How you can Shop at Costco And not using a Membership: Gift Card Trick

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Costco is taking latest steps to forestall nonmembers from entering its stores, but there are still several ways to buy at Costco without paying an annual fee.

In a notice on Costco’s website, the wholesale retailer announced it’s adding membership scanning devices at store entrances.

Costco also said it would implement photo identification requirements, meaning you’ll have to present a Costco card with a photograph or a sound photo ID like a driver’s license.

The changes will make it harder to evade the member requirement to enter the shop, and it’ll be harder to freeload off a friend’s account. “We don’t feel it’s right that nonmembers receive the identical advantages and pricing as our members,” Costco said in an announcement last yr regarding related measures.

Most of Costco’s profits come from membership fees, and the corporate says they’re what makes it possible for Costco to supply the low prices that draw crowds of consumers to its stores.

But if you happen to’re not an everyday Costco shopper, it may very well be hard to justify buying a membership, which is able to cost at the very least $65 starting Sept. 1.

The excellent news is there’s a trick involving gift cards that makes it possible to buy in-store with out a Costco membership.

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How you can shop at Costco with a present card

Under Costco’s policies, anyone can shop at warehouse locations in the event that they present a Shop Card, which is just a present card.

These cards could be purchased in-store, and electronic versions can be found online. The catch is that Costco Shop Cards can only be purchased by members, so for this trick, you’ll still have to depend on a member of the family or a friend with a membership to purchase a present card for you.

You’ll likely must pay your friend back because the corporate’s policies require the name in your debit or bank card to match the account name.

Should you’re frightened about using this strategy, rest assured that the gift card method is allowed: “Non-members in addition to members may use Costco Shop Cards to buy at any Costco location within the U.S.,” a Costco customer support FAQs page reads.

In online forums, shoppers report that they’ve been capable of use small denomination Costco gift cards (ex. $25) to get within the door. Then they will refill a cart and pay for the remainder of the overall with other payment methods like money or debit. Take into accout, nonetheless, that the principles and enforcement may vary from store to store.

Other ways to buy at Costco without membership

If the gift card method is just too much hassle, there are several other ways to buy at Costco with out a membership.

Much of Costco’s inventory is accessible online, and the corporate has free shipping on many items. Unfortunately, online prices are sometimes higher to offset shipping costs — and nonmembers pay a 5% surcharge over what members pay for online orders.

Nonmembers can order items with same-day delivery using Instacart.com, nonetheless, the costs are higher than what you’ll find shopping in person. Costco has also teamed up with UberEats for delivery — available to members and nonmembers — though this feature is currently limited to select store locations, and nonmembers still pay more.

Lastly, there are several things that anyone can get at Costco with out a membership, including alcohol (in 14 states), prescriptions and eye exams.

But to get the complete Costco shopping experience with the bottom prices — and to give you the option to order the famous $1.50 hot dog deal — you’ll either have to pay for a membership or try the gift card method.

How much is Costco membership?

Costco has two foremost membership options:

The usual Gold Star membership is $60 per yr (increasing to $65 on Sept. 1) and it features a “household” card that could be utilized by a second one that lives at the identical address because the account holder.

The Executive membership ($120) gets you 2% back on all purchases, which pays for itself once you spend $3,000. The worth of this membership will increase to $130 on Sept. 1.

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