Non-Members Using Costco Gift Card to Enter Costco Update

Poor Ass on 18/11/2024 - 12:11

Just an update on the non Costco members using gift card to enter. Nov 2024.

The recent update by Costco makes things a bit more time consuming

Should you be using a gift card to enter, please head to membership area first to get a temporary ID

You actually need to hand over a form of photo ID which they will scan to their system and then provide you with a piece of paper which they call a temporary ID but doesn't really have any numbers on it

Previously you would just use the Costco gift card to enter which has not changed. But once you get to the checkout they will no longer be able to call a supervisor to authorise the transaction unless you head to the membership area first to get a temporary ID. So if you have been queuing for awhile and have a full trolley to checkout, you will be delayed if you don't have a temporary ID

Costco has caught on… hope this will help someone out

Food & Grocery

Related Stores

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Comments

  • RichardL on 18/11/2024 - 12:14
    +9

    PS: Some Costco now require you to scan/swipe your membership before you can enter.

    • try2bhelpful on 18/11/2024 - 12:57
      -1

      You scan and the online image is displayed to the person at the entrance.

      • try2bhelpful on 18/11/2024 - 16:06
        -6

        My cowardly negger at it again. Apparently they can’t handle the truth.

      • JimmyF on 18/11/2024 - 17:21

        Stop membership being shared around.

        • try2bhelpful on 18/11/2024 - 18:13
          -2

          I suspect that would be the case. Up to now you just vaguely wave the card at the door person so it could be anyone holding it. I read somewhere that Costco makes a lot of its money from the membership fees so they would be cracking down if they think people are sharing one membership around a bunch of family and friends.

          • JimmyF on 18/11/2024 - 18:48
            +4

            @try2bhelpful: They used to check the membership photo matched the person using it as well as the credit card name matched pre COVID. But all that has gone out the window nowadays.

            It seems membership 'sharing' was getting pretty high, I can see why as my photo on the card is basically unreadable, any same gender could person could have used it.

    • Mokr on 18/11/2024 - 14:40

      Some also check for id when paying.

    • brandogs on 19/12/2024 - 12:44

      This change only affects those Costcos that have membership scanners at the door.

  • Dollar General on 18/11/2024 - 12:23
    +3

    It’s a big club and you ain’t in it

  • Lord Ra on 18/11/2024 - 12:37
    +1

    provide you with a piece of paper which they call a temporary ID but doesn't really have any numbers on it

    Does this mean that this can be spoofed? A picture taken and copies made, thereby not needing to go to that desk in the first place? Do you have a picture?

    • Poor Ass on 18/11/2024 - 12:39
      +2

      I didn't take too much notice but I'll take a photo next time

      If you been there before that membership line takes ages

  • AustriaBargain on 18/11/2024 - 12:47
    +1

    You get that paper too when you enter during a promotion day, like "donate to children's hospital and enter for free" days.

  • donga100 on 18/11/2024 - 13:31

    Do they verify the balance on the gift card before issuing a temporary ID? If a supervisor is no longer required to authorise the transaction is it possible to pay by card/cash instead of the voucher by letting them scan the ID instead?

    • Poor Ass on 18/11/2024 - 14:11

      the temp ID has no barcode… they scan some dodgy thing under the table

      as far as I know you have to use up the whole gift card if the total amount exceeds what you are buying

      I forgot if they needed the temp ID + supervisor approval or just the temp ID paper and they scan some barcode under table

    • 87percent on 18/11/2024 - 14:17
      +1

      last 2 times i've gone to use the GC at checkout, they've forgotten about it and i just paid the full amount on CC

      • sumyungguy on 18/11/2024 - 14:46

        Do you have a membership already? I've used a Shop Card as a non-member and thought the supervisor was approving payment via a non-registered credit card.

        • 87percent on 18/11/2024 - 15:11

          No membership. Friend buys me a $25 GC, and I use that to get in.

          • sumyungguy on 18/11/2024 - 15:34

            @87percent: Next time I'll ask at POS why they need a supervisor. I also get the impression Costco does stuff by store; may be that not all Australian warehouses operate identically

        • bcYield on 19/11/2024 - 01:14

          Need an approval to pay. I believe there are more shopping options around. Goodluck.

  • cheekymonkey97 on 18/11/2024 - 14:22
    -4

    Lmao, Costco will have to pry my ID out of my cold dead hands. What a joke. Glad I don't shop there.

    • Poor Ass on 18/11/2024 - 14:24
      +1

      I guess it's condition of entry but only one person if you are in a group

      It is a private membership club so totally understand the privacy issue

  • JimmyF on 18/11/2024 - 17:22
    -1

    Sounds like a lot of hassle if you shop often at Costco, just buy a membership.

    • Poor Ass on 18/11/2024 - 17:34

      it is now hey but 2-3 times a year is ok

  • bcYield on 19/11/2024 - 01:10
    +1

    Make it harder for the shoplifters.

    • lilsmilingstar on 20/11/2024 - 12:28

      Does anyone know what they actually do at the exit when you present your receipt? What do they check for? Most of the time they just squiggle without even so much as a split-second glance at our trolley.

  • cnitsuj on 19/11/2024 - 12:31

    It was a bit of a hassle. I had to wait quite a while at the membership queue to get the temporary id, the queue can be long on a Saturday morning. I don't go often so will put up with it.

    I asked the reason for the change, the person didn't know.

    • Poor Ass on 19/11/2024 - 13:54

      they just keep saying change in store policy

      the most ridiculous thing is that if you need to walk out of the shop near the check out they don't let you walk out in the trolley line even when safe or no one there and only from the member line even if you are not buying anything or going to food court or toilet

    • lilsmilingstar on 20/11/2024 - 12:35

      Was there over the weekend and asked the same thing.
      They said it was the new policy to stop membership sharing, so they've introduced the scanning of membership cards at story entry to see if it matches your face. This is already in place in the US, and they're rolling it out in Aus now.
      And for those using Shopcards (which I was) they needed an equivalent ID system, so some genius came up with the manual paper registering method. The employees don't love it either, as it creates more work for them.
      The whole thing just sounds stupid, hopefully enough people will complain so they'll know it's not working!

      • try2bhelpful on 20/11/2024 - 13:43

        Or the people who regularly use Shopcards will decide to become members rather than go through this process every time. If you look at the TV specials on Costco they make a fair bit of their profit with the membership fees. Do you really think they came up with this system on a whim? I suspect it is working exactly how they intend it to. However, time will tell which way this goes.

  • Bigwhale on 30/11/2024 - 14:17

    Ringwood Costco staff denied entry to my relative even though they had a costco giftcard. They never mentioned getting a temp ID or anything, they just got shown the door by the mean costco lady. What's the right thing to do here, contact ACCC? Costco's website clearly says that non-members should be able to use the giftcard.

    • try2bhelpful on 30/11/2024 - 14:21

      Contact ACCC? What an absolute joke. How about looking up the relevant section and asking if there is a way to get access?

      • Bigwhale on 30/11/2024 - 17:13

        Maybe I should have been clearer. The ringwood costco staff said that they cannot enter the store with a costco giftcard full stop. The costco staff said nothing about going through a special process to gain entry, they denied entry full stop. If this is costco's practice, then their website is misleading and deceptive because it states that non-members can use the giftcard "Members and non-members may use the Costco Shop Cards for the purchase of merchandise, services and Costco memberships at any Costco location in Australia…". ACCC deals with misleading and deceptive conduct, so thats what I suggested.

        Practically, I am wondering if anyone else had a similar experience and finding out if it is just that one costco lady who doesn't know the policy around giftcards. If every giftcard holder is being denied entry at ringwood, I would think the ACCC should get involved.

        • try2bhelpful on 30/11/2024 - 18:14
          +1

          You can get to the help desk without a membership card. I would’ve thought going there to discuss what happened was obvious. Probably the ACCC would tell you to go to the help desk because it is there.

          I suspect the outcome of all this is Costco will, eventually, close the gift card loophole. You want to buy from Costco then get a membership.

    • cnitsuj on 01/12/2024 - 19:36
      -1

      I would write a complaint to Costco, hopefully they have the name of the employee at the entry to include in the complaint. Ask for compensation for inconvenience caused.

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