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.

  • citrusface@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Mine has always done this? You have to show your card to enter… And they do it at check out too

      • citrusface@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        Yes - at checkout at the self service - they make us show your id and your card

        • mrcleanup@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          Huh, they haven’t been doing that here… I figured that must have been the new thing. How annoying.

      • Zoolander@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        The cards already have a photo on them as does the app’s digital card. You only have to show Photo ID if you have a “COVID card”.

      • tech@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        Non-members need to go though. Pay your dues or go to another store.

    • JBar2@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      "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.”

      • citrusface@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        Look man - don’t assume I can read. I’m like every other red blooded American that looks at a title and makes glaring assumptions and gives opinions that no one asked for. Okay?