- Jan 20, 2025
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Costco is no longer turning a blind eye to non-members using friends' membership cards. To prevent embarrassment at checkout, Costco is now taking steps to catch membership moochers before they even enter the store.
According to a statement released by Costco, the retailer will be implementing membership scanning devices at the entrance of warehouses. Before entering, all members must scan their physical or digital membership cards to gain access.
For members without photo IDs on their cards, Costco advises bringing a valid photo ID or visiting the membership counter to have a photo taken. Additionally, guests now need to be accompanied by a valid cardholder to enter Costco stores, making it harder for non-members to sneak in.
This new rule is an extension of a system Costco tested earlier this year, requiring members to scan their cards at machines near the store entrance rather than just showing them to employees. The crackdown also affects self-checkout machines, with shoppers now required to present their membership card and a photo ID to use the registers.
Costco's decision to tighten up on non-members comes after announcing a membership fee increase of $5 to $65 in the US and Canada, the first increase since 2017. The company's profits heavily rely on annual fees, with $4.6 billion in revenue coming from membership fees in the previous year, an 8% increase from the year before.
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