What are the staffing requirements and sales expectations for Costco depot event days?

Costco event days in depots require significant commitment: you must staff the stand yourself for the full day (typically 9:30am–9:30pm), and Costco is strict about presentation standards throughout. You cannot rely on Costco to provide your staff.

**Staffing options:** - **Own staff** — Members who ran 9 four-day events across Oct–Dec 2024 found this preferable to third-party suppliers, giving better control and engagement - **Avansa** — A specialist supplier for depot trade-day staffing across cash-and-carry venues; they know the customer base and are well-regarded. Contact via DM in the group - **WDS** (Costco's in-house recommendation) — Available through the link provided, but members found them "a bit 'table with a table'" and less effective than hired promotional staff

**Expectations:** - Members described the event schedule as "gruelling" and "brutal" (full 9am–9:30pm days) - One member completed 155 events in late 2023/early 2024 and can advise on specifics - Sales expectations were not quantified in the discussion

**Key caveat:** The group felt in-house Costco staff (if available) are not as good as your own or professional promotional teams. Plan for significant internal resource commitment or budget for external staffing.