Taking friend to Costco

[Anonymous]

Have them pay cash, two transactions. They don't care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. It’s my friend’s first time. She just moved to Washington and is in a very low income. If it’s worth it she will purchase the membership. Thanks for all your help (snide remarks and all).

Doesn’t change the fact that you’re attempting to screw Costco.

So weird, Costco staff doesn't care as much as many of people on DCUM. They know that if the visitor has a good experience, they will come back and maybe buy a membership when they can.

One thing to think about OP, usually a membership had two cards. If you don't have anyone using your second card, you could sign your friend up for it. They let my friend and I do this, but it probably varies from store to store.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your friend won’t be able to buy alcohol. The name on the CC must match the name on the Costco card, otherwise you can’t purchase alcohol.

I have brought my sister with me. She was buying things for a party and would never use a membership. They had no problem with it and neither did I. Why are people so upset about OP sharing her membership?

Gaming the system ruins it for everyone. I’m not sure what’s so difficult about following the rules??

+1 Guess these posters think just one family member in their group of relatives needs to pay for a membership card. Everyone else gets to take advantage of Costco's prices with that one card.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your friend won’t be able to buy alcohol. The name on the CC must match the name on the Costco card, otherwise you can’t purchase alcohol.

I have brought my sister with me. She was buying things for a party and would never use a membership. They had no problem with it and neither did I. Why are people so upset about OP sharing her membership?

Gaming the system ruins it for everyone. I’m not sure what’s so difficult about following the rules??

Weird question. I also have a rule that you must give me $55 a year

There's nothing weird about the question. Costco is a business that offers discounted prices to its members. Are you a business offering discounts to people?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your friend won’t be able to buy alcohol. The name on the CC must match the name on the Costco card, otherwise you can’t purchase alcohol.

I have brought my sister with me. She was buying things for a party and would never use a membership. They had no problem with it and neither did I. Why are people so upset about OP sharing her membership?

Gaming the system ruins it for everyone. I’m not sure what’s so difficult about following the rules??

How is it gaming the system? You are present during the transaction, you are purchasing the items. Costco allows you to bring guests. It's not like it's a super convenient activity, buying Costco cash card is much easier. That's how people handle sending household employees to Costco without membership.

Just curious--how many people outside your immediate family do you think should be able to use your card to purchase items for themselves?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your friend won’t be able to buy alcohol. The name on the CC must match the name on the Costco card, otherwise you can’t purchase alcohol.

I have brought my sister with me. She was buying things for a party and would never use a membership. They had no problem with it and neither did I. Why are people so upset about OP sharing her membership?

Gaming the system ruins it for everyone. I’m not sure what’s so difficult about following the rules??

How is it gaming the system? You are present during the transaction, you are purchasing the items. Costco allows you to bring guests. It's not like it's a super convenient activity, buying Costco cash card is much easier. That's how people handle sending household employees to Costco without membership.

Just curious--how many people outside your immediate family do you think should be able to use your card to purchase items for themselves?

DP, but this isn’t like sharing one HBO login. The member needs to physically be with the other customer. Costco is picky about that — you can’t just borrow someone’s card. That enough is a deterrent to most non-members, and so personally if a member brings her family, extended family, cousins, and college bestie I neither care nor think Costco would think anything but ‘$$$$$$$!!!’

If they really cared, they’d only allow members in the store. They wouldn’t let guests shop with gift cards. They wouldn’t use InstaCart.

[Anonymous]

So who is allowed to use my Costco membership? Should my husband buy his own? What about my kids? Can roommates share? Can my mom buy me something there on my membership? Can I purchase gifts for friends there? If I buy a cake for my kid’s birthday party, should the other parents have to show their Costco cards before their kids have have a slice of cake?

[Anonymous]

Every single time i go to costco i see some poor cashier having to explain to a furious shopper that she cannot use her friend's card she brought in if she's not on their membership. holds up the line while customer fumes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every single time i go to costco i see some poor cashier having to explain to a furious shopper that she cannot use her friend's card she brought in if she's not on their membership. holds up the line while customer fumes.

Is the member not with them?

People who think costco is being cheated- please call up and ask:

Can I bring a guest, can my guest make purchases, can it be separate transactions?

I called, I asked, they said yes, this is allowed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your friend won’t be able to buy alcohol. The name on the CC must match the name on the Costco card, otherwise you can’t purchase alcohol.

I have brought my sister with me. She was buying things for a party and would never use a membership. They had no problem with it and neither did I. Why are people so upset about OP sharing her membership?

Gaming the system ruins it for everyone. I’m not sure what’s so difficult about following the rules??

How is it gaming the system? You are present during the transaction, you are purchasing the items. Costco allows you to bring guests. It's not like it's a super convenient activity, buying Costco cash card is much easier. That's how people handle sending household employees to Costco without membership.

Just curious--how many people outside your immediate family do you think should be able to use your card to purchase items for themselves?

I can bring two guests. For your satisfaction, I can purchase Costco cash card on the spot and those two guests can immediately use it to buy stuff. Satisfied?
That is if we are not buying alcohol. Everyone can buy alcohol in Costco in California, but prices are the same as in Total Wine.

[Anonymous]

Buy the entire purchase on your dime and have your friend reimburse you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your friend won’t be able to buy alcohol. The name on the CC must match the name on the Costco card, otherwise you can’t purchase alcohol.

I have brought my sister with me. She was buying things for a party and would never use a membership. They had no problem with it and neither did I. Why are people so upset about OP sharing her membership?

Gaming the system ruins it for everyone. I’m not sure what’s so difficult about following the rules??

How is it gaming the system? You are present during the transaction, you are purchasing the items. Costco allows you to bring guests. It's not like it's a super convenient activity, buying Costco cash card is much easier. That's how people handle sending household employees to Costco without membership.

Just curious--how many people outside your immediate family do you think should be able to use your card to purchase items for themselves?

I can bring two guests. For your satisfaction, I can purchase Costco cash card on the spot and those two guests can immediately use it to buy stuff. Satisfied?
That is if we are not buying alcohol. Everyone can buy alcohol in Costco in California, but prices are the same as in Total Wine.

PP here. Thx for the info. Actually, I'm a Costco MEMBER and am well aware of the options.

[Anonymous]

No one can use my costco without me being there. I really can't spend all day every day taking guests to costco. It is self limiting on the guest thing. I first went as a guest of my SIL. That's how they hook people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Just make sure your friend doesn't buy alcohol, which will trigger carding. My former roommate and I used to share a card, but I could only use it if I didn't buy alcohol for this reason.

If she is very low income, she probably shouldn’t be buying alcohol, period.

Or cigarettes, or expensive coffee or salmon. Only grits, rice and beans

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have your friend put their stuff on the belt first, then a divider, then yours. Your friend hands cashier your Costco card.** Your friend pays (Visa card). Then you hand your card to cashier.

**if cashier says hey, this isn’t your card, then at this point you say you are together. If cashier is not ok then worst case, you pay for everything on your card and your friend writes you a check. You can ask cashier to hit subtotal between friend’s stuff and yours.

Just make sure your friend doesn't buy alcohol, which will trigger carding. My former roommate and I used to share a card, but I could only use it if I didn't buy alcohol for this reason.

If she is very low income, she probably shouldn’t be buying alcohol, period.

Not your business.

And that’s why broke people stay broke, buying shit they shouldn’t.