IN THE CLUB: Costco member ‘stopped in aisle twice’ before facing third check – a rival’s policy saves the hassle

According to The Sun, A Costco shopper has expressed her frustration with the retailer after experiencing a series of identity checks before even paying for her groceries. The member, who has been subscribed to the wholesale chain for nearly two years, revealed that her disappointing experience has deterred her from returning to the warehouse.

A Series of Checks

In a post on X, the shopper detailed her bewildering ordeal, stating that she was stopped twice in the aisles by staff members asking to check her ID. To her surprise, the inspections did not end there; she was also asked to prove her identity at the self-checkout kiosks.

Comparing Costco to Sam’s Club

In her post, she compared her experience at Costco to that of Sam’s Club, a rival warehouse chain owned by Walmart. She noted that Sam’s Club offers a scan-and-go app that allows members to check out items as they shop, eliminating the need to wait in checkout lines.

With the scan-and-go service, customers can pay for groceries through the app and simply show their digital receipts to staff upon exiting the store. This technology has garnered support from Costco shoppers, with many urging the chain to adopt a similar model to alleviate issues like long lines at checkout.

One frustrated member shared, “I’m currently in the shortest line at Costco—38 people ahead of me. A scan-and-go feature like Sam’s Club would solve this problem.” Another shopper referred to the scan-and-go service as a “game changer.” Many have voiced a preference for Sam’s Club over Costco due to this convenient feature.

Costco’s Membership Policies

The U.S. Sun has reached out to Costco for a comment regarding the shopper’s concerns. However, the chain has recently implemented stricter measures to prevent unauthorized membership sharing. Customers must now scan their membership cards before entering the warehouse, and those with cards that do not have photos are required to show additional identification.

Store Changes Spark Mixed Reactions

While some shoppers have expressed their acceptance of these new policies, emphasizing that they wouldn’t mind as long as the machines functioned correctly, others fear potential delays. One member, Ken Lofton, mentioned his concerns about the possibility of longer wait times.

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Costco staff are now ensuring that the photos on membership cards match the individual scanning items at checkout. A spokesperson 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.”

This heightened scrutiny comes at a time when Costco has also raised the price of its membership, which now costs $65 instead of the previous $60.