Costco members could see a major change at some store entrances. Here’s what to know
Costco customers know to have their membership cards handy at the door.
Now, the wholesale club is adding an extra step at some stores.
Costco confirmed it’s testing a new policy that requires members to scan their membership cards to get through the door.
“A few Costco locations are scanning Costco membership cards at the entrance,” a spokesperson told McClatchy News. “This test is to match members to their cards at the door prior to shopping.”
Costco didn’t say where the potential policy is being tested or if there are plans to roll it out nationwide.
A Reddit thread posted Sunday, Jan. 7, showed the change at a warehouse in Issaquah, Washington, about 15 miles southeast of Seattle.
A photo shared in the thread shows a Costco team member scanning a customer’s card. A sign displayed at the entrance states: “You will be asked to scan your membership card before entering the warehouse.”
The post’s author explained there were two scanning stations, each manned by an employee, and a “display that shows your face” to make sure shoppers were using their own membership — and not someone else’s.
News of the change drew varied reactions online and spurred concerns about customer wait times.
“I really don’t get the big deal,” a Reddit user commented. “A machine that scans the membership card isn’t really any different that a person you flash the card to. It might be more efficient.”
Another wrote: “I can only imagine the lines on a busy day with just one person checking.”
The potential policy comes months after the retailer started cracking down on membership sharing, requiring customers to flash their card at self-checkout.
“Costco is able to keep our prices as low as possible because our membership fees help offset our operational expenses, making our membership fee and structure important to us,” the company said at the time. “We don’t feel it’s right that non members receive the same benefits and pricing as our members.”
Additional information about the membership card scan test wasn’t available.
This story was originally published January 11, 2024 at 9:58 AM with the headline "Costco members could see a major change at some store entrances. Here’s what to know."