A COSTCO member shared her frustrations about not being able to pay due to store rules.
They tried two popular payment methods that were denied by the retailer.
A Costco member posted to Facebook after a negative experience in the store.
In one post, they revealed that they were new members and had difficulty trying to pay.
“I went to Costco for the first time today. I shopped for about an hour and got to the register to pay for my items, when I tried to pay with my Discover card I was told they don’t accept Discover cards.
“I tried to pay with my American Express card and was told they don’t accept American Express.”
Costco only accepts Visa cards.
“I then decided to use my bank card,” she continued.
“Which is a Visa card. But I needed to know the PIN number. It’s a new card and I don’t know the PIN number.
“So frustrated that I said, ‘I think you have to put it all back.’
However, this shopper met a man in line who offered to pay for her purchases if she handed over the total to Venmo or Zelle.
“What a wonderful man! If I didn’t say thank you enough, thank you, thank you, you made my day better,” she gushed.
EXCLUSIVE CARD
Costco only accepts Visa credit cards at its deposits and gas stations due to an agreement it has with Visa that allows it to pay lower merchant fees.
Visa charges some of the lowest processing fees of the major credit cards, and Costco’s deal with Visa offers a rate of less than 0.4%.
Costco can then pass these savings on to customers, keeping prices low.
However, the Visa-only restriction only applies to credit cards – Costco accepts most PIN-based ATM/debit cards.
Membership and store cards offered by major retailers
Here’s a breakdown of store cards offered to customers from various retailers and their benefits
*If you click a link in this box, we may earn affiliate income.
Costco:
- Gold Star Membership: $60 per year, shop at all Costco stores and online with two additional cards for your family.
- Executive Member: $120 per year, 2% annual rewards, additional discounts and benefits on Costco services, online and in-store purchases, and two additional cards for home use.
- Sign up for a Costco Membership here
Sam’s Club:
- Club membership: $50 per year, Bonus Offers, Same Day Delivery, Instant Savings, Sam’s Club Mastercard, Members Only Fuel Savings, Tire & Battery Center, Free Membership and Add-on Memberships.
- More membership: $110 per year, all the benefits of Club membership plus Sam’s Cash, free shipping, free curbside pickup, advance purchases, and pharmacy and optical discounts.
- Sign up for Sam’s Club membership here
Target:
- Target Circle: A free rewards program that allows users to earn 1% in Target Circle Earnings rewards when a qualifying purchase is made, access personalized deals and offers, receive a birthday gift, and earn a vote to help direct how Target helps your community .
- Target Circle Card: A credit, debit or reloadable card that offers users 5% off in-store and online, as well as exclusive offers, free two-day shipping and an additional 30-day return window. Formerly Target RedCard.
- Sign up for Target circle here
Walmart:
- Walmart+: $12.95 per month or $98 per year with 30-day free trial. It offers members free delivery, free shipping with no minimum spend, fuel savings, Paramount+ subscription, car, Walmart+ travel, home drop-off, mobile scan and store entry, and early access to offers and product launches.
- Sign up for Walmart+ here
OTHER COMPLAINTS
Costco’s exclusive deal with Visa isn’t the only source of customer complaints.
Recently, a customer was charged 10x for a transaction due to a store error.
Posting on Facebook, he wrote: “Costco, I just found out today (7/5) that my $232.57 purchase at my local grocery store on 2/5 was charged to me 10 times.
He urged others in his area: “If you paid via the app and the linked digital payment – check your statement!”
A Costco customer canceled his membership after 15 years thanks to a dispute over a washing machine.
And customers are heartbroken that a section of the store will no longer be present year-round.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
