Costco cracks down on membership sharing
Costco is following Netflix and other large companies in cracking down on unauthorized membership sharing.
The big-box chain, known for its beloved $1.50 hot dog combo and towering aisles of bulk goods, is making it a little harder for people who haven’t bought a membership to take advantage of those sweet deals.
“We don’t feel it’s right that nonmembers receive the same benefits and pricing as our members,” the company said in a statement. “As we already ask for the membership card at checkout, we are now asking to see their membership card with their photo at our self-service checkout registers.”
Costco reaped nearly $4.4 billion from membership fees in the most recent 12 months reported, which accounted for the bulk of its earnings during that time, according to Business Insider.
Although Costco hasn’t changed its membership policy, spot checks in self-checkout lanes — along with signs reminding shoppers that only paid members are allowed to make purchases — have become more common after a viral TikTok posting showed people how to shop without a membership.
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The crackdowns have caused a stir online.
In a Reddit thread with nearly 2,000 comments, a member wrote of her experience of being accused of card sharing. Others chimed in with similar experiences and shared their disappointment over the serious approach some stores have been taking to combat the issue.
“No one should ever feel like they have to prove some sort of innocence ... [w]hile simply trying to checkout at a Costco,” a Reddit member wrote.
Costco said it is “able to 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.”
Shoppers who are used to borrowing a card will now have to fork over $60 for a basic two-person membership — or get their cheap hot dogs elsewhere.
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