Costco Cash Card replaced with Costco Shop Card.

[dtrain]

Just an FYI, Costco has replaced their Cash Card with a Shop Card. This eliminates any possibility of cashing out your Cash Cards in the warehouse. Costco Travel bookings for DCL also reflect the change.

Not a huge deal for most, but we have cashed out thousands of dollars worth to buy Disney gift cards or put back into Costco Travel bookings in the past. No longer an option.

 

[Winston Wolf]

Well that's interesting, but not surprising. I wonder if existing reservations will get the cash card since it was the "deal" when we booked?

 

[FigmentSpark]

What is a Costco "Shop Card"? Isn't it just a gift card for Costco? And wasn't that was the "Cash Card" was?

 

[StlZNF]

I just checked my existing reservation made back in April...it now says Shop Card, not Cash Card.

 

[lilsonicfan]

This is just a guess for me, because we shop so much at Costco that it makes no difference, we just spend the gift cards there anyway, but I'm wondering if this is merely a name change and not so much a practical change ... if the law in your state is that it must be exchanged for cash then I think Costco would still have to cash it out for you.

 

[tigerchic89]

I think this was costco system wide change, not just for travel. We bought some tires that had a $60 card incentive, and it came in the mail as the new "shop card"

 

[DVC Doc]

This is just a guess for me, because we shop so much at Costco that it makes no difference, we just spend the gift cards there anyway, but I'm wondering if this is merely a name change and not so much a practical change ... if the law in your state is that it must be exchanged for cash then I think Costco would still have to cash it out for you.

Costco website now has language that Shop Cards may not be redeemed for cash, except where required by law. And the state laws usually only require merchants to cash out gift cards with balances less than $10. This is a big bummer for me as I’ve literally cashed out thousands of dollars from cruises and ABD trips. Oh well, more $$$ to spend at Costco I guess!

 

[FigmentSpark]

What about the old "just buy some bananas and ask for the rest in cash" ploy. Will that still work?

 

[lilsonicfan]

Costco website now has language that Shop Cards may not be redeemed for cash, except where required by law. And the state laws usually only require merchants to cash out gift cards with balances less than $10. This is a big bummer for me as I’ve literally cashed out thousands of dollars from cruises and ABD trips. Oh well, more $$$ to spend at Costco I guess!

Admittedly I was always surprised that they even allowed cashing out - I have never tried it, though I have before paid with a gift card and been given cash back as change.

I guess for me the $950 I got back from Costco was just $950 I would have spent there anyway, so the challenge is then to spend it wisely and not to buy frivolous stuff Then I can "put away" $950 for vacation money.

 

[Budzooka]

Even if I was going to spend the entire amount at Costco, I would ALWAYS want the cash. That allows me to purchase my Costco merchandise on a credit card that earns points.

 

[KantLose]

Thanks for the info. I usually just shop with my Cash Card (free groceries for a few weeks!).

 

[hrhdhd]

What about the old "just buy some bananas and ask for the rest in cash" ploy. Will that still work?

No, the card retains the balance like a gift card to any other store.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

This stinks. I'll just buy my gas at Costco from now on. Basically, my cruises will pay for my gasoline all year. That way I'll still indirectly profit from the shop card without having to really shop at Costco. I just don't buy regular groceries there. Occasionally I do buy electronics there, so that is also a possibility. I could pay at least half the price of a nice laptop with my upcoming shop card from our next cruise.

And there's still the additional 2% check at the end of the year, which goes into my bank account.

 

[FigmentSpark]

No, the card retains the balance like a gift card to any other store.

I know it retains the balance, but can you ask for the rest in cash?

 

[kerry1379]

Well shoot. I had planned on cashing out the Costco card to pay for the excursions I put on my credit card during the cruise. This really messes up my budgeting. Not happy.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Even if I was going to spend the entire amount at Costco, I would ALWAYS want the cash. That allows me to purchase my Costco merchandise on a credit card that earns points.

Valid point. I think the Costco Visa in the US offers more points than anything available here in Canada. I think the card we have tied to Costco earns 0.5% on the first $3,000, then 1% afterward, unless on gas or restaurants. Not enough to make a dent, for me.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Valid point. I think the Costco Visa in the US offers more points than anything available here in Canada. I think the card we have tied to Costco earns 0.5% on the first $3,000, then 1% afterward, unless on gas or restaurants. Not enough to make a dent, for me.

True, but you can use ANY Mastercard in Canada at Costco. So if you have, for example, a West Jet Mastercard, you can use that. You don't have to use only the Capital One card.

 

[DLgal]

And there's still the additional 2% check at the end of the year, which goes into my bank account.

FYI, I didn't get a check this year for my 2% reward. I got, essentially, a Costco voucher that I had to redeem either in store or online for merchandise. I could not deposit it into my bank account.

 

[hrhdhd]

I know it retains the balance, but can you ask for the rest in cash?

Not unless the state requires it.

FYI, I didn't get a check this year for my 2% reward. I got, essentially, a Costco voucher that I had to redeem either in store or online for merchandise. I could not deposit it into my bank account.

AFAIK, you can get cash for the voucher.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

FYI, I didn't get a check this year for my 2% reward. I got, essentially, a Costco voucher that I had to redeem either in store or online for merchandise. I could not deposit it into my bank account.

In January I did get a check. When did you get yours?