One America News Network Reports on Costco’s New Membership Scanners to Prevent Card-Sharing
![Customers enter a Costco Wholesale Corp. warehouse store in Hawthorne, California, on June 12, 2024. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)](https://www.oann.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/GettyImages-2156709982.webp)
OAN Staff Blake Wolf
10:19 AM – Thursday, August 8, 2024
Bad news for shoppers who borrow Costco cards from relatives or friends to reap the benefits of inexpensive food court items and a wide variety of goods in bulk.
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Costo has rolled out an initiative to crack down on membership card-sharing, now requiring shoppers to scan their cards at the entrance of the store, where an employee will check the card’s displayed photo of the membership holder, in order to gain access.
Costco’s new card checking policy is intended to stop non-members from taking advantage of the club’s benefits, hoping that they will purchase their own membership instead.
“Over the coming months, membership scanning devices will be used at the entrance door of your local warehouse,” Costco said in a statement. “Once deployed, prior to entering, all members must scan their physical or digital membership card by placing the barcode or QR Code against the scanner. Guests must also be accompanied by a valid member for entry.”
Along with the crackdown on card-sharing, Costco also recently announced that it would raise its membership prices, which is the first increase since 2017.
The increase is slated to take effect on September 1st, increasing the annual membership fee from $60 to $65. The higher-tier “Executive Membership” will also see a ten dollar increase in price from $120 to $130 a year.
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