Standard Restock** Use this setup when Costco is not using a Queue-It waiting room: * Create approximately one Monitor task per product. * Create one Normal checkout task per Costco account. * Enable **Watch Task** on the Normal task. * Leave **Wait for Queue Pass** disabled. * Start the Monitor and Normal tasks before the expected restock. The Monitor task detects stock and pings the linked Normal checkout task. **Queue Drop** Use this setup when Costco activates a Queue-It waiting room: * Create one Normal checkout task per Costco account. * Create Queue-It mode tasks to generate multiple queue entries. * Enable **Wait for Queue Pass** on the Normal task. * Disable **Watch Task** on the Normal task. * Start the Queue-It and Normal tasks when the queue goes live. When a Queue-It task passes the queue, it transfers the passed queue session to the waiting Normal checkout task. #### 4. Recommended Normal Task For a Queue-It release, use: * **Mode:** Normal * **Profile:** Matching Costco profile * **Checkout Proxy:** High-quality residential proxy * **Product URL:** Exact Costco product URL * **Delay:** Start around `4000` * **Quantity:** `1`, unless a different product limit is announced * **Session:** Select the Costco account or leave blank for profile matching when supported * **Queue Captcha Provider:** Capsolver is currently recommended * **Use Account Address:** Enabled * **Skip Cart Clear:** Disabled * **Send Cart Webhook:** Enabled * **Watch Task:** Disabled * **Wait for Queue Pass:** Enabled * **Endless Mode:** Disabled * **Start Time:** Usually unnecessary For a standard non-queue restock: * Enable **Watch Task**. * Disable **Wait for Queue Pass**. * Run a Monitor task for the product. #### 5. Recommended Monitor Task Use: * **Mode:** Monitor * **Product URL:** Exact Costco product URL * **Monitor Type:** API or ATC * **Monitor Proxy:** Tested proxy group * **Monitoring Delay:** Start around `5000` * **Reset Delay:** Start around `5000` API monitoring may detect products more quickly but can be more demanding on proxies. Approximately one Monitor task per product is sufficient for most users. #### 6. Recommended Queue-It Tasks When a Queue-It waiting room is active: * Use Queue-It mode inside the Costco module. * Enter the correct Costco Queue-It URL. * Use tested proxies. * Select the configured Queue Captcha Provider. * Start Queue-It tasks when the queue goes live. * Run the Queue-It and Normal tasks at the same time. * Scale only to what your computer or server can handle reliably. A common starting range is approximately: ``` 100–500 Queue-It tasks ``` Queue-It tasks do not use Costco accounts. The number you can run depends on your computer, proxies, captcha capacity, and the latest drop instructions. #### 7. Queue Captcha Setup Capsolver is currently recommended for Costco Queue-It captchas. Other supported options may include: * Built-in Bot harvester * CapMonster * AYCD Costco captcha AutoSolve does not work through the built-in Bot harvester. If you select Bot, be prepared to solve the captchas manually. Configure and test your selected captcha provider before the queue opens. #### 8. Login Method Costco supports Regular and OTP login methods. Costco may temporarily flag accounts, which can interrupt Regular login. OTP login can retrieve the verification code through IMAP or manual input. When running multiple accounts, the current general recommendation is to test a mix of Regular and OTP login tasks. If using OTP with IMAP, configure and test the IMAP session before the release. #### 9. Stop Task After Carting Enable **Stop Task After Carting** if you want the task to stop after adding the product to cart so you can complete checkout manually. This is currently recommended when: * Your proxies regularly fail during automated checkout. * You want to reduce the chance of an account being temporarily blocked. * You are comfortable completing checkout manually. After the item carts, use the globe icon beside the task to open its authenticated Costco session. Leave **Stop Task After Carting** disabled when you want Stellar to attempt the complete automated checkout flow and you have tested that your proxies can complete it reliably. #### 10. Start and Verify Your Setup For standard restocks: 1. Start the Monitor task. 2. Start the Normal task with Watch Task enabled. 3. Confirm the Normal task is waiting for a monitor ping. 4. Keep tasks running through additional stock waves. For Queue-It releases: 1. Wait for the Costco queue to open. 2. Start the Queue-It tasks. 3. Start the Normal task with Wait for Queue Pass enabled. 4. Confirm Watch Task is disabled. 5. Confirm the Normal task is waiting for a passed queue session. 6. Keep both task types running unless Stellar staff instructs you to restart. Before the release, confirm: * Stellar is updated. * The Costco account and profile match. * A default address is saved on the account. * The account’s cart is empty. * Proxies have been tested. * The correct product URL is entered. * Only one Normal task is using each account. * The captcha provider is configured. * Watch Task and Wait for Queue Pass match the release type. * A test checkout or cart attempt has been completed. *** ## **Preliminary Checklist** Before setting up tasks on Costco, make sure you have everything below prepared: ### **Profiles** > * Accounts are **required** for checkout. > * Matching billing + shipping info > * 1 account per task > * Account email must match the profile email for best performance. > * Do **NOT** use login proxy in account session > * Make sure default shipping address is saved inside your Costco account. > * Clean profiles reduce checkout errors ### **Proxies** > * **Proxy quality matters the most on Costco.** > * Prioritize residential proxies for checkout. > * Use multiple residential providers and geographic pools. > * ISP and residential proxies may be tested for Queue-It tasks when allowed by the latest instructions. > * Do not rely on one provider. > * Save both proxy groups under the **Proxies tab** in Stellar. > * If you're looking for proxies, check out [Stella Proxies](https://guides.stellaraio.com/stellar/getting-started-with-stellaraio/stella-proxies) for high quality ISP and Residential proxies. As always, it's recommended to have multiple proxy providers, don't just rely on one. > * Use a mix of **US, CA and UK pools.** > * CA + UK resi have recently been performing very well on Costco US. ### **Costco Accounts** > * Accounts are **required** for checkout. > * Account email must match the profile email for best performance. > * Make sure default shipping address is saved inside your Costco account. #### **Cook Group Access** > Optional but recommended. Your [cookgroup](https://guides.stellaraio.com/stellar/getting-started-with-stellaraio/cook-groups) can help you find product URLs, SKUs and early restock alerts. #### **Test Task** > Before big drops, run a **test task** on a random in stock product to confirm your account, proxies and delays are functioning correctly. *** ## **Sessions & Login** 1\. Go to **Sessions** tab
2\. Click on **Add Session** 3\. Enter: * **Session Name** * **Email** (Costco account email) * **Password** (Costco account password)
4\. Click **Save** 5 . Session logs in automatically when starting a **Normal mode** task *** ## Task Overview **Normal Mode**
**Monitor Mode**
**Queueit Mode**
*** ## When to Use Modes {% hint style="info" %} **Important:** Your Costco account **logs in when tasks start**, not when the session is created. **Always clear your cart manually before running tasks.** {% endhint %} #### **Normal Mode (Checkout Mode)** * Standard checkout flow * Logs in → ATC → checkout * Uses session credentials * Best for direct restocks and fast moving items #### **Monitor Mode** * Monitors the product (API or ATC) * Pings any checkout task with **Watch Task enabled** * Does not add to cart or checkout * Unlimited number of monitor tasks allowed #### **Queueit Mode** * Creates many queue entries * Each task receives a different queue position * When a task passes queue, it pings your **Normal Mode** checkout task (if “Wait for Queue Pass” is enabled). You can start tasks as soon as the queue is up on a costco product. * Ideal when Costco uses QueueIt for hot products * Users often run **hundreds** of Queueit Mode tasks *** ### **Profile** * Select the profile you want to use for checkout * If “Use Account Address” is off → uses profile’s address * If “Use Account Address” is on → uses Costco account default address (recommended) *** ### **Proxies** You may use: * High quality **Residential proxies** (US, CA, UK mix recommended) * If you're looking for proxies, check out [Stella Proxies](https://guides.stellaraio.com/stellar/getting-started-with-stellaraio/stella-proxies) for high quality ISP and Residential proxies *** ### **Product URL** Find the product on Costco and copy the full product URL. Example: ``` https://www.costco.com/kirkland-signature-create-a-size-paper-towels%2c-2-ply%2c-160-sheets%2c-12-count.product.100234271.html ``` Paste into your task’s URL field. Your [cookgroup](/stellar/getting-started-with-stellaraio/cook-groups.md) will provide product URLs *** ### **Monitor Type** * **ATC** → frontend monitoring (via Costco.com) * **API** → backend monitoring * Usually detects faster * More intense on proxies *** ### **Delays** Recommended: * **Normal checkout delay:** approximately `4000` * **Monitor delay:** approximately `5000` * **Reset delay:** approximately `5000` Adjust based on your proxies and cook group guidance. *** ### **Quantity (QTY)** * Check with your [cookgroup](/stellar/getting-started-with-stellaraio/cook-groups.md) for product specific quantity rules * Stellar does *not* auto adjust if you set quantity too high *** ### **Session** Allows you to pick which Costco session to use for the task. *** ### **Queue Captcha Provider** Choose how to solve Costco QueueIt captchas: * [**Bot**](/stellar/navigating-stellaraio/what-is-the-captchas-tab/how-do-i-set-up-the-captcha-harvester.md) → built-in harvester. please note that autosolve **WILL NOT** work with costco. * [**Capsolver**](/stellar/navigating-stellaraio/what-is-the-settings-tab/how-do-i-set-up-capsolver.md) → automatic via third-party * [**Capmonster**](/stellar/navigating-stellaraio/what-is-the-settings-tab/how-do-i-set-up-capmonster.md) → automatic via third-party * [**AYCD**](/stellar/navigating-stellaraio/what-is-the-settings-tab/how-do-i-integrate-aycd-into-stellaraio.md) → via AYCD toolbox Configure depending on your provider. *** ### Login Method Costco is known for frequently **temp banning or flagging accounts**, which can interrupt task flow. To help with this, Stellar supports **Passcode (OTP) Login**, allowing you to fetch the verification code through **IMAP** or **Manual Input**. At the moment, OTP Login works even on temporarily flagged accounts, but Costco may tighten security at any time. For best results, we recommend running a **50/50 mix of Regular Login and OTP Login**, while still using **one account per task**. *** ### **Use Account Address (Recommended)** * ON → uses address saved in Costco account * OFF → uses Stellar profile address ON is recommended for smoother checkouts. *** ### **Skip Cart Clear** * ON → wont clear cart upon starting task meaning you will check out item(s) you already have carted in your account along with the item you're running in bot * OFF → cart will be cleared upon starting task *** ### **Send Cart Webhook** * ON → You'll receive a [Discord webhook](/stellar/navigating-stellaraio/what-is-the-settings-tab/how-to-set-up-discord-notifications.md) when your task carts an item * OFF → No Discord webhook will be sent *** ### **Task Stop After Carting** * ON → Your task will stop after successfully carting your item(s) * **Open Browser (Globe Icon)**\ The globe icon allows you to open a logged in browser session directly from a running task with the account already authenticated and ready to checkout. This is especially useful for users running a few accounts or troubleshooting ACO issues as it lets you manually complete checkout without restarting tasks

Image of the globe icon

* OFF → Your task will not stop after successfully carting your item(s), it'll continue the normal ACO process and attempt to checkout *** ### Watch Task Watch Task connects a Normal checkout task to a Monitor task. Enable Watch Task for standard restocks when: * You are running a Monitor task for the product. * Costco is not using a Queue-It waiting room. * You want the Normal task to wait for a stock notification. Disable Watch Task for Queue-It releases when the Normal task is waiting for a passed queue session. *** ### Wait for Queue Pass Wait for Queue Pass connects a Normal checkout task to Costco Queue-It mode tasks. Enable it only when: * Costco has activated a Queue-It waiting room. * You are running Queue-It mode tasks inside the Costco module. * The Normal task should wait for one of those tasks to pass the queue. For a Queue-It release: * **Wait for Queue Pass:** Enabled * **Watch Task:** Disabled For a standard non-queue restock: * **Wait for Queue Pass:** Disabled * **Watch Task:** Enabled when using a Monitor task Wait for Queue Pass does not work as a replacement for ordinary product monitoring. *** ### When to Start Tasks #### Standard Restocks Start the Monitor and Normal tasks before the expected restock. Confirm: * The Monitor task is actively monitoring. * The Normal task has Watch Task enabled. * The Normal task is waiting for a monitor ping. * Wait for Queue Pass is disabled. #### Queue-It Releases Start the Queue-It and Normal tasks when the Costco queue goes live. Confirm: * Queue-It tasks are entering the queue. * The Normal task has Wait for Queue Pass enabled. * Watch Task is disabled. * The captcha provider is working. * The Normal task is waiting for a passed queue session. Do not restart tasks unless you identify a specific setup problem or Stellar staff instructs you to restart. ### How Many Tasks? #### Normal Tasks Use strictly one active Normal checkout task per Costco account. Do not reuse the same account across multiple active checkout tasks. #### Monitor Tasks Approximately one Monitor task per product is sufficient for most users. Additional monitors may provide redundancy but are not normally required. #### Queue-It Tasks A common starting range is: ``` 100–500 Queue-It tasks ``` Scale according to: * Computer or server performance * Proxy availability and quality * Captcha-solving capacity * Queue traffic * Current Stellar instructions Queue-It tasks do not use Costco accounts. ### Captcha Strategy Capsolver is currently recommended for Costco Queue-It captchas. Configure and test the selected captcha provider before starting Queue-It tasks. If you select the built-in Bot harvester, be prepared to solve Costco captchas manually because its AutoSolve feature does not support Costco queue captchas. Only run as many Queue-It tasks and captcha requests as your setup can handle reliably. ### **Important Notes** Costco is heavily protected by **Akamai** Proxies are the **most important factor** One account per task ONLY Running multiple tasks on one account = instant clip ### **Manual Checkout (If Needed)** If tasks cart but fail checkout: Use: • **Globe icon next to task** (recommended) • **Open browser from Sessions** • External tools (not recommended, slower) Make sure Chrome is installed for in-bot browser ### **Final Reminder** Costco is extremely competitive and heavily dependent on **proxy quality and scale**. The better your proxies and the more tasks you run, the higher your chances of passing queue and securing a checkout *** ## Latest Costco Prep Call Watch latest Costco Prep Call `Coming soon...` *** ## Common Errors and Fixes * **Akamai Ban** * *Cause:* Account- or proxy-related issue * *Fix:* * Try different proxies * Reset the Costco account password * **Kasada Ban** * *Cause:* Account- or proxy-related issue * *Fix:* * Try different proxies * Reset the Costco account password * **Waiting For Monitor** * *Cause:* Normal status message * *Fix:* * Task is waiting for a monitor-mode task or server-side monitor * Will proceed once the product is detected in stock *** ### Costco Queue Drop FAQ **Do I use the regular Queue-It module or Costco module?** * Use **Costco module** with **Wait for Queue Pass** enabled and **Queue-It MODE** tasks started. **How many Queue-It tasks should I run?** * There’s no fixed number, but don’t run 10–20 tasks. That won’t pass in time. **Do I use residential proxies or ISPs?** * Use a mix of both and see what performs better for you. **Is it one account per task?** * Yes. Strictly one account per task. * Using multiple tasks on one account will clip it instantly. **Do I use “Stop Task After Carting”?** * With current strict costco checkout restrictions using proxies it is **RECOMMENDED** to use this feature unless you know your proxies will work on the checkout flow to avoid getting your account softbanned, you can manually checkout once the item has been carted. * Use it if you constantly have issues with ACO. * Some members prefer manual checkout because Costco’s protection can be inconsistent. **I’m using AMEX and my tasks are showing errors - what do I do?** * AMEX isn’t supported at Costco. Only Visa and Mastercard work. **“adding to cart - akamai ban”** * Proxy block. Try different providers - ideally residential proxies. **“initiating checkout - akamai ban”** * Account temporary block or proxy block. * Try running tasks with **Stop Task After Carting** enabled and check out manually. * If you see **ERR\_HTTP2\_PROTOCOL\_ERROR** or **“Costco mobile services unavailable”**, it’s a 100% account block. Let the account rest for a while. **“error submitting order - server error”** * Caused by profile issues or Costco itself. * We pushed three updates to improve handling of this error, but if it’s profile-related it may not be solvable. * Test your profile on an in-stock item: * If it works, it’s site-related and our updates should improve it further. **Where do I check out once my task carts and I have “Stop Task After Carting” enabled, or when the task tells me to check out manually after failing Akamai on initiating checkout?** You have three options: 1. **Globe icon next to the task status** * This loads your logged-in session directly. * Just follow the normal checkout steps. * [More info here](https://discord.com/channels/1417577339671285984/1417581701315428493/1450832305089286215) 2. **Open Browser in Sessions** * Same as the globe icon next to the task. * Opens the session with your account already logged in. * [More info here](https://discord.com/channels/1417577339671285984/1417581701315428493/1450832305089286215) 3. **External browser or tools (e.g. AYCD)** * Possible, but very time-consuming. * This is why using the in-bot browser is strongly recommended. **In-bot browser requirement** * Chrome must be installed in the default system path. * Just install Chrome normally and it will configure itself automatically. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. 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