Unless I read it wrong - it seems that the change is that instead of a person waving you into the store when you show the card, they'll require scanning the card. Not sure how that will stop anyone from sharing their card with a non-member. I don't think I've ever had store employee take a close look at my card when entering a Costco to confirm that I'm the member. So not sure how this will discourage 'sharing' the membership card. Unless they plan on using facial recognition. Which is also doubtful, since membership Id photos are taken using a cheap webcam at the customer service counter.
They searched my bag one day when I was leaving. Said the small print in the membership agreement gave them the right to search without my consent. So I turned around went to the desk and cancelled the membership. Never going back. They can keep the $5 chicken
Great, let's just put membership data on an app and let NFC wave us through. Why are we carrying around these plastic cards? You either have to make it a daily carry in your wallet or risk leaving it at home.
How does this work, given the pharmacy is open to non-members?<p>Additionally, anyone with a gift card is entitled to shop there without a membership.<p>I don’t see how the burden on cashiers is changed.
I've only been to Costco once here in the UK (as I'm not eligible for membership - the criteria are quite tight here), but they had a person and a scanner checking cards on the entrance.<p>Maybe that's because of the stricter eligibility rules.
Scanning the card would allow them to monitor the frequency that any particular member goes to the store, and with data analysis they would be able to detect unusual patterns, such as the same member going in multiple times per day/week.
Am I the only one that hates shopping at Costco? I'm 5 seconds away from cancelling it and joining the evil sam Walton empire because they have curbside pick up, scan and go, and store lay outs that rarely change.<p>Their stores are so damn frustrating and I hate spending whole afternoons shopping there.