Costco Just Took the Top Spot From H-E-B — And Shoppers Are Taking Notice
Costco has officially moved into the No. 1 spot in a major retail experience ranking, pushing last year’s winner H-E-B into second place.
The shift comes from ChangeUp’s 2026 Experience Report, which examines how consumers actually experience major retail brands rather than simply looking at prices or sales. Costco came out on top, while H-E-B remained extremely strong at No. 2. The result suggests that shoppers are responding to something bigger than low prices: the feeling they get when they walk into a store.
Costco Turned Shopping Into a Treasure Hunt
Part of Costco’s appeal is that you never quite know what you’ll discover.
You can walk in looking for coffee, eggs, and paper towels and suddenly find yourself examining a new kitchen appliance, seasonal dessert, or enormous package of something you never planned to buy. That unpredictability has become part of the experience. It is also why Costco can feel surprisingly entertaining compared with a routine grocery trip.
For shoppers trying to make better choices without making every trip feel restrictive, even discovering better everyday food choices can become part of the fun.
H-E-B Did Not Exactly Lose
Coming in second does not mean H-E-B suddenly became a bad retailer—it means Costco managed to move ahead.
H-E-B held the top position in the previous report, so its second-place finish shows just how competitive the customer-experience race has become. Costco’s rise is especially notable because the ranking looks at several dimensions of experience rather than reducing everything to price or convenience.
That distinction matters. A store can have good prices and still leave customers feeling like they completed an errand. Costco has made the errand itself feel like part of the attraction.
The Experience Matters More Than Ever
Physical stores have a harder job now because shoppers can order many of the same products without ever leaving home.
That makes the warehouse experience increasingly important. If customers are going to drive to a store, push a huge cart around, and stand in a checkout line, something about the visit needs to make the effort worthwhile.
The latest ranking reflects that broader shift toward experience, with retailers being judged on how memorable, relevant, and compelling their interactions with customers feel.
Costco’s advantage is that its warehouse environment gives shoppers reasons to keep exploring instead of simply grabbing one item and leaving.
Why Costco Keeps People Coming Back
There is a particular kind of satisfaction in finding something unexpectedly useful at Costco.
Rotating merchandise, seasonal products, and an enormous selection create a feeling that the next visit might bring a discovery. That matters because shoppers are not only deciding where to spend money; they are deciding which stores deserve their time.
Broader customer experience findings show why that distinction matters. Retailers that give customers memorable reasons to return can build stronger relationships than businesses that compete only on a single feature.
Related: Costco Tops the Grocery List for High-Income Americans, New Survey Finds
Grocery Retail Is Getting Seriously Competitive
Costco and H-E-B are not alone in proving that shoppers care about how a store makes them feel.
Several grocery and club retailers performed strongly in the ranking, showing that the battle for customers is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Stores are competing through product selection, convenience, atmosphere, service, and the little surprises that make a routine trip memorable.
The broader ranking breakdown also shows how Costco’s rise fits into a larger retail landscape where brands must keep giving consumers reasons to choose them.
That lesson goes beyond grocery shopping. Even small daily habits can become more enjoyable when there is an element of discovery rather than simply rushing through a checklist.
The Costco Crown Could Be Hard to Keep
Winning the top spot is impressive, but staying there may be harder.
H-E-B’s move from No. 1 to No. 2 reminds us that customer loyalty is never permanent. Retailers must keep changing, improving, and finding new ways to stay relevant as shoppers’ expectations evolve.
For Costco, the challenge now is keeping the warehouse experience exciting without losing the practical value that made people loyal in the first place. If it can continue giving shoppers both usefulness and discovery, that combination could remain difficult for competitors to match.
So if you had to choose today, would you pick Costco or H-E-B—and is your decision really about price, or about how the store makes you feel when you shop?
