‘I’ll shop elsewhere,’ rages Costco customer after canceling subscription – claims new ID check is ‘manipulative’

A COSTCO shopper backed out after encountering a new identity verification tactic while waiting to check out.

Costco has been cracking down on subscription sharing by having employees check store cards at various points throughout the store.

Some locations have installed scanners in front of stores so members can swipe their cards instead of showing them to an employee.

A customer posted a rant on Facebook after being asked to show their membership card while waiting to use self-checkout.

They said the employee asked to see the back of the card to make sure the buyer was the same person in the photo.

“I say, ‘Okay, then I’m going to cancel my subscription and leave; you can keep these groceries while I get my subscription fees refunded,’” they wrote on publish.

They immediately went to the returns desk to get a refund for their subscription.

When the employee asked why they wanted to cancel, he pointed to the long line from the cash register to the back of the store.

“I have to wait in long lines just to get out and show my receipts, I have to show my card at the entrance and I have to show it when I buy anything, and now they ask me to show my photo on the card just to get in line,” they wrote in the post.

“Your company creates these situations, these human traffic jams just to motivate people to make impulse purchases. Time is money, they say, and my time is all I have and I’m tired of you wasting it, I just want my money back and I’ll go buy it somewhere else.

They added that the free samples and oversized bulk products were part of Costco’s “manipulation” tactics to get customers to buy more.

“Yes, there are some benefits and some “good buys”, but I just don’t think it’s worth it for us.”

The customer was refunded the cost of the subscription, but in the comments people said they were being overly dramatic.

“All you need to know is the time of day…go at night,” one person wrote.

“I only shop at times that aren’t as crowded and chaotic. There are also no free samples when I walk in. I can go in, get what’s on my list, go through the register and be out in about an hour,” added another .

THE BIGGEST COST

Despite the backlash, this customer wasn’t alone in his distaste for Costco.

Another customer stated that going to the store is always a “pain in the ass”.

“If I never shop at Costco again, it will be too soon,” he wrote in a publish.

“I always hate that experience… and we pay a subscription to do that.”

Membership and store cards offered by major retailers

Here’s a breakdown of store cards offered to customers from various retailers and their benefits

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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, discounts and additional benefits on Costco services, shop online and in-store and get 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 Complimentary 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, earn 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+ membership, car, Walmart+ travel, home returns, mobile scan and store entry, and early access to offers and product launches.
• Sign up for Walmart+ here

He said the free samples weren’t enough to keep him coming back.

“Waiting in line to go out and having them validate that what’s in my cart is what I bought is a pain,” he added.

“Saving a few bucks on the big toilet paper thing. How much savings does that really mean? I’ll just go to the regular store and buy two so I’ll have a lot less hassle next time.

“I think I just need to cancel my subscription,” the buyer concluded.

Another shopper said he was abandoning Costco because of a key feature offered at Sam’s Club.

And food court customers were shocked to see a popular meal get a new look.