BJ's shopping question

[PeterPansMum]

Is it possible to use a credit card that has a different name than the BJ shopper's account? I'm not asking if it's right or wrong, or if you feel that I am I bad person for doing this/asking.. Just a simple answer to a question.

Background: I used to be a member, my parents are current members. I need a few things and would rather put it on my card than pay cash. I would still be a member if the store wasn't so far away; gas prices are too high to justify the expense in my budget..

 

[stitchlovestink]

I would 'suspect' that you could do this using the self checkout stands if that BJ's has them. You could not write a check at the self checkouts as this will cause them to verify the card holder and check writer are one in the same. It's possible a cashier may not 'catch' the difference in the name vs you using it, but I'd say more than likely an actual cashier would catch this. JMO.

 

[dodukes]

use self checkout, nobody looks at anythng.

 

[It's A Happy Day]

BJ's (at least around here) do not ask for any ID and have never even looked at the pic on the card. Scan and move on. So as far as payment type, it has never been questioned be it check, CC, or cash.

Sams you can't even enter the store without flashing your card and they look at the picture. I have gone with DH and he will be wandering around while I check out and they have questioned if the card holder is in the store otherwise they can not ring me out. Also cannot write a check unless it is under the cardholders name. I can't stand to go there because of the hassle!

 

[All4Nuthin]

cardholders are allowed to bring a guest. As long as you are with the cardholder, you may use your own credit card as long as it is one that they accept.

 

[npmommie]

Sams you can't even enter the store without flashing your card and they look at the picture. I have gone with DH and he will be wandering around while I check out and they have questioned if the card holder is in the store otherwise they can not ring me out. Also cannot write a check unless it is under the cardholders name. I can't stand to go there because of the hassle!

This is exactly why I cancelled my Sams card and now use BJ"s only.
I went in sams one day with hubby's card, i grabbed his by mistake, they looked at it when i came in didn't say a word. I had no clue you couldn't use a different family members card, i figured i was the one that opened the account, same account same family whatever.
i loaded up my cart with all my stuff, i have my ds who was not yet 1 yo in the carriage , and my dd was 3 yo at the time and my ds fell asleep with his head on my arm leaned over, so imagine i am pushing a sams cart, trying to check out.........i get everything on the belt, they start to ring. about half way thru ringing the cashier for some reason looked at the pic on the card and thru a fit, called the manager over, and acted like i was some sort of criminal.
i explained it was hubby's card...i opened the account.....anyway, they grabbed back all the stuff said i couldn't buy it, until i went over to the counter for a temp card. which i gladly would have done when i entered the store if i had known, their own employee looked at me and looked at the card i showed at the door and didn't say a word. so i had no reason to believe i couldn't shop with the secondary card on the account.
i was soooooo pissed off because number one, i had NO clue of this stupid policy, no one told me when i opened the account, and number 2 i had ID in my purse, they could have just looked at my license verified it was really me and the card in question was really my account...........but they made such a stink out of it, i left..... cancelled my account and they sent me my membership money back,

anyway, I love BJ's, hubby has gone in with my card on occasion when he doesn't have his with him and never a problem.
I even went thru check out one day, put all my stuff on the belt, look for my card, and ooopss, its not in my purse, the cashier just called someone over they verifed my account with my license right there, not a problem.

 

[MissMichelle]

I would 'suspect' that you could do this using the self checkout stands if that BJ's has them. You could not write a check at the self checkouts as this will cause them to verify the card holder and check writer are one in the same. It's possible a cashier may not 'catch' the difference in the name vs you using it, but I'd say more than likely an actual cashier would catch this. JMO.

I am just sifting though some posts on this thread and I have to laugh a bit...I am a manager @ BJ's and I actually spend all day explaining to people that the cards say ON them "Non transferrable". I haven't yet figured out what people don't understand about that. My location is extremely ontop of it and we take the cards away from people who are using them.

Ok so aside from a moral and business standpoint---yes you could use self check and none would be the wiser---OR you can actually go in with your parents and shop---they are allowed to bring guests to use the card as long as they are present because it is said that it is being "tried out".

I am not coming down on anyone ---but it states it on the card and you do what you feel is right. BJ's makes most of their money FROM their memberships and if everyone handed out their card for use by others then they'd be losing $$. Some of our items actually only have a $.01 mark up...

npmommie- At BJ's they would have just verified you were on the account...I remember before I worked for BJ's I had a Sam's card....I had my fiance's with me and I went in without him quickly and they wouldn't even let me in the store even AFTER saying he was on his way in (which he was, I just had to pee! LOL)

 

[GJM]

This happen at a Costco - someone was using someone else's card and it was taken away. I worked with a woman who always wanted to go to Costco with me, she didn't want to pay for her own membership. One time she wanted to use my card and go at lunch time - I told her no!

I still have my BJ's membership, I don't have any here in SC, I am on my sister's membership, we split the cost. When I go up to NJ I always stop in BJ's and get some stuff I need. I think I pay about $25 for the membership with her, it is worth it even for the couple of times I go.

 

[Jack&Ryan'smom]

I go with my mom all the time. She buys her stuff and pays, then I buy my stuff and put it on my charge! It works out great!!!

 

[Lisa_M]

DH has a card and I don't. We go in together and sometimes I pay, sometimes he pays, the money all comes out of the same account. We've always used self checkout (I don't even think they have a manned checkout) and never had a problem. I haven't gone in without him, but I don't think it would be a problem. Our store hasn't looked at the card even once!

 

[It's A Happy Day]

I am just sifting though some posts on this thread and I have to laugh a bit...I am a manager @ BJ's and I actually spend all day explaining to people that the cards say ON them "Non transferrable". I haven't yet figured out what people don't understand about that. My location is extremely ontop of it and we take the cards away from people who are using them.

Ok so aside from a moral and business standpoint---yes you could use self check and none would be the wiser---OR you can actually go in with your parents and shop---they are allowed to bring guests to use the card as long as they are present because it is said that it is being "tried out".

I am not coming down on anyone ---but it states it on the card and you do what you feel is right. BJ's makes most of their money FROM their memberships and if everyone handed out their card for use by others then they'd be losing $$. Some of our items actually only have a $.01 mark up...

npmommie- At BJ's they would have just verified you were on the account...I remember before I worked for BJ's I had a Sam's card....I had my fiance's with me and I went in without him quickly and they wouldn't even let me in the store even AFTER saying he was on his way in (which he was, I just had to pee! LOL)

While I do understand this (and why you cannot use another persons account/card), I do NOT understand why if both my DH & I (or whomever) are on the same account we cannot use each others cards - it is the SAME account. Both stores should have a way to disclose both members names on each card issued so that if by some chance you have the others card you can use it w/o hassle.

 

[MissMichelle]

While I do understand this (and why you cannot use another persons account/card), I do NOT understand why if both my DH & I (or whomever) are on the same account we cannot use each others cards - it is the SAME account. Both stores should have a way to disclose both members names on each card issued so that if by some chance you have the others card you can use it w/o hassle.

By what you say (you are both on the same membership) then there shouldn't be ANY reason someone would give you a problem using the card---we would (in my club at least) verify that you are indeed on that membership and not give it another thought---afterall, it is the SAME # for both members...one just says primary and the other says supplemental. It is just for people (we have a woman that says she lost her card and has a bunch printed that she passed out and we caught on) who use cards that they aren't even ON. As far as I can tell most people are honest with it and understand why we do what we do (you wouldn't pass out your gym membership would you?) but there are the few who refuse to abide and go automatically to self checkout---when we know about it the membership is flagged and it will flash for us to come over.