Costco, the world's fourth-largest retailer and the largest membership warehouse club chain in the world based on sales volume, has revealed it remains on target to open its first store in Australia next year, despite problems in securing warehouse sites.

Patrick Noone, manager of the retailer's Australian operations, told the Wall Street Journal that, while the group is yet to receive planning permission, it remained confident of securing the necessary sites for its large-format stores.

Sydney and Melbourne are understood to be the primary larget locations for the group's first outlets in the country.