Costco starts enforcing new membership card policy at another store and shoppers fume it’s ‘the dumbest rule they have’

CUSTOMERS at Costco have been crying out over a newly implemented rule that’s popped up at another location.

The warehouse retailer started it in January of this year, and the effects are being felt in nearly all its stores this fall.

Costco is notably a membership-based brand, meaning that those who shop in-store at one of its 614 locations nationwide or online must pay an annual subscription fee to buy in bulk and get deals on merchandise.

The membership options come in two tiers — Gold Star and Executive.

Due to a recent price increase, the first in over seven years, a Gold Star membership at Costco costs $65 annually, giving customers access to in-person and online shopping through two membership cards per household.

Those who select Executive pay more at $130 annually but get additional benefits, including a 2% annual reward and discounts on Costco Services.

It also offers two membership cards per household.

There are several other benefits to being a Costco member in either tier, and it’s an additional $65 a year to add an affiliate card holder.

For years, sneaky consumers have tried to get around paying the additional $65 fee, whether through sharing cards with friends to shop or to get the famed $1.50 hot dog at the food court.

Either way, Costco had enough and started to bring in a membership-scanning policy to eliminate the sharing and keep things fair for those who pay to shop.

VERIFICATION REQUIRED

With the policy, members are required to show their Costco card at the front entrance and scan it for employees, bringing up their picture on file.

Staff would then match that image to their government-issued ID, and only then would they be allowed to enter.

The retailer released a statement in August confirming that after tests at select stores over the spring and summer, the membership scanning protocol would go into effect at all its locations through the end of the year.

Customer grievances over the scanning and verification from Costco have been ongoing.

As the nationwide rollout continues, a store in Wenatchee, Washington, has implemented it, per local radio station KORD-FM.

Several local customers argued that the membership card scanning requirement was unnecessary, while others said they didn’t mind.

MIXED FEELINGS

“That’s the dumbest rule they have,” someone fumed in a thread about the Wenatchee store on Facebook.

“I couldn’t bring my baby in because myself and my oldest were two people who could enter.”

“They told me if my baby came in my 7 yr old had to stay outside,” the member claimed.

“Doesn’t bug me any!” a fellow customer exclaimed.

“Hey, let them do what they want. They save me lots of money. I’ll go along!” another said.

It’s unclear if all 614 Costco warehouses in the United States have now implemented the membership scanning measure.

The last few remaining stores without it will likely put it in place by December.

Some members have also been thrilled over the return of a “delicious holiday favorite for $19.99 at their local store.

A “Chick-fil-A dupe” has also been catching attention at Costco, as it supposedly tastes the same as some of the fast food chain’s favorites.