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Costco Cracks Down On Membership Sharing, Members Will Now Have To Show Valid IDs at Store

By Sunayna Kanjilal
Updated On : 21:51 PST, Aug 23, 2023

Costco Cracks Down On Membership Sharing, Members Will Now Have To Show Valid IDs at Store

Getty Images | Mario Tama

In this article

Should You Become A Costco Member?
Costco's Membership Fee Structure
Why People Love Costco?

Costco is strictly enforcing its membership sharing policy as the wholesale store witnessed a rise in non-members using memberships without paying a dime, as per CBS. The anomaly was noticed during the recently expanded self-checkout where non-members were taking benefits that was meant only for the members. This comes only a few weeks after Netflix rolled out its password-sharing crackdown.

The warehouse's policy hasn't changed as the memberships were never transferable and never will be, a Costco representative told CBS. The spokesperson also said that the company didn't feel it was quite right for non-members to get the same benefits which are enjoyed by the members.

Also Read: Costco Reveals Changes In Buying Patterns Amid Impending Recession Fears

"Costco can 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," a spokesperson told the outlet.

Up until now Costco only requested to see the cards at the cash register during the checkout process. Henceforth, the store will ask the member customers to show their membership cards with their photos, and if the card is without a photo, the member will have to produce a photo ID card to establish the membership.

Should You Become A Costco Member?

Also Read: Costco Isn't Increasing The Membership Fee For Now, But It Will "At Some Point"

You will be advised to become a member if you buy in bulk. It will save a lot of money in your yearly budget. But what if you don't? Is the Costco membership still worth it? According to Wirecutter, one way is to take benefit of the warehouse club's other services like the price of tires or lifetime maintenance services, pressure checks, flat repairs, and more. Apart from lower prices on products, they also have a generous return policy. The fact that the store can be a stop for errands as it has a food court, optical store, gas station, and also pharmacy can also add to your reasons to get the membership.

Costco's Membership Fee Structure

Also Read: Can Non-Members Shop At Costco Wholesale? Apparently, Yes. Here's How

Executive Membership: This membership plan will cost you $120 annually. The perk includes a free household card and a 2% reward on qualified Costco purchases. It also offers additional benefits and greater savings on Costco Services.

Gold Star Membership: The membership plan will cost you $60 annually and does include the household card like the prior plan. This plan also lets you add affiliate cardholders at $60 each.

Why People Love Costco?

What is it that fascinates people so much about the membership warehouse so much?

Free Sample: Costco is famous for giving out free food to customers. You can easily taste the sausage before you buy it.

Great Return Policies: You can easily return an item at Costco and they won't ask a single question. However, there are some things you cannot return like electronics and diamonds.

Happy To Help Staff: The staff at Costco is always smiling and pleasant. They will always go that extra mile to make sure you found what you really needed.

Variety: Costco is called a warehouse for a reason! The vast selection of goods as well as services attract people to the store.

Quality: Quality control at Costco is pretty efficient, and the products are reliable and trustworthy. The aisles are meticulously arranged and the produce selection at the grocery section is also top-notch.

Most Times Membership Pays Off: There's a 2% cashback on all your purchases every year, which is great!

Cheap Gas: A category that makes the store lose money but draws in customers who spend more on other items.

Everything Under One Roof: A place where you could come and spend some quality time with your family while running a few errands. A place where you could buy a diamond necklace but also the $1.50 hotdog and it's also a place with guaranteed parking.

Unbelievable Prices: A first-timer is always astonished looking at the prices. There are only a few places where you could have hot dogs and sodas only for $8.