New Way Costco Is Cracking Down on Membership Sharing

Money expert Clark Howard is a big fan of Costco as they offer a variety of ways to save money on groceries, gas, and other services both in and out of the club.

In order to continue keeping prices low for their members, Costco has found a new way to crack down on membership sharing. 

Costco Membership Sharing: What’s Changing?

While Costco usually checks the photo on the back of membership cards at full-service checkout, they are now checking membership photos at self-checkout as well. This is because Costco has become aware that some people are using membership cards that do not belong to them at the self-service registers.  

When speaking with a Media Relations member at Costco, I was told:

“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.” 

What Changes?

For the typical member, nothing will change. The same policies will be in place, and this only affects those who use the self-checkout option when shopping in-club at Costco. Simply show your membership and/or photo ID upon request and you will be on your way. 

Costco Memberships: What Are My Options

If you’ve been borrowing a membership from a family member or friend, you should consider obtaining your own membership if you plan to keep shopping at Costco. Otherwise, you could get turned away with a cart full of groceries. 

Costco offers two membership tiers: Gold Star and Executive.

Gold Star membership costs $60/year and provides access to the club and all services. Executive membership costs $120/year, provides access to all services and comes with a 2% rebate on purchases.  

You can do some simple math to figure out which membership level is right for you. Clark has found that the Executive membership level is worth it for him to get the extra 2% back on all of his purchases.

Clark stacks his Executive membership savings with his Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi to save even more.

It is important to note that Costco memberships are not transferrable, but as a member, you can bring two guests with you during your visit. Your guests may browse to their hearts’ content and (if you are feeling generous) you can purchase items for them, but purchases may only be made by the primary member.

Gold Star and Executive memberships do allow someone living in your household to use your account free of charge and obtain their own membership card. They will also get the same benefits as your membership without paying a second membership fee.

Final Thoughts

Much like Netflix’s password-sharing crackdown, Costco has tightened up on membership sharing so that they can keep their prices as low as possible for their members. 

At Team Clark, we do not recommend sharing membership cards with non-members —  or shopping with a membership that isn’t yours. It is easy to get the membership level that is right for you and your budget. And you can still share your membership with someone living in your household all while following Costco’s policies. 

What do you think about Costco cracking down on membership sharing? Share your opinion in our Clark.com Community.