Costco adds membership scanners upon entry to crack down on customers sharing cards

Posted By: Ashley Smith
August 9, 2024 @ 5:03 am
Local News

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Customers wait in line to check out purchases at Costco store on June 28, 2023 in Teterboro, New Jersey. (Kena Betancur/VIEWpress/Corbis via Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) — When customers walk in to shop at Costco Wholesale, they flash a membership card to an employee who typically gives a smile and a nod before they can glide their XL cart into the big box retailer. But now, the warehouse store is cracking down on its entry parameters to avoid non-members from slipping inside under a false pretense.

The company has caught on to friends utilizing someone else’s membership card to access the big box store, so to combat the issue, its adding a new system upon arrival.

“Over the coming months, membership scanning devices will be used at the entrance door of your local warehouse. Once deployed, prior to entering, all members must scan their physical or digital membership card by placing the barcode or QR Code against the scanner,” Costco said in a statement online. “Guests must also be accompanied by a valid member for entry.”

The warehouse retailer said an attendant will be at the door to assist any customers with questions or concerns.

“If your membership is inactive, expired, or you would like to sign up for a new membership, the attendant will ask that you stop by the membership counter prior to entering the warehouse to shop,” the statement continued. “Additionally, if your membership card does not have a photo, please be prepared to show your valid photo ID.”

Members without a photo on their card can also go to the membership counter and get their photo taken to add to the card.