Costco Membership Woes: Aisle Delays Lead to Third Check, Rival Store’s Policy Provides Hassle-Free Shopping

According to The Sun, A Costco shopper has publicly criticized the retailer after facing a series of ID checks before she could even pay for her groceries. The customer, who has been a member of the wholesale chain for nearly two years, expressed her frustration in an X post, stating that she has only visited the warehouse once since her disappointing experience.

Multiple ID Inspections

According to the shopper, she was stopped twice in the aisles by staff for ID verification. The checks didn’t end there; she also had to prove her identity at the self-checkout kiosks, leaving her bewildered by the ordeal.

Comparison to Sam’s Club

In her post, the shopper compared Costco’s practices to those of its competitor, Sam’s Club. With 600 Sam’s Club warehouses across the nation, shoppers can use the chain’s scan-and-go app, allowing them to check out items while they shop. This app eliminates the need to wait in traditional checkout lines, enabling customers to pay through the store app and simply show their digital receipts to employees upon exit.

Call for Changes at Costco

Many Costco shoppers have echoed the desire for the chain to adopt a similar scan-and-go system to alleviate long checkout lines. One frustrated customer, Brian Babin, remarked on social media, “I’m currently in the shortest line at Costco, with 38 people ahead of me. A scan-and-go feature like Sam’s Club would solve this problem.” Another member described the scan-and-go service as a “game changer,” indicating a growing preference for Sam’s Club due to its efficiency.

Costco’s Membership Policies

The U.S. Sun has reached out to Costco for a comment on the situation. The retailer has implemented stricter measures to prevent membership sharing, requiring shoppers to scan their cards before entering the store.

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While some members, like one shopper interviewed by KABC-TV, don’t oppose the new policies, they hope the systems will function smoothly. However, others, like Ken Lofton, expressed concerns that these measures could cause delays at checkout.

New Photo ID Requirements

Costco workers are now tasked with ensuring that the photos on membership cards match the individuals using them at checkout. For those with membership cards that lack a photo, staff will request an additional form of ID. A spokesperson for Costco explained, “As we already ask for the membership card at checkout, we are now asking to see their membership card with their photo at our self-service checkout registers. If their membership card does not have a photo, then we ask for a photo ID.”

These changes come as Costco recently raised its membership fee by $5, with a Gold Star membership now priced at $65 instead of $60.