Why doesn’t Costco allow members to share cards? How much does membership cost?

Following the footsteps of Netflix, Costco is implementing measures to prevent users from sharing memberships.

Although company policy states that client memberships are unique and non-transferable, not all beneficiaries follow this rule to the letter. Many tend to share their memberships either with family, friends or acquaintances.

A company spokesperson told CBS News that this practice increased after the implementation and expansion of self-service checkouts, which is why the company has chosen to take action on the matter.

“We don’t feel it’s right that non-members receive the same benefits and pricing as our members,” said the Costco representative.

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The measure Costco will take to prevent membership sharing

Requesting proof of membership at the time of payment is no longer enough, as there are some cards that do not have the photos of the members. In these cases, customers will be asked to show photo identification to confirm that the person on the membership card and the person on the ID are the same. This measure will also apply to self-service checkouts.

“We will ask to see your membership card with your photo in our self-service checkout records. If your membership card does not have a photo, then we will ask for a photo ID,” the spokesperson said.

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How much does it cost to get a Costco membership?

Currently, a standard Costco membership, also known as Gold Star, costs $60 per year, while executive memberships are $120 for twelve months. Each subscription grants you two cards, as long as the other person resides at the same address. The company has not raised the prices of its membership cards since 2017, but hinted that they might do so soon.

Costco has an estimated 119 million customers, and is one of the biggest membership clubs in the world.