Costco Membership Crackdown or All Things Costco 😀

[MsChristy12]

There are about 10 Costco within 45 mins drive for us, but yet they are all busy, ALL . THE . TIME!! Our preferred time to go - weeknights after work (after 6 will be even better), weekends either first thing in the AM or an hour before they close.

 

[MsChristy12]

In addition to the Buc-ees they're building on I64 in VA, I *heard* they may build on I95 between Northern VA and Richmond for all you Yankees coming down

I really want to visit a Buc-ees!! It's like on my bucket list now...

 

[Dan Murphy]

I also went to one in Florida and absolutely no one cared

Well, it was Florida. Surprised?

 

[Christine]

They have no way of verifying if the other members on the card live in the same household.

Oh I agree with you--I think it's just a reason for people to be mad about it. It's like "what I can't pass my card to my daughter to run up and get me a rotisserie chicken?" I read about people just being pissed about that.

 

[Htide]

On the way into Costco I usually just show the Costco Credit card that's in my apple wallet on my phone. Only once in the last three years that I have been doing this have they asked me to show them the physical card which is not a big deal as I always have it on me. Recently did this as of last week and they let me in without showing my physical card. They were however asking to see membership cards and the pictures when going through the self check out. I will say the self check out lanes were surprisingly empty. Now I know why.

 

[Smugpugmug]

LOL Yes it would be a disaster....

I went to the Buc-ees in South Carolina and while it didn't look like the crowds in that video, it wasn't that much different. The line for the bathroom went out the store and onto the sidewalk outside.

 

[MsChristy12]

I was just at Costco a couple days ago, there really was a dedicated staff member checking membership card and the pic at the self-checkout lines.

BTW, can we have a Buc-ees meet up?!

 

[disney-inspired]

As a paying member, I'm all for it. I think where some people gripe is that they you can only have 2 members on per membership. So if you have extended family living with you or older children living with you that chip in and shop, they can't use your membership if 2 others are already designated.

This would be our issue. My sister and I live with our parents and have the same home address on our ID/DLs. Sometimes we want to run errands but I don't want to get stuck at checkout and have to leave empty handed.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I’m the minority here but I don’t think Costco orBJs or any of those are any cheaper than shopping at lidl/target/ wherever. I have a large family and have tried all those warehouse stores and didn’t find a significant savings. And having to pay for the privilege of shopping there rubs me the wrong way

 

[easyas123]

Our Costco has had a person checking membership cards at the door for as long as I can recall, then they scan it again at checkout. Same in the Costco liquor store section.

I've got no problem with them cracking down, as many others have said - it's their Company, and we willingly choose to abide by the membership terms when signing up.

(oh-God I hate Buc-ees)

 

[nw6675]

I’m the minority here but I don’t think Costco orBJs or any of those are any cheaper than shopping at lidl/target/ wherever. I have a large family and have tried all those warehouse stores and didn’t find a significant savings. And having to pay for the privilege of shopping there rubs me the wrong way

My DH feels exactly the same.

 

[fla4fun]

I really want to visit a Buc-ees!! It's like on my bucket list now...

I saw on my news feed this morning that the largest Buc-ees just opened in Sevierville, Tennessee. . .

I don’t have a Costco near me, but one is supposed to open late 2024/early 2025.

 

[_19disnA]

If you need a membeship to shop there, I don't have a problem with how they choose to verify that. Those who are trying to 'game' the system are probably the ones doing the complaining. A relative has a Costco membership and have shopped there with them on occasion. They check your membership when you walk in the door. Frankly, I think people get fooled into buying those gigantic packgaes of some things. You have to know your unit prices to see if what they are selling is actually a bargain. If 10 rolls of paper towels cost $10 but at the local grocery store the same items is $1/roll then you really haven't saved anything. Gigantic containers of herbs/spices are no bargain regardless of the price if they go stale before you ever use them up.

 

[nw6675]

Even Prime Household permits different addresses. It kind of seems if you choose your +1 to be at a different address it should be permitted. That's double the lifetime supply of TP being sold and at some point the fee would be moot.

Eta: well, contradicting myself...the fee likely wouldn't be moot since you pay annually and would have to buy a LOT for them to break even.

 

[MsChristy12]

I’m the minority here but I don’t think Costco orBJs or any of those are any cheaper than shopping at lidl/target/ wherever. I have a large family and have tried all those warehouse stores and didn’t find a significant savings. And having to pay for the privilege of shopping there rubs me the wrong way

It is true that Costco doesn't always have the best deals, it depends on what it is and you have to do the breakdown per pound or per unit pricing. However, if you do use some of their services like travel, it is so worth the membership fees. Oh and don't forget GAS!! I don't know about y'all, but no one beats Costco gas pricing around here, zero.

 

[nw6675]

It is true that Costco doesn't always have the best deals, it depends on what it is and you have to do the breakdown per pound or per unit pricing. However, if you do use some of their services like travel, it is so worth the membership fees. Oh and don't forget GAS!! I don't know about y'all, but no one beats Costco gas pricing around here, zero.

While not the same as Buc-ees stress, I have anxiety thinking of Costco gas lines.

 

[MIChessGuy]

I experienced this a few weeks ago. As I approached a self-checkout, the staff person there said he had to verify my card. First time in decades I've ever encountered that. It didn't bother me, since I figured they would not expend effort on that unless they had a reason. Like many other members, my Costco "card" is the same as my Costco Visa card so nobody's going to borrow it anyway.

 

[Moliphino]

Our Costco has had a person checking membership cards at the door for as long as I can recall, then they scan it again at checkout. Same in the Costco liquor store section.

At least around here, the liquor stores are open to the public. You don't need a membership to shop there.

 

[MsChristy12]

While not the same as Buc-ees stress, I have anxiety thinking of Costco gas lines.

You're not wrong! Don't blame ya! For us it depends on which warehouse, certain ones are always insane unless you go there 6-7am. Thank goodness the one we frequent most is pretty dead on weekdays, even on weekends it's not as bad as others.

 

[Micca]

No problem with the card checking. Besides, if a family member that doesn't have a membership needs something, I'm happy to pick it up for them.