Is CVS Trying to Be More Like Costco and Marshalls?

In part, yes: CVS has explored a retail strategy that borrows from the treasure-hunt feel of stores such as Costco and Marshalls, while keeping pharmacy services at its core. The comparison describes a push toward a more engaging, discovery-oriented shopping experience—not a plan to become a warehouse club or copy Marshalls’ business model.

Why CVS is rethinking its stores

CVS has long combined pharmacies with convenience-store-style retail: customers might pick up a prescription alongside snacks, personal-care products, cosmetics, household basics, and seasonal goods. That format offers convenience, but it can also make stores feel similar from one visit to the next. Retail competition, changing shopping habits, and pressure on traditional drugstore economics have encouraged the company to reconsider how its locations attract shoppers.

CVS executives have discussed making the front of the store feel more like a destination, with products and displays that invite browsing. The Costco and Marshalls references are useful shorthand for two ideas: customers may find items they did not specifically come in to buy, and the selection or presentation can feel more interesting than a routine shelf of everyday necessities.

That does not mean every CVS will change in the same way, or that the company has announced a wholesale transformation of its entire chain. Retail concepts are often tested in selected locations before a company decides whether, where, and how broadly to expand them.

What the Costco and Marshalls comparison means

Costco is known for a membership-based warehouse format, bulk packages, and a comparatively focused assortment. Marshalls is an off-price retailer where merchandise availability and selection can vary, encouraging shoppers to browse for finds. CVS is neither of those things: its central role remains a neighborhood pharmacy and health retailer.

When CVS invokes or is compared with those retailers, the point is more about shopping behavior than store mechanics. A drugstore could use clearer displays, rotating seasonal products, distinctive merchandise, or more inviting product groupings to make browsing worthwhile. A customer who came in for toothpaste might notice a new beauty item or a seasonal gift display.

Costco-like inspiration: a sense of discovery and products that feel worth a special look, not necessarily bulk buying or membership.
Marshalls-like inspiration: an element of browsing and changing or attention-getting merchandise, not necessarily an off-price inventory model.
CVS’s difference: prescriptions, pharmacist access, and health-related services remain part of the store’s identity.

How a pharmacy twist changes the idea

A pharmacy store has needs that a general merchandise retailer does not. Prescription pickup and consultation must remain easy to find, and shoppers may visit because they need a specific health product rather than because they want to browse. Any retail refresh has to work around those practical needs.

The “pharmacy twist” is therefore not simply adding novelty products. It means trying to make the non-pharmacy shopping areas more appealing without obscuring the services people rely on. For example, a more organized beauty section or a prominent seasonal display might improve the shopping trip, while clear signs still direct customers to the pharmacy counter, photo services, or other available offerings.

CVS also operates in a changing health-care environment. The company has been adjusting its business through store closures and other operational changes, while investing in health services and seeking ways to make its remaining locations work better. Store experiments should be understood within that broader effort, rather than as proof that the company is abandoning pharmacy retail.

What shoppers may notice—and what is not guaranteed

Store layouts, product assortments, and promotional displays can differ by location. A concept tested in one market may not appear at a nearby store, and a new display does not necessarily mean the same products will remain in stock. CVS stores also vary in size, local demand, and the services they offer.

In practical terms, shoppers might see more attention paid to the front-of-store assortment or to categories such as beauty, seasonal goods, and everyday convenience items. But CVS has not thereby promised Costco’s bulk pricing, Marshalls’ rotating assortment, or identical upgrades at every branch. For a particular item or service, checking the local store’s availability is more reliable than assuming the chainwide format is uniform.

There is a related misconception worth clearing up: “more like Costco” does not automatically mean CVS plans to sell everything in warehouse-sized packages or launch a membership program. Likewise, “more like Marshalls” does not establish that CVS is moving to an off-price model. The comparison is about making retail more compelling, not adopting another retailer’s full operating structure.

How this fits CVS’s wider business

CVS is a large health-care company, not just a drugstore chain. Its businesses include retail pharmacies, pharmacy benefit management, and health-insurance operations. Those parts face different challenges, and changes to the shopping experience address only one piece of the company’s overall strategy.

For its retail locations, the challenge is balancing convenience and service with a store experience that can compete for ordinary shopping trips. Many products sold in drugstores are also available from supermarkets, big-box stores, online retailers, and specialist beauty sellers. A stronger front-of-store offer could give customers another reason to visit, but it must coexist with the pharmacy’s practical function.

Whether the approach succeeds depends on execution: shoppers need merchandise they want, sensible organization, and dependable service. A more eye-catching store can draw attention, but it cannot by itself resolve broader questions about pharmacy access, operating costs, or the economics of the retail chain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CVS becoming a Costco?
No. CVS remains a pharmacy-led retailer. The comparison points to a more engaging shopping experience, not a warehouse-club format or a stated plan to copy Costco’s membership and bulk-sales model.

Is CVS turning into Marshalls?
No. The reference is about encouraging browsing and making retail merchandise more interesting. It does not mean CVS has adopted Marshalls’ off-price business model or guarantees a constantly changing assortment.

Will every CVS store get a new layout?
Not necessarily. Retail concepts may be tested or introduced selectively, and store size, local demand, and available services vary. A change at one location is not proof that every CVS will look the same.

Will CVS still focus on prescriptions?
Yes. The idea is to improve the shopping side of the store while retaining pharmacy services as a central part of CVS’s business. The specific services available can vary by location.

Does “treasure hunt” mean lower prices?
Not by itself. It describes a browsing experience or appealing assortment, not a promise of Costco-style prices, discounts, or particular products. Check a store’s current listings or ask that location about availability.

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