Some Costco customers are angry about one aspect of their membership agreement.
It has become such a big problem for some that they have started removing their payment methods manually.
2
2
Costco specifically offers annual memberships through two tiers, according to its website.
The rule is Gold Star, with a fee of $65 per year for two membership cards per household to shop in-store and online.
For more perks and benefits like a 2% annual bonus and discounts on Costco services, there's also an Executive Membership at an annual cost of $130.
Costco membership prices recently increased on September 1, 2024.
Gold Star was previously $5 cheaper at $60 per year, and Executive was only $120 instead of $130.
Unsurprisingly, the high cost has caused some negative feedback from Costco members.
Farewell
Some even threatened to take their business elsewhere and cancel their membership.
However, those who have tried to cancel recently have claimed that Costco is making doing so particularly difficult.
“@Costco is one of those places that makes it extremely difficult to cancel your account,” one member, Andrew, fumed in a post on X this month.
“There is no online option, and when you called the number, it presented you with a series of prompts.”
Since he wasn't sure what to do next, Andrew decided that the only way to prevent the membership from continuing or renewing was to remove all payment methods associated with it.
“I could never find a place to cancel, so I removed my payment methods and canceled my Costco.”
Not alone
Andrew wasn't alone in his struggle either, as one of his colleagues shared a similar experience and advised those who wanted to cancel to head to their local Costco to get it done.
“To cancel your Costco membership, you must go to the store or call,” customer Brad wrote in a separate X post.
Costco Membership Sharing Guidelines
Costco has strict membership usage rules that shoppers must follow, and they have been cracking down on violators in recent years.
- Use basic members: Only the primary cardholder can use this Costco membership card. It is not allowed to be shared in purchases as the image on the card must match the person using it.
- Home card: Each Basic Member can add one free Home Cardholder who lives at the same address. This person will receive their own membership card and can shop at Costco independently.
- Guest policy: Members can bring up to two guests per visit to Costco. However, only a member can make purchases. Guests must be accompanied by the member.
- Authorized card holderFor an additional fee, you can add an authorized cardholder, such as a family member or friend, who does not reside at your address. They will get their own card and can shop independently.
Credit: Costco
Brad also criticized the more complicated cancellation process when the renewal seemed simple.
“Although they will happily use a digital platform to renew and upsell you,” he added.
Costco's customer service page confirms that the only way to cancel is by phone call or through personal interaction with an employee.
“To cancel a membership, a Primary Member can speak with a team member at any membership desk in the warehouse and receive an immediate refund or call our Member Services Center at 1-800-774-2678,” the message read.
Costco's self-checkout area has also caused some controversy in recent months.
Members criticized an important feature of the kiosks, while some workers said the machines were “not good”.
One particularly frustrated customer said they experienced “interruptions” in the self-service area and threatened to boycott Sam's Club.
