Costco offers $40 digital gift cards in latest attempt to attract new members this holiday season

With the holiday season right around the corner, the company wants to bring in big revenue.

PUBLISHED NOV 10, 2025

Shoppers in the line to avail Costco memberships (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Marvin Samuel Tolentino Pineda)

Costco already has enough popularity and trust among consumers to make them pay for its membership. But this holiday season, the retail giant is determined to attract new members in large numbers and is doing whatever it takes. The supermarket chain's biggest revenue stream is from these membership plans, and the holiday season is the best time to cash in on them. Customers will get added benefits, including a $40 Digital Costco Shop Card that can be used in the future. The Gold Star membership costs $65 for each year.

Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo By Kena Betancur — Image of a Costco storefront. (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Kena Betancur)

This offer is available for a limited time period, so those interested must hurry. In order to receive the card, one has to provide a valid email address and set up auto-renewal of the membership plan on a Visa card at the time of sign-up.

The gift card is like an incentive, but being a Gold Star member of Costco has its own perks. Shopping online and in person would be a seamless experience, and one could enjoy the services of the Costco Gas Station and Costco Tire Center. The Gold Star membership also comes with a complimentary Household Card, which will allow another member of the household to enjoy the benefits as well. They have to be more than 18 years old to be eligible.

Customers walk by the membership counter at a Costco store (Image source: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

It’s not just the Gold Star membership that Costco wants to push. A few weeks back, they announced incentives for members who either join or upgrade to the Executive membership. Members would receive a 2% cash back on most purchases for starters. They’ll also get access to stores earlier in the day compared to others, and they’ll receive 10% off on same-day delivery grocery orders worth $150 or more. However, employees weren’t impressed.

Reports suggest that several employees of the store voiced their concerns about getting to the stores early for Executive members. “We already struggle getting open at 9:50 am with 2-4 depots and maybe 3-5 extra direct trucks. I’m in at 4 am. This will suck for us stockers and forklift drivers, having to be in at 3 am. Means I’ll have to be up at 1-1:30 to be at work on time,” one employee wrote on Reddit. “Right? Ok, so we’ll have to open at 8:45 now and start at 3 am and wake up at 1 am?!” asked another.

Image Source: Getty Images | Photo By Anthony Devlin — Image of shoppers outside Costco. (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Anthony Devlin)

Apart from that, Costco is also giving away 3-pound bags of Gala apples at select warehouse club locations to members who renew their Executive membership each year. “Giving away apples is like giving away white bread. It’s fine, I guess, but not very interesting. It’s certainly not going to get me to do anything different,” one shopper pointed out.