‘We’ve had enough,’ says Costco shopper after being subjected to extra checks – ‘workers weren’t just looking at the membership card’

A COSTCO shopper abandoned his subscription after experiencing an overzealous crackdown inside and outside the store.

The wholesale retailer recently announced a crackdown on members after bosses concluded card sharing was becoming a problem for the exclusive chain.

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However, measures taken by Costco to crack down on membership sharing have alienated some from the retailer altogether.

On X, former Costco member Bill, who posts under the name @hendu442, shared why he reduced his annual fee for shopping at the warehouse.

He discovered that just carrying and showing his membership card was not enough to satisfy the retailer.

“They check your card when you come in, they check your card check out, they check if your credit card matches your membership card,” he he wrote.

The problem extended outside the store, as he explained that “they chase you at the gas pump” as well.

“For me and my friends we’ve had enough,” Bill said.

His comments came in response to another shopper who called the membership verification process “crazy” while accusing Costco of making “checkout so unnecessarily difficult and annoying.”

The shopper said he would not renew his membership and would instead go to rival Sam’s Club.

“I gave up my Costco membership for the same reason, as did two other friends,” Bill replied.

Costco has been contacted for comment.

REPRESSION

Costco bosses have had to defend the retailer’s crackdown on membership sharing after the company noticed a rise in purchases from non-members since installing self-checkouts.

“Our membership policy states that our membership cards are not transferable, and since expanding our self-service checkout, we have noticed that non-member shoppers have been using membership cards that do not belong to them,” Costco’s website said. States.

“As we already request the membership card at checkout, we now request to view the membership card with photo at our self-service checkouts.”

“We don’t think it’s right that non-members receive the same benefits and prices as our members,” former chief financial officer Richard Galanti said in a company statement last year.

To make the store entry verification process more efficient, the retailer has been testing card scanners, which has received mixed responses from shoppers.

“Poor Costco. How are they going to survive if, God forbid, I let the single mom at work use my card to buy something?” one member said.

“I don’t really understand the big deal. A machine that scans your membership card is really no different than a person you show your card to,” wrote another customer.

Galanti noted that while only a minority of members share their cards with others, “when you’re dealing with millions of transactions, even a small percentage is something you want to fix.”

However, with shoppers threatening to go elsewhere because of the change, Costco may be hurt more by the loss of membership fees than by non-members occasionally cheating the system.

The retailer recently received backlash from a shopper who was prevented from paying at checkout due to the strict policy, despite using a common loophole.

Meanwhile, members will be hit with the first fee increase in seven years.

Despite this, there appear to be changes to the overall shopping experience that have members considering a switch to rivals like Sam’s Club.

Earlier this year, Costco announced it would stop selling books year-round, prompting members to threaten to leave.

It’s not just Costco struggling to keep members happy, as Sam’s Club customers are angered by a major change in membership policy.

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 a 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+ 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