A FUMING Costco shopper has blasted the retailer for allegedly refusing to let his wife enter due to a controversial membership policy.
The customer criticized the retailer’s strict membership-sharing rules.
3
3
“My wife was rejected from @Costco this morning because she dared to try to enter with my card, she had left hers at home,” the shopper wrote on X.
“After I arrived, she was able to enter with me as her protector and guardian.
“They told us that people are sneaking in and stealing stuff,” they wrote.
Customers across the U.S. have taken to social media to voice their concerns about the membership policy.
The warehouse chain does not allow IDs to be shared and this has angered many.
“The lady at @Costco self checkout was literally “paper-please”-zing everyone and literally stopped a woman from buying her groceries with her mom’s Costco card despite her reasonable pleas that she was running an errand,” another shopper wrote in a post on X.
“We’ve gone too far,” they declared.
Another customer likened the retailer’s controversial membership-sharing crackdown to a similar move from Netflix.
Netflix introduced a policy last year to reduce the amount of account sharing on its site.
It began charging users an extra $7.99 a month to add another watcher to their account.
And customers are worried that Costco may be moving in a similar direction.
“So I had an experience at @Costco where my wife tried to pay for our groceries and they prevented her from doing so because we were using my Costco card,” a shopper wrote.
“I didn’t know I was shopping with @Netflix.
“This whole sharing membership control is getting out of hand. #boycottnetflix,” he said.
This is not the only grievance Costco shoppers have.
MEMBERSHIP WOES
Others are concerned about the rising membership fees.
Last month, the retailer announced that it would increase the price of its membership plans for the first time in seven years.
Costco membership sharing guidelines
Costco has strict rules for membership use that shoppers must follow and they’ve been cracking down on offenders in recent years.
- Primary Member Use: Only the primary cardholder can use this Costco membership card. Sharing it for purchases is not allowed as the photo on the card must match the person using it.
- Household Card: Each primary member can add one free household 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 the member can make purchases. Guests must be accompanied by the member.
- Authorized Cardholder: For an additional fee, you can add an authorized cardholder, such as a family member or friend, who doesn’t reside at your address. They will receive their own card and can shop independently.
Credit: Costco
The normal membership fee will go from $60 to $65 and the Executive Membership will rise from $120 to $130 per year.
The change will be implemented on September 1 in the U.S. and Canada.
Customers, however, have not been impressed by the news.
“My membership will be canceled when renewal comes up,” one said.
“Wow, @Costco is raising its membership fee by 8.4% from $120/annually to $130/annually for Executive members,” another shopper said.
“Is this reasonable?” they asked.
3
