January 8th, 2024 
Insider
Big news is stirring amongst Costco members today. The Costco in Issaquah, Washington is seen testing membership card scanners at its entrance recently.
Have you ever watched the person in the checkout line ahead of you get turned away because they don’t have a membership card that matches their ID? No matter how full their cart is, Costco employees are sticklers for making sure your ID matches your membership card (which they scan before they start scanning your items). Not only is it a big inconvenience to be turned away at the register, but also for the employees to put all those items back throughout the store!
The Issaquah, Washington Costco is right near the Costco Headquarters. Testing this concept of scanning your membership before all that shopping gets done seems like an obvious step that can save a lot of hassle for both members and employees.
Costco Membership Card Scanner
Reading people’s thoughts online, it seems like most people are fans of the idea. No waiting in line for the conversation between employee and person trying to avoid getting turned away. And there are also valid questions and concerns around waiting time at the entrance to scan your membership and confirm it matches your photo ID. Other questions around gathering data have come up as well. Are they going to track the length of time you’re in the store and how much you buy? Is it to help with shoplifting?
Something to note is that one Costco member from the UK explained they’ve been scanning their card at the entrance for the entirety of the 20 years she has been a member.
So it all comes down to- what do you think? Are you a fan of this idea or not? Let us know why!
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I think having to scan your card is a bit much. I appreciate your effort to crack down on membership abuse, but having to display your card at checkout should be enough.
Starting to get bug brother-ish at costco. I have to show my id no fewer than 3 times each visit. Also the “deals” are just not there anymore. I’ve done the math that shows costco produce is 25% more expensive than my local grocery! This will be my first and last year.
Not sure what the big deal is. I appreciate Costco trying to protect the memberships that we all pay for. Costco doesn’t spend money on a whim; obviously non-member abuse is a significant problem that needed to be dealt with.
I was entering our local Costco tonight to grab a few items with my daughter. There were two employees flanking the entrance posted behind each scanner. I entered the club and stated “Alcohol” to gain quick entry. The man at the door shook his head, and said, “come on, I know you are a member, you need to scan”. I said, “I have to scan to prove my membership, and you know I am already a member?” We have seen each other hundreds of times over the past decade in the local Costco. He said, “thank you for your non-compliance”. I reacted with the statement, “I can always cancel my membership, if you don’t want my business.” He retorted, “yeah, go ahead and cancel.” Lines at the door to get in, lines and item checkers at the door. Costco has my name, address, phone number, cameras on us when we are in the store… why do that assume that I/we are thieves? Why do they impose strict practices and inconveniences on their members? Last time I checked, Costco is profitable, with a net income of $7.37 billion for the fiscal year 2024. A significant portion of its profits comes from membership fees rather than product sales. Listen to your members, please bring back common sense and outstanding customer service.
I’ve stopped shopping at Costco because of the card scan policy at the door. I don’t buy the “corporate speak” explanation. Costco stock has doubled in the last year, before the new policy. Costco is immensely profitable. So what if somebody shares their card, they are still Buying and Costco is NOT losing money. I know people who work there, have never had problems with card sharing and they don’t like the new policy.
I’ve been a member since 1997 and refuse to be treated like a potential criminal, Costco is Not a courthouse. Since Costco somehow didn’t get my picture on my card, many years ago, I would also have to show my driver’s license. I bit the bullet and did it once, but it was extremely unpleasant. Once inside, I realized what a zoo it is, e.g. products moved around, people blocking aisles, endless piles of stuff I care nothing about, and endless walking. Parks are better for walking and your health. And bonus, Amazon brings it to my door.
I’m finding alternatives to Costco for products and see we have some lower cost local gas stations. I’m still using the Citi card but since I have an “excellent” credit rating, I should have no trouble getting an equally good card. I still get good perks from Costco’s old Amex card.