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.
Mine has always done this? You have to show your card to enter… And they do it at check out too
No you’re not. It’s private property and you can only enter if the owner says you can.
Except they have to allow you in to get to the pharmacy which has to be open to the public.
"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."
“The scanners also mean employees don’t need to ask customers for their membership cards at cash registers and self-checkout.”
Yes - at checkout at the self service - they make us show your id and your card
