Costco Testing Significant Change to Membership Checking Policy That Will Impact Customers
Costco
Costco shoppers in Issaquah, Wash., must adhere to a new membership checking policy as they enter the store. That's because the warehouse club is testing out a significant change—and it may eventually impact even more customers.
For those unfamiliar with the membership checking process, Costco shoppers show their cards at the checkouts before they purchase their items. The Issaquah location, however, has reportedly added two kiosks to the main entrance, requiring customers to scan their membership cards before entering the store.
On Reddit, a Costco shopper shared via Reddit a photo of one of the new kiosks next to a sign that read, "You will be asked to scan your membership card before entering the warehouse."
"I didn't get it in the picture but there's two scanners at the entrance with one employee at each one," the OP (original poster) wrote in the thread. "There's a display that shows your face for the employee to check."
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Currently, the Issaquah Costco is the only store with card scanners stationed at the entrance—which is understandable, considering it often tests new products and services before other locations roll them out.
Still, the Reddit photo has elicited strong responses from fellow Costco shoppers. One person commented, "On top of people waiting until the entrance to dig out their card, now there is another chokepoint for people to jockey into position to scan their cards. What a nightmare."
Another Reddit user wrote, "I can only imagine the lines on a busy day with just one person checking."
Still, someone else reasoned: "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?"
What do you think of the potential change to Costco's membership checking policy?
