The way you shop at
Costco could change in a major way if the warehouse implements a new policy it’s currently testing out. The new rule would require shoppers to scan their membership card before entering a Costco warehouse.
A Reddit thread published this week shows the potential policy change in action at the Costco location in Issaquah, Washington.
In a photo attached to the thread, you can see a Costco member scanning their card from a device located at the store’s entrance. The device is manned by a Costco employee, and below the scanner is a sign that reads, “You will be asked to scan your membership card before entering the warehouse.”
This latest news comes just months after the warehouse angered customers by cracking down on membership-card sharing. Some angry cardholders even threatened to cancel their memberships.
Although last year’s membership-policy change was met with a lot of frustration, a number of people in the comments to this week’s Reddit thread seem to approve of scanning your membership card for entry.
One person pointed out that it could potentially create less drama at check out.
“I’ve seen people with multiple carts full of food get turned away (not without a fight) at the checkout line due to having someone else’s card. This could be an effort to avoid situations like that?” the Reddit user explained.
There was more praise in the comments, with one person doting on how “efficient” it could be.
“I really don’t get the big deal. A machine that scans the membership card isn’t really any different that a person you flash the card to. It might be more efficient,” they wrote.
Several people expressed their concerns over the scanning process creating long waits to get inside Costco warehouses.
“Imagine the line, as the majority of people looking for their card at the door,” one person pointed out.
Sounds like we’re already in for a long year.