RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS	12 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2012
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS	RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS Use of Private Plane: From time to time members of the Company’s management use private planes owned in part by La Jolla Aviation, Inc. to travel to business meetings in Latin America and the Caribbean. La Jolla Aviation, Inc. is solely owned by The Robert and Allison Price Trust, and Robert Price is a Director and Officer of La Jolla Aviation, Inc. Under the "original use agreement," if the passengers are solely Company personnel, the Company has reimbursed La Jolla Aviation for a portion of the fixed management fee and additional expenses incurred by La Jolla Aviation as a result of the hours flown, including direct charges associated with the use of the plane, landing fees, catering and international fees. If the passengers are not solely PriceSmart, Inc. personnel and if one or more of the passengers is a member of the Price Group (including Robert E. Price), the Company has reimbursed La Jolla Aviation for use of the aircraft based on the amounts the passengers would have paid if they had flown a commercial airline. The Company incurred expenses of approximately $31,000, $30,000 and $39,000 for the years ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively, for these services. Relationship with Robert Price: In December 2009, Robert E. Price, the Company’s Chairman of the Board, contributed approximately $396,000 in capital to the Company to fund a special holiday bonus to PriceSmart’s non-management employees in memory of the Company’s founder, Sol Price. For the years ended August 31, 2011 and 2012, no contributions were made by Robert Price. Relationship with Aseprismar: Aseprismar is a PriceSmart employee association located in Costa Rica that purchase discarded packaging materials received by the Company from incoming shipments of merchandise. The Company recorded approximately $37,000, $30,000 and $22,000 in other income from the sale of packaging materials for the years ended August 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. In addition, the Company also contracts with Aseprismar for freight transportation between the Company's Costa Rica warehouse clubs. The Company incurred approximately $12,000, $10,000 and $9,000 for freight for the years ended August 2012 , 2011 and 2010. Relationships with Edgar Zurcher: Edgar Zurcher was a director of the Company from November 2000 until February 2008. Mr. Zurcher resigned from the Company’s board of directors on February 8, 2008. On October 6, 2009, the Company’s Board of Directors resolved to elect Mr. Zurcher to the Board effective October 15, 2009 to fill the vacancy following the resignation of a member of the Board. The Company has accordingly recorded and disclosed related-party expense or income related to the relationships with Edgar Zurcher for the years ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010. Mr. Zurcher is a partner in a law firm that the Company utilizes in certain legal matters. The Company incurred approximately $26,000, $63,000 and $64,000 in legal expenses with this firm for the years ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Mr. Zurcher is also a director of a company that owns 40% of Payless ShoeSource Holdings, Ltd., which rents retail space from the Company. The Company has recorded approximately $1.4 million, $1.3 million, and $1.2 million in rental income for this space during the years ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Additionally, Mr. Zurcher is a director of Molinos de Costa Rica Pasta. The Company paid approximately $367,000, $313,000 and $271,000 for products purchased from this entity during the years ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Also, Mr. Zurcher is a director of Roma S.A. dba Roma Prince S.A. PriceSmart purchased products from this entity for approximately $1.4 million, $1.7 million and $2.0 million for the years ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Relationship with Gonzalo Barrutieta: Gonzalo Barrutieta has been a director of the Company since February 2008. Mr. Barrutieta is a member of the Board of Directors of Office Depot Mexico, which operates Office Depot Panama, which rents retail space from the Company. The Company has recorded approximately $252,000, $246,000 and $242,000 in rental income and common area maintenance charges for this space during the years ended August 31, 2012, 2011, and 2010, respectively. Additionally, the Company sold to OD Panama, S.A. approximately 28,000 square feet of undeveloped land, located adjacent to the Panama, Via Brasil PriceSmart location, for approximately $2.1 million during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2011. Also, on July 15, 2011 (fiscal year 2011), the Company's joint venture Golf Park Plaza, S.A. ("GPP") and Office Depot Panama entered into a 30 year operating lease, with an option to buy, of approximately 26,000 square feet of land owned by GPP. As part of this transaction, Office Depot Panama: (i) made an initial deposit to GPP in the sum of approximately $545,000 at the time of signing the agreement; (ii) will pay a second deposit of approximately $436,000 at the time their building is completed and their store is opened to the public; (iii) will pay monthly rent per the lease clause of the agreement of $1,000 per month starting 365 days from execution of the contract and (iv) will pay an additional $109,000, less any rental payments previously applied per the lease clause, when Office Depot exercises its option to purchase the land. Office Depot Panama anticipates opening their store during December 2012. Relationships with Price Charities: During the years ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, the Company sold approximately $98,000, $86,000 and $107,000, respectively, of supplies to Price Charities, a charitable non-profit public benefit corporation. Robert E. Price, the Company’s Chairman of the Board, is also Chairman of the Board and President of Price Charities. Additionally, Sherry S. Bahrambeygui, a director since November 2011, serves as Executive Vice President, Secretary and Vice Chairman of the Boards of Price Charities, fka San Diego Revitalization Corp., and Price Family Charitable Fund. The Company also participates with Price Charities in a charitable program known as “Aprender y Crecer” ("Learn and Grow”), by allowing PriceSmart members to donate money in the warehouse clubs to that program. The Company collaborates with Price Charities and local charitable groups to use these donations to acquire and deliver supplies to schools in the communities surrounding PriceSmart clubs. The liability for donations received was approximately $16,000 and $13,000 as of August 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. Relationships with Mitchell G. Lynn: Mitchell G. Lynn has been a director of the Company since November 2011. Mr. Lynn is the founder, owner and General Partner of CRI 2000, LP, dba Combined Resources International (CRI), which designs, develops and manufactures consumer products for international wholesale distribution, primarily through warehouse clubs. The Company paid approximately $285,000, $280,000 and $273,000 for products purchased from this entity during the twelve-months ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Mr. Lynn is also a founder and continuing Manager of Early Learning Resources, LLC, dba ECR4Kids (ECR) which designs, manufactures and sells educational/children's products to wholesale dealers. The Company paid approximately $1,000, $3,300 and $1,000 for products purchased from this entity during the twelve-months ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Relationships with Price Plaza Alajuela PPA, S.A.: The Company earned income of approximately $3,000 for advisory and construction service fees during the years ended August 31, 2010 from Price Plaza Alajuela, S.A. (see Note 16 - Unconsolidated Affiliates). The Company did not record any such income during the years ended August 31, 2011 and 2012. On October 7, 2010, the Company completed an adjustment to the property boundaries between property owned by the Company at its Alajuela, Costa Rica warehouse club and property owned by Price Plaza Alajuela. The purpose of the adjustment to these boundaries is to adjust the land boundaries so that the land parcels owned by each entity can be utilized in the most economical means. The net effect of the realignment was that the Company purchased an additional 2,099 square feet of land for approximately $38,000. Relationships with GolfPark Plaza, S.A.: During fiscal year 2010, the Company earned income of approximately $23,000 for advisory and construction service fees from GolfPark Plaza, S.A. (see Note 16 - Unconsolidated Affiliates). The Company did not record any such income during fiscal year 2011 and 2012. The Company believes that each of the related-party transactions described above was on terms that the Company could have obtained from unaffiliated parties.

RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Use of Private Plane: From time to time members of the Company’s management use private planes owned in part by La Jolla Aviation, Inc. to travel to business meetings in Latin America and the Caribbean. La Jolla Aviation, Inc. is solely owned by The Robert and Allison Price Trust, and Robert Price is a Director and Officer of La Jolla Aviation, Inc. Under the "original use agreement," if the passengers are solely Company personnel, the Company has reimbursed La Jolla Aviation for a portion of the fixed management fee and additional expenses incurred by La Jolla Aviation as a result of the hours flown, including direct charges associated with the use of the plane, landing fees, catering and international fees. If the passengers are not solely PriceSmart, Inc. personnel and if one or more of the passengers is a member of the Price Group (including Robert E. Price), the Company has reimbursed La Jolla Aviation for use of the aircraft based on the amounts the passengers would have paid if they had flown a commercial airline. The Company incurred expenses of approximately $31,000, $30,000 and $39,000 for the years ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively, for these services.

Relationship with Robert Price: In December 2009, Robert E. Price, the Company’s Chairman of the Board, contributed approximately $396,000 in capital to the Company to fund a special holiday bonus to PriceSmart’s non-management employees in memory of the Company’s founder, Sol Price. For the years ended August 31, 2011 and 2012, no contributions were made by Robert Price.

Relationship with Aseprismar: Aseprismar is a PriceSmart employee association located in Costa Rica that purchase discarded packaging materials received by the Company from incoming shipments of merchandise. The Company recorded approximately $37,000, $30,000 and $22,000 in other income from the sale of packaging materials for the years ended August 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. In addition, the Company also contracts with Aseprismar for freight transportation between the Company's Costa Rica warehouse clubs. The Company incurred approximately $12,000, $10,000 and $9,000 for freight for the years ended August 2012 , 2011 and 2010.

Relationships with Edgar Zurcher: Edgar Zurcher was a director of the Company from November 2000 until February 2008. Mr. Zurcher resigned from the Company’s board of directors on February 8, 2008. On October 6, 2009, the Company’s Board of Directors resolved to elect Mr. Zurcher to the Board effective October 15, 2009 to fill the vacancy following the resignation of a member of the Board. The Company has accordingly recorded and disclosed related-party expense or income related to the relationships with Edgar Zurcher for the years ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010. Mr. Zurcher is a partner in a law firm that the Company utilizes in certain legal matters. The Company incurred approximately $26,000, $63,000 and $64,000 in legal expenses with this firm for the years ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Mr. Zurcher is also a director of a company that owns 40% of Payless ShoeSource Holdings, Ltd., which rents retail space from the Company. The Company has recorded approximately $1.4 million, $1.3 million, and $1.2 million in rental income for this space during the years ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Additionally, Mr. Zurcher is a director of Molinos de Costa Rica Pasta. The Company paid approximately $367,000, $313,000 and $271,000 for products purchased from this entity during the years ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Also, Mr. Zurcher is a director of Roma S.A. dba Roma Prince S.A. PriceSmart purchased products from this entity for approximately $1.4 million, $1.7 million and $2.0 million for the years ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Relationship with Gonzalo Barrutieta: Gonzalo Barrutieta has been a director of the Company since February 2008. Mr. Barrutieta is a member of the Board of Directors of Office Depot Mexico, which operates Office Depot Panama, which rents retail space from the Company. The Company has recorded approximately $252,000, $246,000 and $242,000 in rental income and common area maintenance charges for this space during the years ended August 31, 2012, 2011, and 2010, respectively. Additionally, the Company sold to OD Panama, S.A. approximately 28,000 square feet of undeveloped land, located adjacent to the Panama, Via Brasil PriceSmart location, for approximately $2.1 million during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2011. Also, on July 15, 2011 (fiscal year 2011), the Company's joint venture Golf Park Plaza, S.A. ("GPP") and Office Depot Panama entered into a 30 year operating lease, with an option to buy, of approximately 26,000 square feet of land owned by GPP. As part of this transaction, Office Depot Panama: (i) made an initial deposit to GPP in the sum of approximately $545,000 at the time of signing the agreement; (ii) will pay a second deposit of approximately $436,000 at the time their building is completed and their store is opened to the public; (iii) will pay monthly rent per the lease clause of the agreement of $1,000 per month starting 365 days from execution of the contract and (iv) will pay an additional $109,000, less any rental payments previously applied per the lease clause, when Office Depot exercises its option to purchase the land. Office Depot Panama anticipates opening their store during December 2012.

Relationships with Price Charities: During the years ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, the Company sold approximately $98,000, $86,000 and $107,000, respectively, of supplies to Price Charities, a charitable non-profit public benefit corporation. Robert E. Price, the Company’s Chairman of the Board, is also Chairman of the Board and President of Price Charities. Additionally, Sherry S. Bahrambeygui, a director since November 2011, serves as Executive Vice President, Secretary and Vice Chairman of the Boards of Price Charities, fka San Diego Revitalization Corp., and Price Family Charitable Fund. The Company also participates with Price Charities in a charitable program known as “Aprender y Crecer” ("Learn and Grow”), by allowing PriceSmart members to donate money in the warehouse clubs to that program. The Company collaborates with Price Charities and local charitable groups to use these donations to acquire and deliver supplies to schools in the communities surrounding PriceSmart clubs. The liability for donations received was approximately $16,000 and $13,000 as of August 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Relationships with Mitchell G. Lynn: Mitchell G. Lynn has been a director of the Company since November 2011. Mr. Lynn is the founder, owner and General Partner of CRI 2000, LP, dba Combined Resources International (CRI), which designs, develops and manufactures consumer products for international wholesale distribution, primarily through warehouse clubs. The Company paid approximately $285,000, $280,000 and $273,000 for products purchased from this entity during the twelve-months ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Mr. Lynn is also a founder and continuing Manager of Early Learning Resources, LLC, dba ECR4Kids (ECR) which designs, manufactures and sells educational/children's products to wholesale dealers. The Company paid approximately $1,000, $3,300 and $1,000 for products purchased from this entity during the twelve-months ended August 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Relationships with Price Plaza Alajuela PPA, S.A.: The Company earned income of approximately $3,000 for advisory and construction service fees during the years ended August 31, 2010 from Price Plaza Alajuela, S.A. (see Note 16 - Unconsolidated Affiliates). The Company did not record any such income during the years ended August 31, 2011 and 2012. On October 7, 2010, the Company completed an adjustment to the property boundaries between property owned by the Company at its Alajuela, Costa Rica warehouse club and property owned by Price Plaza Alajuela. The purpose of the adjustment to these boundaries is to adjust the land boundaries so that the land parcels owned by each entity can be utilized in the most economical means. The net effect of the realignment was that the Company purchased an additional 2,099 square feet of land for approximately $38,000.

Relationships with GolfPark Plaza, S.A.: During fiscal year 2010, the Company earned income of approximately $23,000 for advisory and construction service fees from GolfPark Plaza, S.A. (see Note 16 - Unconsolidated Affiliates). The Company did not record any such income during fiscal year 2011 and 2012.

The Company believes that each of the related-party transactions described above was on terms that the Company could have obtained from unaffiliated parties.