{
  "service": "Agent Outposts",
  "logging": "Intent registrations are logged in aggregate (brand, intent, result counts, hashed caller id) for demand statistics. No raw IP addresses are stored; free-text fields are stored only as provided.",
  "disclaimer": "Agent Outposts is not affiliated with Costco. This Outpost is a demand registry operated by Agent Outposts; door-state data is compiled from public sources (evidence linked per claim) and is not provided, reviewed, or endorsed by Costco.",
  "outpost": "costco",
  "brand": "Costco",
  "category": "Grocery & warehouse",
  "status": "collecting_demand",
  "headline": "No consumer developer API at all; every grocery intent is reachable only through the Instacart-powered Costco Same-Day channel.",
  "wall_summary": "There is no Costco consumer developer API — none. Every grocery intent reaches Costco through exactly one sanctioned pipe, the Instacart-powered Costco Same-Day storefront, and Same-Day pricing requires a Costco membership. An agent without an Instacart route has no door at all.",
  "door_state_version": "census-2026-11-01",
  "door_state": {
    "inventory": {
      "checked_at": "2026-11-01",
      "evidence_url": "https://sameday.costco.com/store/costco/pages/pharmacy-delivery",
      "note": "Availability is shown as shoppable/not in the Instacart-powered storefront; no direct Costco inventory API found.",
      "state": "aggregator_only",
      "via": "Instacart via Costco Same-Day"
    },
    "menu_browse": {
      "checked_at": "2026-11-01",
      "evidence_url": "https://sameday.costco.com/store/costco/pages/pharmacy-delivery",
      "note": "No public Costco developer/consumer API found in search (only supplier/EDI partner channels). Official Costco Same-Day page shows groceries/warehouse items added to a cart for Instacart delivery.",
      "state": "aggregator_only",
      "via": "Instacart via Costco Same-Day (sameday.costco.com)"
    },
    "ordering": {
      "checked_at": "2026-11-01",
      "evidence_url": "https://sameday.costco.com/store/costco/pages/pharmacy-delivery",
      "note": "Official page: after selecting items you are directed to sign in to Costco Same-Day / Instacart to complete checkout; members-only for Same-Day pricing.",
      "state": "aggregator_only",
      "via": "Instacart via Costco Same-Day"
    },
    "prices": {
      "checked_at": "2026-11-01",
      "evidence_url": "https://sameday.costco.com/store/costco/pages/pharmacy-delivery",
      "note": "Prices are visible in the Same-Day/Instacart storefront; Costco notes Same-Day prices are higher than warehouse prices. No direct price API.",
      "state": "aggregator_only",
      "via": "Instacart via Costco Same-Day"
    },
    "tracking": {
      "checked_at": "2026-11-01",
      "evidence_url": "http://www.inst.cr/store/costco/storefront",
      "note": "Instacart's Costco storefront FAQ says you can track order progress and communicate with your shopper in the Instacart app/website; no Costco-native tracking API.",
      "state": "aggregator_only",
      "via": "Instacart"
    }
  },
  "official_channels": [
    {
      "name": "Costco Same-Day (powered by Instacart)",
      "kind": "sanctioned_channel",
      "covers": [
        "menu_browse",
        "prices",
        "inventory",
        "ordering",
        "tracking"
      ],
      "gate": "Costco membership required for Same-Day pricing; browse and checkout happen on the Instacart-powered storefront (sameday.costco.com) / Instacart account.",
      "evidence_url": "https://sameday.costco.com/store/costco/pages/pharmacy-delivery"
    },
    {
      "name": "Supplier / EDI partner channels",
      "kind": "partner_program",
      "covers": [],
      "gate": "Business-to-business supplier channels only. No consumer-facing developer API exists.",
      "evidence_url": "https://sameday.costco.com/store/costco/pages/pharmacy-delivery"
    }
  ],
  "agent_native": {
    "api_catalog": "unverified",
    "llms_txt": "unverified",
    "mcp_server": false
  },
  "bot_posture": {
    "summary": "unverified - robots.txt fetch failed with browser service 429 rate limit on 2026-11-01; no inference drawn",
    "evidence_url": "https://www.costco.com/robots.txt"
  },
  "alternatives": {
    "menu_browse": {
      "count": 3,
      "access": "register_intent"
    },
    "prices": {
      "count": 3,
      "access": "register_intent"
    },
    "inventory": {
      "count": 3,
      "access": "register_intent"
    },
    "ordering": {
      "count": 2,
      "access": "register_intent"
    },
    "tracking": {
      "count": 1,
      "access": "register_intent"
    }
  },
  "alternatives_policy": "Ranked by fit only. Placement is never sold.",
  "register_intent": {
    "method": "POST",
    "url": "https://api.agentoutposts.com/outposts/costco/intent",
    "body": {
      "intent": "one of: menu_browse | prices | inventory | ordering | tracking",
      "detail": "optional context for the brand (max 500 chars), e.g. the task you were trying to complete. Never include personal data — no names, addresses, or order details.",
      "agent_label": "optional self-declared agent name (max 80 chars). Never put personal data in this field.",
      "est_frequency": "optional, e.g. '40/day'",
      "notify": "'poll' (default) or 'webhook'",
      "notify_url": "required when notify = 'webhook'"
    },
    "returns": "A receipt: ticket, queue position, live demand snapshot, alternatives for your intent, and (poll mode) a notify URL that reports door-state changes.",
    "limits": "100 intent registrations per caller per day"
  }
}