Tina Chow might just be the closest thing to Costco royalty.
When she started her social media brand, Chow could not have imagined the crowd she would draw, nor that she can't step foot in a Costco without being recognized by followers.
Chow, also known as Costco Lovers Canada on social media, has made providing shopping tricks and tips her brand.
She's become a godsend for those in search of a deal or a new item at the warehouse chain.
She started as a regular Costco shopper, but when the pandemic hit, she found herself headed to the store more often and began reporting on deals and new products.
“I just started taking pictures for friends and family and we would take turns helping pick stuff up for each other,” said Chow. “Some friends said, ‘Why don’t you start a group?’ So I did and it sort of just turned into this.”
She soon gained attention for her timely and accurate information and now the Facebook group boasts 112,000 followers and counting. Chow actively posts her videos to Facebook, Instagram and TikTok where she has amassed a combined half a million followers.
Chow's following is among the largest for Costco influencers in Canada, prompting many to call her 'Canada's Costco Queen.'
She's frequently stopped by fans and followers while she visits Costco stores around Alberta. Chow is completely unaffiliated with Costco and all her videos are done in an unofficial capacity.
It was her love of shopping at the store that started her journey and it’s her love that keeps it going.
Costco’s growth – it's gained approximately 30 million members in the past four years, a roughly 30 per cent increase globally – can be attributed to economic pressures and shopping trends but that doesn’t fully explain its popularity on social media.
It has seemed to taken on its own subculture of thrifty shoppers and product watchers.
The U.S. has seen the birth of Costco influencers like Laura Lamb and the Costco Guys, the latter even making an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon late last year.
Indeed, the culture does seem to be more than the sum of its parts for Costco’s followers.
The Western Wheel asked Chow why she thought Costco has become such a cultural phenomenon.
"I want to say it's because you're not a customer, you're a member and they treat you as such," she said.
“With the shortage of water in Calgary last year, they pivoted and sold more bottled water here. And when Fort Mac had the fires, they were able to send all the air purifiers up north because that's where they needed them.
“So, I think they really listen to their members on what people are looking for versus going into a grocery store and finding what you find."
Chow’s content is playing a part in the cultural zeitgeist. She keeps her videos focused on the local branches and can make up to 20 in one visit, many of which end up on the front page for many local shoppers.
But her content goes beyond just showcasing the latest deals. She explains the secret “sale codes” Costco uses to her followers and she frequently travels internationally to show her followers Costco stores in different countries.
Despite her travels, Chow’s favourite branch is close to home.
“Okotoks is my favourite Costco,” she said.
“I love them all and they all have different characteristics, but Okotoks’ Costco seems calmer, people are less busy and more chill.”
Chow said she often finds herself driving to Okotoks to film her videos.
She has no plans on slowing her social media stardom down.
A rumoured Costco Business Centre opening in Calgary is sure to have her and her audience’s attention this year.
In parting, the Western Wheel asked Chow why she thought her content resonates so much with her audience.
"To be honest, I'm not sure, but I've been told it's because I’m authentic," she said.
Watch her on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook for shopping tips and to learn more about the Costco cultural phenomenon.
