Bad news if you’re mooching off of someone else’s Costco membership: The retail giant is cracking down.
When you enter Costco, you need to show your membership card to an employee to shop. Costco membership cards are non-transferable, but the company allows members to give a second household card to one other person in their home. Anyone with a card can bring up to two guests to the club during each visit, the company stipulates.
But Costco has noticed that non-members have been sneaking in with membership cards that don’t belong to them — particularly since Costco expanded self-checkout.
Costco recently started asking for shoppers’ membership cards along with a photo ID at the self-checkout registers, the same policy as regular checkout lanes, to crack down. “We don’t feel it’s right that non-members receive the same benefits and pricing as our members,” Costco said in announcing the change.
And now, Costco is testing out a system that requires members to scan their membership cards at the store entrance — instead of just flashing the card to employees. Shoppers have spotted the new scanners at a store in Washington State and posted photos on Reddit.
There’s a lady at the door of the Hacks Cross store in Memphis that is absolutely relentless about seeing and reading the values on membership cards as people enter the store. I feel sure that she used to be a living legend at the highway patrol before she retired and took this job.
She’s playing Papers Please irl
Glory to Arstotzka.
This bullshit started with self checkouts. We need to widely reject self checkout, they cost people their jobs and just create more corporate bullshit. If these corporations want to avoid shop lifting and other issues, hire staff and get rid of self checkouts. I refuse to use them and shake my head at the employees when they direct me to an open self checkout.
My closest Costco doesn’t really have self check, since they always have someone there doing the scanning for you. Effectively the self check is a weird looking Express Lane that they only sometimes enforce the item limit on.
How does this mean that people won’t have to scan their cards and prove themselves at checkout, when they allow anyone inside for the pharmacy, optical center, and to purchase alcohol?
They won’t have to show IDs at checkout since the ID would already be confirmed at the door, I’m guessing…
Hahahaha no it will be both
Why would it need to be both? The cards have the member’s picture on them. A single confirmation is enough.
Hahahhahahaha
What a strange reaction lol
I just hate digging out my costco card when im not in the process of an actual transaction
Costco could save a lot of money by just issuing a QR code to each paying member that they then have tattooed on their right wrist for easy scanning.
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Classy. Are we supposed to respect your opinion about KKKostco?
Well, not renewing my membership, hell with this horseshit.
Why is this a problem for you? In the UK, they scan your card at the entrance, and it affects my day in absolutely no way whatsoever.
What’s wrong with a business wanting only paying members to enter the members only shop?
Why does scanning your card make you feel like a shoplifter?’ (Sorry, i read your chat with the other person in this thread)
This is such an odd take to me.
Their entire model is based on assuming everyone is probably a thief, and I’ve just had it. That receipt checking of everyone as they leave is bad enough, and my last (literally last, i decided not to go back, wasn’t going to renew and just now realized it would have expired in December) trip there, the woman held everyone up by meticulously counting and comparing every single item in everyone’s cart. took 15 minutes to leave with goods i had paid for, finally just said fuck it and left while they screamed at me like fucking morons. “Touch me and see what happens”. Aside from that, I don’t want my movements documented and recorded by a card reader, for example, this whole incident, no I don’t want people actively trying to fuck with me know who I was.
Damn. You’ve got issues. Your mind is warped.
No, it’s just remnants of when people had pride and manners.
No seriously, you are getting mad at a shop (a private business) that has its own rules to protect its own stock (Probably based on their experience of past issues), its your choice to shop there or not. I appreciate that you dont like the idea of being tracked (although not wanting to use a bank card due to worries about tracking you is a bit strange. I assume you have a mobile phone of some description, or a computer or laptop maybe? What about a satnav or a car built after 2010? If so you are being tracked anyway) But getting mad at them because their rules exclude your ideals is way over the top. Your custom would be lovely but i dont think they really care about one person who rather shop somewhere else than scan a membership card at the door.
Tbh you walkkng away from the recipt checker as they shout after you just makes you sound like an impatient and entitled brat.
Sorry but im trying to be understanding but the more i read of what you say here the more and more i find myself being unable to sympathise.
I guess i dont blame costco for being protective of its stock, i blame the people who tried to steal and made them paranoid and protective about it. Whereas you seem to blame the shop and claim its because you dont want anykne knowing what you are doing when, frankly, no one cares.
I paid for the goods. They are mine. The want to waste a half hour of my time acting like I’m shoplifting, they no longer deserve my money. Not many other businesses actively treat you like a thief so blatantly
I’ve never waited more than 5 minutes in line to have my receipt checked at costco. Also, what most businesses do is not any of costco’s concern. And i have never felt like im being treated like a thief.
The entitlement is all over your comment. “I paid for them, They are mine” “no longer deserve my money” “waste half an hour of my time”
What a karen.
Yeah, they don’t care. They want everyone buying to have a membership, as it’s been for decades. This isn’t some new crazy way they’re screwing people. It’s making sure the rules their members agreed to are followed.
I’m sick of being treated like a shoplifter at their store, and now they’re doubling down. They can fuck off at this point.
Well, now you just sound like you wanna shoplift! 😆
Seriously, though, what does this have to do with shoplifting? It’s like you’re making up excuses to be mad. Just say you don’t wanna pay and leave it at that. No excuses are needed.
You think it’s normal to have your ID checked against your card, at the entrance, at the till, and then have your receipt checked as you leave? Our grandpas’ generation wouldn’t have stood for it, and I’ve come to agree.
They sure did. The damn company was founded by my grandfather’s generation. How much shit are you gonna talk out your ass today?
Where I come from, you don’t count money in front of people, and you just told me how young you are. You wouldn’t remember things like this being an active insult.
Because you can’t give your card, which has your picture on it, to anyone you want? That really doesn’t make sense. How many people do you think your membership, that you pay for, should cover? I doubt you actually had one bc this will literally only affect people who don’t have memberships.
You saw the answer to that right here, and you wrote this anyways.
User name checks out, you do sound weirdly furious at the world.
About time. Doors are such an overrated method of entry.
edit: nevermind, read the article
You’re right. Hatches are where it’s at these days. Those people advocating the window entry methods are just weird and smelly.
Genius comment. I’m literally lolling
This just saves the time of having such people getting in and filling up a cart and being stopped at the register. I’ve never been able to mooch off someone else’s membership at Costco. The membership cards have photos of the member on them and they would stop me at the register whenever my dad sent me with his and not let me actually make the purchase. And I haven’t even been to Costco (outside of the food court at the one down the street since it’s outside and I can get that sweet hotdog combo without needing a membership) for years.
Costco stores started adding self checkout lanes a few years ago, which means that they weren’t always checking the photo at checkout anymore.
They check your card before you’re allowed to use the self checkout.
It must vary from store to store. I’ve used self checkout at our store several times, and no human ever checks my card. I just scan it when I start checking out.
Really? Me ma and Dad use my card all the time, a few times they just had to give address.
They started this here months ago. My wife kept her maiden name when we got married. I’m sure you can figure out why our 2 hour customer service call ended in cancellation. FUCK Costco
Did you not bother to get your wife her own card?
My wife never changed her name, but she’s got her own card under her name, on my membership.
We tried to get me one, but we had issues getting the marriage certificate promptly, and customer service really wanted me to pay for my own account.
That makes zero sense. You don’t have to be married to get the household card, just have to live in the same house.
Exactly! They did a great job ignoring that and talking us out of the membership. All I really miss are the muffins.
In a decade you’re the first person I’ve ever met who had a problem with Costco.
Meh, I cancelled for similar reasons. They have tilted over to being way too aggressive about the card shit and it’s gotten annoying. Plus, I don’t think a lot of the deals are actually very good these days.
The free shipping on the Sam’s plus destroys the Costco mail order services.
Fuck yea Sam’s club unite! You’re being downvoted because this thread is an advertisement.
I mean I have both Costco and Sam’s memberships both have pluses and minuses
The clothes at Costco are amazing at times Sam’s has better paper products imo (TP, Kleenex)
Costco has a better food court
Costco parking designs are maddening, everyone I’ve been to have this diagonal entrance that is awful.
I think the Costco frozen section is a bit better than Sam’s.
Cat litter is way way cheaper st Costco
I’ve gotten $500 airfare gift cards for $429. Which is like getting free $ when you need to fly anyways.
Sam’s bulk candy isle is superior.
I think the Costco pharmacy has better pricing but no drive thru and it can be extremely slow.
I keep both memberships but I recently moved away from my Sam’s so it kinda out of the way, but with the plus membership I can usually get staple items delivered for free, something Costco doesn’t really do.
I guess we’ll see if I keep them both next year.
™
But then you have to shop from Sam’s. People choose Costco over Sam’s for many reasons…
Our local Sam’s is disgusting. I was considering joining a while back during a $10 membership sale.
Everything was a mess, the employees all looked like they wanted to kill themselves, and the was a literal pile of human shit in the middle of the bathroom floor - not even in a stall or near a toilet - just a big ol dookie right in the middle of the bathroom.
Did not join. Wasn’t even worth $10 to me.
My costco card has my photo on it. Is that not a thing everywhere?
Nope, during COVID they stopped taking or checking photos. They’ve had to spend the last few months getting everyone to get a new card now.
Oh you are right, that’s a very good point, I never thought about them skipping the photos because of masks.
My Costco photo is 20 years old and looks nothing like me anymore, but when I asked for a new photo they said no. So obviously they aren’t looking closely at pictures.
Same. The last time they took my photo was when I got a Costco Amex card in… I think 2005? They don’t even take Amex anymore, LOL.
It is where I am as well, plus if you download the app you can bring up your ID card their as well, and it has the same photo on that as well.
A bit belated, but it occurred to me that maybe the card for a second family member doesn’t have a photo, or still has the main member’s photo. I always assumed that the second person would have to get their photo taken for the card but since I’ve never borrowed a card, and don’t have a second user, I wouldn’t know.
When we got my wife a card, they took her photo for her own card.
My partner and I are on an account together. We are not married, different last names. We both have cards with our names and photos.
From the article, as I didn’t see this being mentioned in the OP summary…
Costco is testing out a system that requires members to scan their membership cards at the store entrance — instead of just flashing the card to employees.
So it seems like there’s two different things going on, when you’re entering the building, and when you’re trying to use a self checkout machine.
Costco UK has been scanning cards for months, we don’t have self checkout, though.
Costco UK has been scanning cards for months
In the US it’s still visual verification by an employee, as stated in the article.
Just providing some extra info, not refuting anything in the article…
Just providing some extra info, not refuting anything in the article…
Just noting the differences on each side of the Pond.
When you enter the building I’ve never had anyone check if it’s actually my card, they only do that at the checkout. You just need to flash the card so they can tell you have one on your way in. They check the photo and address at the checkout though. I guess people were getting by that with the self checkouts.
I’m just repeating what was said in the article.
Having said that, each and every time I’ve had to flash my Costco card at the employee at the front door, as it also states in the article.
One of the last times I was in, I was asked for my photo ID and Costco membership card no less than 5 times by employees. I literally got asked while I was in an isle looking at items. I’ve never had this happen before and made me honestly a bit irritated having to constantly pull my ID out of my wallet. This policy needs to chill.
Damn I so gotta use my friends account on instacart? But I like holding the product and seeing what I’m buying.
I share my Sam’s Club with my gf and her family. They share their Costco with us and just walk by or shop online.
Just tell them to fuck off.
You can’t. They are a private, membership-only business. If you tell them to fuck off, they can escort you out and disable your membership.
You CAN still say it, just with consequences.
Fair enough. OP did not say “tell them to fuck off and keep shopping”. 🤣
Fuck off, then.
Or tell them to talk to one of the employees that already checked your card. That’s excessive and can’t be good for business.
Yeah exactly, people are so afraid of confrontation these days, you can tell people to fuck off and they generally will.
And then they can tell you to fuck off, because it’s their store.
I’m sure they would try but if you’ve already shown the damn member card they can eat shit.
It’s literally their property, it doesn’t matter if you have a membership card, they can kick you off their property for any reason or no reason.
You don’t have an inherent right to shop at Costco.
Aisle*
The Costco isles are more exclusive.
Bulk water priced tho…
Aisle be back!
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But Costco has noticed that non-members have been sneaking in with membership cards that don’t belong to them — particularly since Costco expanded self-checkout.
In other words, punishing customers for a self-inflicted issue.
How is it punishing customers? The rest of the article suggests it may improve things
“It speeds up the process at entry and speeds up the process at the checkout,” he said. “That’s what we believe and we’re going to pilot it.”
How can it possibly speed up things at entry? They’re going to be checking IDs like a bouncer at a club. I can imagine it speeding up checkout only if they stop requiring card scanning at that time too, and/or massive amounts of people are doing this today.
Now if they’d just come up with a new system for parking in the parking lot…
What do you want them to create rotating carousels of underground parking? Their parking lots are already massive what more do you want.
I just always go to the farthest possible parking spot from the store cuz they are generally always open easy to get in and out of and bypass all the stupid closer to the store
If people are so annoyed by the parking situation, just plan your visits when it’s not as busy. It’s not that difficult, even if it might be inconvenient.
I don’t know how anyone could ever stand going to Costco on the weekends. Just don’t. That’s like voluntarily driving during rush hour when you have the option not to. Unless you work the exact hours that Costco is open, going on a weekday evening is so much better of an experience all around. Weekday mornings aren’t bad either. I would have to be truly desperate for gas or groceries to go to Costco on the weekend vs just waiting until Monday.
Agreed, people’s complaints are that they’re too lazy to walk. I also usually park on the furthest lane near the back. Makes it easier to quickly part and quickly leave. Same when I go to the mall or any other shop with a parking lot. Mostly everyone could use some extra steps in anyways.
Never had an issue with parking. Sure you might need to walk a bit but there’s always parking.
Whenever I go to Costco it’s a crapshoot if I actually go depending on the parking situation
My local started this months ago. At self checkout they ask to see the photo on the back of your membership card to verify you’re the same person. No secondary ID, and not sure what the point of that would be anyway. Counterfeit member cards?
Semi-related fun fact that I like to share; Costco doesn’t require membership for alcohol or pharmacy purchases.
Used to be food court too, but I believe they stopped that in 2020 ish
There are a few costcos in socal with outdoor food courts. I’m nearly certain there’s no membership required to use them. I may be wrong though, it’s been a while.
Both my local SoCal Costco’s have outdoor food courts. You have to scan your card at them. One has a table with self serve kiosks for ordering too, then you queue up to get your food handed to you.
Yeah, it seems like they’re cracking down. The only one I know of that has an outdoor food court is the one in Kauai. The last time I was in town it was closed for renovations, which sucks because on a trip out there I usually hit up the food court a couple of times for a quick cheap meal for the family. My guess was that they’re going to either move it inside, or add some kind of thing to verify your membership.
IIRC, there are sometimes state laws that prevent them from restricting access to the food court. It depends.
My local Costco doesn’t require a membership to buy from the cafeteria. You order from a computer and pay.
Is their alcohol not wholesale? I’ve noticed their alcohol prices aren’t always the best.
