Costco Trials Scanners to Curb Membership Sharing
Costco, the renowned wholesale club, is implementing new technology in a bid to crack down on membership-sharing. This practice involves non-paying individuals using a paid member's card to access the store's facilities and benefits. Traditionally, members have been required to simply show their membership cards to employees upon entering. Although memberships are non-transferable, Costco does allow an additional card for household members under its $60 basic and $120 executive membership plans.
The new strategy involves asking shoppers to scan their membership cards at the entrances of select stores. This move is part of Costco's ongoing efforts to enhance the shopping experience and ensure membership compliance. The introduction of self-checkout registers, which may have inadvertently facilitated membership sharing, has prompted the need for this additional measure.
Costco began implementing a policy over the summer requiring shoppers to present photo identification along with their physical membership cards at self-checkout registers. This policy mirrors the identification check at regular checkout lanes staffed by employees.
The company's stance is clear: non-members should not receive the same benefits and pricing as paying members. This principle was underscored in the statement Costco released when announcing the change.
A customer in Issaquah, Washington, near Costco's headquarters, shared photos on Reddit demonstrating the new system in use. Signs indicate that members will be asked to scan their cards before entering, with store workers supervising the process.
With a network of 871 warehouses, including 600 in the United States, Costco's implementation of these scanners could significantly impact the shopping experience and membership policy adherence across its vast store base.
