As Costco plans to install scanners in all of its stores, members are asked to bring their membership cards and IDs as they will be checked before entering the store.
Next time you go to Costco, make sure you have your plastic or digital membership card — and a matching ID — with you. The members-only warehouse retailer is really cracking down on non-members now.
Costco confirmed in January that it had begun testing membership card scanning at the entrances of some stores, a way to improve the member experience by eliminating the need to scan cards at checkout.
The comprehensive introduction of scanners at all locations is also intended to curb the influx of non-members using cards that are not their own.
“In the coming months, member scanners will be deployed at the front door of your local warehouse,” says a recent update on Costco’s membership website. “Once deployed, all members will be required to scan their physical or digital membership card by holding the barcode or QR code to the scanner before entering.”
All guests must be accompanied by a member with a membership card, the statement added. Customers with inactive memberships are asked to “stop by the membership counter before entering the warehouse to make purchases.”
Members are also asked to have a photo taken so it can be added to their card, otherwise they will be required to provide a valid photo ID.
Los Angeles television station KTLA reported that new scanners were spotted at Costco locations in Huntington Beach, California, and Inglewood, California.
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Why does Costco scan membership cards?
Scanning is another way to protect membership fees, which mean a lot of money for Costco.
According to the company’s 2023 annual report, the retailer earned $4.6 billion in membership fees from nearly 128 million members in 2023, up from $1.12 billion in fees in the last quarter.
These fees will soon increase.
Effective September 1, Gold Star memberships in the U.S. and Canada will cost $65 (up from $60), and Executive Memberships will cost $130 (up from $120), with the maximum annual premium of 2% increasing from $1,000 to $1,250.
It is Costco’s first price increase since 2017.
Costco not only wants to prevent non-members from entering, but also to protect the benefits that its paying members receive.
Costco has not responded to a request for comment from USA TODAY. However, last year the company said in a statement to Business Insider, “We do not believe it is right for non-members to receive the same benefits and prices as our members.”
How do I get my Costco membership card?
Each Gold Star and Executive membership includes two membership cards. You can also get a digital membership card to use in the Costco app. Visit the Costco website for instructions.
Contributors: James Powel and Bailey Schulz.
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