Sounds customer-friendly to me. I love self-checkout. Less people spreading their germs on my stuff, and I pack my bags faster and better than employees. I also don’t have to try to make small chat with anyone, which is a bonus.
Some of these self checkouts are not very intuitive. Definitely could be designed better so first time users can find everything without help. Big bold instructions like “put cash here” could prevent people from stuffing money in CC slot etc. Some have too much clutter going on.
Workflow is generally poor for these stations - both software and ergonomics. Software is agonizingly slow to react using the sh_ttiest possible touchscreens. Ergonomics have you awkwardly moving from cart to scanner to bagging area all at different heights and all generally on the same plane.
At local Costcos:
- your membership card must be visible to enter the building
- your card must be shown while in line for the checkout to an employee who will look at the picture on it.
- you still need to use the membership card to start a transaction at the self-checkout
- your face must match the face on the card, period, or no transaction
I am not stating that Costco has no right to do enforce these rules.
I’m saying that I disagree with the scope and method of their enforcement.
Here is an incomplete list of possible reasons a paying customer might send a family member or friend to the store for them with their membership card:
- They are sick
- They are injured
- They are very old and have trouble getting around
- They are taking care of young kids
Costco is treating helpful family and friends exactly the same way as someone who passes their card around a book club or something.
While I don’t share my card, I do resent being badgered for the card as if I’m a maybe-criminal every time I go to shop at Costco.
Costco makes most of its money from memberships.
I can’t prove or disprove that, but lets assume that is true.
- That doesn’t mean they make NO money on people who use borrowed cards, just less money
- Not everyone who borrows a card would buy one if they couldn’t borrow one so they do not represent lost membership fees. (aka kids, roommates, grandchildren etc)
It is my opinion that Costco should figure out a way to differentiate between customers who share their cards with everyone they know rather than just those closest to them.
Costco is taking the simple route to maximize revenue. That is their right, and it’s also my right to hate their approach and ditch them.
If I went to a gym that disturbed my workout to see my membership badge again, I’d cancel that membership too.
Given that the first half of the willing buyer, willing seller arrangement appears to be missing, I’m going to assume you’re no longer a member and happier with the arrangement.
The renewal is coming up fast and so is my cancellation. I don’t know if they reimburse you for the rest of a canceled membership but I wouldn’t get much back at this point.
I didn’t make this decision until about a week ago when they resumed this irritating practice. I guess the negative press died down…
I remember vaguely using Home Depot’s self checkout years ago. I used a business card and the process stopped dead in it’s tracks because I failed to press some obscure button on the screen. It was something you would not know unless you used the checkout before. I asked the attendant how I was suppose to know that out of frustration mostly.
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One of the things that makes the local Walmart self-checkouts so excellent is that if you insert your card into the reader, you don’t have to choose the payment option on the touchscreen. It essentially auto-chooses if you put a card in.
I shopped at Costco yesterday. I showed the front of my card to get in the door. No one saw my picture.
I waited at the self check and was waved forward by the clerk who hand scanned my items and scanned my card way to fast to check my low res photo.
I paid and went to the food court. I got a greasy piece of tasty pizza. I also got a great hot dog with a soda for 1.50.
I have always had to show my card when checking out.
That might be true for Netflix because Netflix is taking away something they allowed for a decade, but Costco isn’t doing anything differently. They haven’t changed the membership sharing rules they’ve had in place the last 30 years. They simply relaxed the rules for a year during covid and now are going back to business as usual. Nobody is cancelling their memberships over this and the numbers prove it.
Membership renewal rates in the last year were the highest they’ve ever been in the company’s history, and the number of members has increased 7% in the same time frame, which equates to something like 7 million new members.
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My Sam’s Club card has no picture for what its worth.
My Costco card has no picture because it was issued during early Covid when cops wouldn’t even get near you unless really needed. 
Just read this and it really shows the man behind the curtain.
Lied about the technology from day one.
That was one messed up system they were using. 1000 people in India watching your every move and biometric scanning.
Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I’ll be watching you.
Thank you, come again!
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Amazon Go was the original panopticon no checkout store concept with 40 locations and those seem to still be in operation. Curious if machine vision was at work in those locations or if it too was an elaborate ruse.
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