Costco comments and questions

[isisdave]

I got dinged buying items for my MIL. She is 92 & living alone. I always check to see what she needs. She gave me a CC to buy her stuff. The self check out scanner refused the card. An attendant came over & I told her what I was doing. Ended up I just put it all on my card and she wrote me a check.

A new wrinkle about a year ago is they stopped letting folks go in just for the food court (where the food court is inside). Our Costco is relatively close to the High school & kids would come over for $2 hot dog & drink. They (and myself sometimes) would walk in the out door & go to the food court or bathrooms. My guess is the stores are trying to collect better data on store traffic

Perhaps her card was a Mastercard. Costco only accepts Visa cards now.

Outdoor food courts previously didn't require a card, but now they do, and they scan it, not just glance at it.

 

[Tadpole]

My Costco card is over 25 years old. It doesn't have a picture. (I got it when Costco bought Price Club. I was a member of Price Club prior to that.)

 

[splitwdw]

At my local Costco they occasionally check the ID on the card at checkout. I understand there was a national effort to do that last year. Costco makes most of its profit from membership fees, so policing it makes sense.

Costco does not have a “shrinkage” problem. Shrinkage is the term used by retail business to describe the total loss by administrative errors, operational loss, vendor fraud, employee theft, and customer shoplifting.

This was confirmed late last year by the CFO during an earnings call. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/cost...stco's robust defenses,as reported by the NRF.

+1 on the shrinkage issue, Costco isn't having a big problem compared to other retailers. This was on the news a lot towards the end of the year.

At my Costco I use my Costco Citi Visa to enter. I usually go through the self checkout. Last year there was some kind of notification or news article that said you would have to show your membership card at checkout. When this started last year, the employee at self checkout would ask to see your membership card. I was there last week and no one asked to see my membership card.<<<Wait, I went through a regular checkout line, used my credit card refund certificate besides using my Costco cc so maybe that's why they didn't ask for my membership card.

 

[Chuckanut]

I got dinged buying items for my MIL. She is 92 & living alone. I always check to see what she needs. She gave me a CC to buy her stuff. The self check out scanner refused the card. An attendant came over & I told her what I was doing. Ended up I just put it all on my card and she wrote me a check.

A new wrinkle about a year ago is they stopped letting folks go in just for the food court (where the food court is inside). Our Costco is relatively close to the High school & kids would come over for $2 hot dog & drink. They (and myself sometimes) would walk in the out door & go to the food court or bathrooms. My guess is the stores are trying to collect better data on store traffic

Food Court? I don’t need no Food Court. When I am hungry I hit the food aisles and go grazing. It’s free.

 

[audreyh1]

Food Court? I don’t need no Food Court. When I am hungry I hit the food aisles and go grazing. It’s free.

During the winter season that’s a major snowbird activity down here - strolling the free samples.

 

[38Chevy454]

The $1.50 Costco hot dog and soda is the retiree lunch special!

 

[Katiek]

If someone has a card, are they allowed to bring in a companion with them provided that only the member purchases items and pays for it with their credit card? Or does everyone entering need their own card?

 

[audreyh1]

If someone has a card, are they allowed to bring in a companion with them provided that only the member purchases items and pays for it with their credit card? Or does everyone entering need their own card?

When you buy a membership it covers two people and each get a card.

However I see family groups entering all the time and just one shows a card. So yes you can go in with a member.

We just show one when we go in as a couple.

 

[rk911]

If someone has a card, are they allowed to bring in a companion with them provided that only the member purchases items and pays for it with their credit card? Or does everyone entering need their own card?

When my wife forces me to take her to Costco laugh we both enter as I wave my photo-less card at the door checker. I've often wondered if I could enter by waving just any old similarly-shaped plastic white card.

 

[Scrapr]

Perhaps her card was a Mastercard. Costco only accepts Visa cards now.

Outdoor food courts previously didn't require a card, but now they do, and they scan it, not just glance at it.

You called it...I just checked. It's like you are living in my head rent free

 

[HarveyS]

They may be quietly addressing cases at self-service when the names on the credit card and the membership card don't match but I doubt I'd notice.

I know from experience that you cannot use your SIL's membership card and your credit card for on-line orders.


However, I could use my son's credit card to renew my membership. (I was running up his spend for a new credit card bonus). The next day I could not use his card to do an on-line purchase of a Southwest airline gift card. I added him to the account as my second household member, but the deal ($430 for a $499 card) on the Southwest cards expired.

 

[Badger]

I became a Costco member not long after seeing the new store opening more than 23 years ago in my area. I am also a stockholder since I bought over 600 shares at $63 not long after. I don't care for people who lie, cheat, or steal and have no problem with any of those people being penalized or having their card revoked for that kind of behavior and especially when it affects my investment.
I wouldn't have a problem for Costco including a penalty description when signing or renewing a membership card, requiring a picture on the cards, and using face recognition at checkout.

 

[athena53]

When my wife forces me to take her to Costco laugh we both enter as I wave my photo-less card at the door checker. I've often wondered if I could enter by waving just any old similarly-shaped plastic white card.

I wave my Costco Visa with my picture on the back but she's never close enough to compare. I think some of the entry/exit people know my face by now anyway. The real test is at the register.

I became a Costco member not long after seeing the new store opening more than 23 years ago in my area. I am also a stockholder since I bought over 600 shares at $63 not long after. <snip>
I wouldn't have a problem for Costco including a penalty description when signing or renewing a membership card, requiring a picture on the cards, and using face recognition at checkout.

I'm a shareholder, too, but didn't get in quite as low as you did! I agree, though- enforce the requirements. One guy in front of me at the checkout was giving them the "My wife is the cardholder but she's in the car because she hurt her foot". I think they did let him go through but siad they were putting something on the membership record.

 

[Midpack]

I wave my Costco Visa with my picture on the back but she's never close enough to compare. I think some of the entry/exit people know my face by now anyway. The real test is at register.

I always use self check out unless I have a really large item (like a TV). But if they ramp up card-customer verification I guess they could have the same scanner at self check out as the one that’s being trialed at entrances?

 

[audreyh1]

Same here - always use self checkout. We don’t have nearly as full a cart as most folks and the line moves amazing fast.

 

[Venturer]

The Excutive membership card is the grey Costco citi visa. I haven't seen my original white card in at least 10 years. I don't remember when I 1st got the one with the picture on it but I use it for most of my purchases everywhere. The end of year rebates more than pay for my membership fee.

 

[cathy63]

For you self-checkout users, am I the only one who buys wine and liquor at Costco, or is California the only state where you can't go through self-checkout with alcoholic beverages?

 

[audreyh1]

For you self-checkout users, am I the only one who buys wine and liquor at Costco, or is California the only state where you can't go through self-checkout with alcoholic beverages?

We buy wine often and always use self-checkout (TX). A self-checkout monitor comes over to approve. Straightforward. Might have to wait 30 secs. We get good at flagging an employee down when we get ready to scan the first wine bottle.

 

[mpeirce]

For you self-checkout users, am I the only one who buys wine and liquor at Costco, or is California the only state where you can't go through self-checkout with alcoholic beverages?

Nope. Can't use self checkout for wine purchases here in Ohio.

 

[cathy63]

We buy wine often and always use self-checkout (TX). A self-checkout monitor comes over to approve. Straightforward. Might have to wait 30 secs. We get good at flagging an employee down when we get ready to scan the first wine bottle.

Nope. Can't use self checkout for wine purchases here in Ohio.

Ah, so some states do allow it. In California you can't purchase alcohol at a self-checkout in any type of store.

 

[Chuckanut]

I wave my Costco Visa with my picture on the back but she's never close enough to compare. I think some of the entry/exit people know my face by now anyway. The real test is at the register.

I'm a shareholder, too, but didn't get in quite as low as you did! I agree, though- enforce the requirements. One guy in front of me at the checkout was giving them the "My wife is the cardholder but she's in the car because she hurt her foot". I think they did let him go through but siad they were putting something on the membership record.

A friend's young nephew worked as one of the entrance door monitor at Costco. He said the guys remember the hot gals. Alas, I still have to take my card out, even if the door monitor is a woman.

Costco apparently is keeping records of its customers, from what I have heard. They keep return records to see who is returning too many items. They also keep a record if you "accidentally" try to leave the store with an item that is not on your receipt.

Clark Howard got nailed a few months ago trying to leave the store with an item was not properly accounted for at the register. IIRC, the Costco checkout employee had used the hand scanner to scan several heavy items in his cart. But, apparently she missed one, and that error was caught at the exit door. He was taken to a special desk where they recorded the incident. This happened even though the employee who scanned his merchandise told them it was her fault. Nothing has happened to him in regards to his membership and he continues to generally praise Costco on his podcast.


I pay my yearly fee to Costco, and have no desire to subsidize people who don't.

 

[statsman]

You’re the only person in the world without a picture on the back of your membership card.

Nope. DW has such a card. It's actually a Price Costco card! Date stamped on the back of the card is 08/85 (over 38 years ago!) No photo.

I usually do the shopping at Costco, but on occasion, she will go. It's been several months for her. Maybe even longer by herself. I've given her warning they'll probably require a photo and take away her old card if she goes solo. Which just means I will end up *always* having to go to Costco.

 

[Aerides]

Ah, so some states do allow it. In California you can't purchase alcohol at a self-checkout in any type of store.

In Florida, we can purchase bear/wine - that selection is in-store. We have to get age checked at self-checkout, but can still use it.

The full liquor area is a separate entrance outside the store.

 

[iloveyoga]

We buy wine often and always use self-checkout (TX). A self-checkout monitor comes over to approve. Straightforward. Might have to wait 30 secs. We get good at flagging an employee down when we get ready to scan the first wine bottle.

That's how self check out is in Iowa. Never have to wait long.

 

[braumeister]

In Florida, we can purchase beer/wine - that selection is in-store. We have to get age checked at self-checkout, but can still use it.

The full liquor area is a separate entrance outside the store.

Same in Ohio and Kentucky