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A COSTCO shopper said his food got thrown away by a retail associate because of a misunderstanding that could have easily been talked out.
The shopper aired his frustration on X, describing the “horrible experience” he had at the membership warehouse club.
While at the counter, he realized the membership card he was using didn’t have his name.
Instead, it had his wife’s name.
“You would have thought I was stealing the food, the associate proceeded to throw my food into the perishables carts, not allowing me time to call my wife (who could have come and met me) and helped to fix this,” he added.
To make matters worse, his two kids were “shaking” after they saw what happened.
He said he would never again go to Costco, calling it “disgusting” in the social media post.
The man tried to call corporate on the phone and complain, only to have them hang up on him.
He urged Costco associates to remember that it’s shoppers who pay for their salary.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to Costco for comment.
MEMBERSHIP RULES
Only Costco members may purchase items, according to the retailer’s general policies on its website.
“You will be required to show your membership card when entering any Costco warehouse and when checking out at a payment register,” according to its website.
There are two memberships available at Costco: the Executive Membership and the Gold Star Membership.
The Gold Star Membership costs $60 a year, which already includes another membership card that can be shared with someone in the same household.
On the other hand, the Executive Membership costs $120 a year.
It has the same benefits as a Gold Star membership, on top of exclusive perks like benefits and discounts on Costco services.
The membership is available to all qualifying individuals who are at least 16 years old.
Membership and store cards on offer from major retailers
Here is a breakdown of the store cards on offer to customers from various retailers and their benefits
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Costco:
- Gold Star Membership: $60 per year, shop all Costco stores and online with two additional cards for your household.
- Executive Membership: $120 per year, annual 2% reward, additional discounts and benefits on Costco services, shop online and in-store, and get two additional cards for household use.
- Sign up for a Costco Membership here
Sam’s Club:
- Club Membership: $50 per year, bonus offers, same-day delivery, instant savings, Sam’s Club Mastercard, members-only fuel savings, tire and battery center, complimentary membership, and add-on memberships.
- Plus Membership: $110 per year, all benefits of Club membership plus Sam’s Cash, free shipping, free curbside pickup, early shopping, and pharmacy and optical savings.
- Sign up for Sam’s Club Membership here
Target:
- Target Circle: A free-to-join reward program allowing users to earn 1% in Target Circle earnings rewards when an eligible purchase is made, access deals and personalized offers, get a birthday gift, and earn a vote to help direct how Target helps out your community.
- Target Circle Card: A credit, debit, or reloadable account card that gives users 5% off in-store and online as well as exclusive offers, free two-day shipping, and an additional 30-day returns window. Formerly Target RedCard.
- Sign up for Target Circle here
Walmart:
- Walmart+: $12.95 per month or $98 per year with a free 30-day trial. Offers members free delivery, free shipping with no minimum spend, fuel savings, Paramount+ subscription, auto car, Walmart+ travel, returns from home, mobile scan and go in-store, and early access to deals and product releases.
- Sign up for Walmart+ here
NO SHARING
Costco has been cracking down on unauthorized membership sharing since last year.
Former chief financial officer Richard Galanti said they have noticed nonmembers have been getting away at the self-checkout counter by using someone else’s membership card.
“We don’t feel it’s right that non-members receive the same benefits and pricing as our members.”
This comes at a time when other subscription-based services such as Netflix are also cracking down on membership sharing.
The U.S. Sun has also written about other customer experiences shopping at Costco.
Some shoppers welcomed the restriction on membership sharing, although others found it appealing.
For one, a shopper complained about having to pay the full price even though his year-long membership was cut short to 10 months.
