Can you use someone else’s Costco card? (Must know!)
A Costco membership is great value when you’re shopping for groceries in bulk. Savings on bulk items can often offset membership fees in a few trips to the warehouse.
If you do home grocery shopping at Costco, or if you have a friend who wants to use a loyalty card, you may be wondering if you can use someone else’s Costco card. The Costco membership conditions state that membership is non-transferable, but there are ways to get around this…
Can you use someone else’s Costco card?
You cannot use someone else’s Costco card. However, existing Costco members can bring up to two guests when shopping. Purchases are still limited to membership holders.
Read on to find detailed information about using someone else’s Costco card, as well as general information about Costco membership terms and conditions.
Can you use someone else’s Costco card at self-checkout?
Since self-checkout terminals don’t have individual attendants, you may try to use someone else’s Costco card at self-checkout. According to reports on Reddit and elsewhere, this is not recommended. Using someone else’s card is still against the rules.
You cannot use someone else’s Costco card at self-checkout. The name associated with the payment method must match the name registered on the Costco card. Some employees may allow guests to make purchases through self-checkout if the cardholder is present.
At the end of the day, whether you can buy as a guest with a Costco member will depend on how strict the local manager and staff are. Some of these will allow guests to pay for items using their own payment method.
You can always ask the member owner to pay for the item themselves and then transfer the money to them. Remember to keep the receipt so you know the price of the item.
Can my husband use my Costco card without me?
Some Costco members may not be aware of Costco’s policy regarding the use of Costco memberships by family members. In general, individual memberships are not transferable. However, key members or account managers can extend their card to other members of their household.
Under normal circumstances, your husband cannot use your Costco card without you. However, you can log into your account at Costco.com and extend your membership to others in your household.
To change your Costco member account settings, you can log in and visit the Account Details page on Costco.com.
Can I use my parent’s Costco card?
Likewise, if your parents have a Costco membership, you may feel like you can use the card to make purchases on their behalf. Unfortunately, since Costco memberships are not transferable, this puts your parents at risk of having their membership revoked.
You cannot use your parent’s Costco card. However, they can take you shopping as a guest, or they can extend their membership to include you through their account settings on Costco.com.
Guests are not allowed to shop while shopping with members at Costco. However, the member owner can purchase your items on your behalf and allow you to pay later to bypass this restriction.
As mentioned above, family members can be added to your card through the Account Details page on Costco.com.
How do I add someone to a Costco membership?
As a Prime Member or Account Manager, you can add a person in your household to your Costco membership from the Account Details page on Costco.com.
To add someone to a Costco membership:
- Sign in to your account at Costco.com
- Navigate to the Account Details page
- Assign your free family card to family members of your choice
- Free family members can pick up their Costco card at the membership counter at any Costco location
To qualify as a freelance family member, a person must be at least 18 years old and live at the same address as the principal member. Business account holders can add additional free family members by paying an additional fee.
For more information on Costco membership conditions, you can visit the Membership Conditions and Regulations page on Costco.com.
Can you use someone else’s Costco card online?
Like self-checkout, members may try to get others to shop online using their Costco membership. However, like other methods, Costco cards are not transferable.
You cannot use someone else’s Costco card online. However, the member owner can buy items online on your behalf and have them shipped to your address. That being said, only actual members get customer service like refunds.
Attempting to use someone else’s Costco membership, whether online or in person, is a violation of the Costco membership conditions. Abuse may result in the revocation of your membership.
Will you get banned for using someone else’s card?
If you want to try someone else’s loyalty card at Costco, it’s important to understand the risks. Costco membership conditions expressly state that membership is non-transferable.
You will not be banned from Costco for using someone else’s card. However, the actual membership owner may face consequences as a result, such as their membership being revoked.
If your membership has been revoked, you may need to contact customer support to reactivate your account. Costco membership staff may, in their sole discretion, reinstate your membership.
Want to learn more about Costco? Check out these related posts to find out when Costco restocks, does Costco accept coupons, and does Costco accept EBT?
in conclusion…
Shopping at Costco is convenient and can save you a lot of money in the long run. However, Costco shoppers must have a membership to make purchases, and Costco has a pretty strict policy on this.
Prime members can add free family members to their card by visiting the account details page on Costco.com. Free family members must be at least 18 years old and live at the same address as the primary member. Failure to comply with the Membership Policy may result in the revocation of your membership.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to ask them in the comments section.
