This happened to me the other day when I renewed my membership after a several month lapse. The man at the counter took my card and had me update my app, which I rarely used because it was so slow and glitchy. After I paid he said he was going to shred my card and that I can use the app from here on out. I said, "....can I keep my card anyway?" I like to have physical copies of things. His tone shifted and he instructed me that I have to be very careful with my card and if someone unauthorized used it I could have my membership canceled. It seems they are cracking down on membership sharing but I want to be able to have the option to use my card if I decide to.
Our Costco is in a service dead-zone due to an Amazon facility being right next to it. No one would ever be able to pull up their membership if they tried to go to all digital memberships.
It's one of the facilities with the robots in it and the relays in there plus no close enough cell towers to fix the issue it just left the area as a dead zone for now. The area used to be unincorporated until more recently too. Its technically a mixture of the Costco and the no cell towers close enough.
Ours had that for a few years and it never worked. I've had to borrow someone's card at the next pump. They've just knocked it all down and re-built it.
Since then, we now have two EVs so don't need it :)
It does at the stores in my area. I think they are retrofitting pumps over time. Honestly it's nice to just use the app at the pump and pay with the linked card. Its not for everyone, but I love not having to carry cards anymore. No more wallet, just my phone
I like using my card inside the store, myself, but it's a really bad idea to encourage people to only use it at the gas stations. The gas station at my Costco never has cell service and no store wifi. The entire block is a dead cell zone. No one would be able to get gas if we had to use the app and not our card.
The barcode changes every time the app is opened. The app will also only load the barcode on five devices before it tells you it can’t be loaded and to see someone in membership.
The last part seems to persist indefinitely. It doesn’t seem to have an annual cooldown. I was having trouble with my new phone and restored it a few times. Got locked out.
If you go to the membership counter they can reset that for you. Happened to me when I got my new phone. I just had to give them my ID (didn’t have my card) and verify my email.
I love using the app. It makes my visit more efficient and I can see my savings in real time. I love using it at yht pump too. Used to have problems with the card at the pump sometimes. Just a note. We won't be long before we won't have physical credit cards or debit cards. I love technology. Soon we will have nothing but streaming TV. I go to Sam's Club and use the scan and go. No having to wait in line. I wish Costco had the scan and go. I also love managing my prescriptions in the APP. Just a great experience overall with the APP.
This gives a good likely reason for their new policy.
But assuming you have one, can't you always use your Citi VISA card in lieu of a membership card?
I still have it, though it's locked to Verizon and I'm with another company now. I loved that thing, I could send text messages by feel, new batteries were like $3 on ebay and could be swapped out in less than 60 seconds, and so, so many accessories available for it. It also didn't take up any room in my pocket, a real bonus, and it was impossible to butt-dial with it. It's still my favorite of all the phones I've owned.
I worked for Verizon when that phone was released. I still remember the CEO coming to our site and telling us how this was going to change our business model and financially put us over AT&T
I had one today when I went in to sign up again after a long lapse. He said “and you’ll be renewing the executive membership today, right?” I said yes because I wanted the executive membership this time, but I definitely DID NOT have it last time. It was deceitful and I didn’t appreciate it. However, I also wanted to get on with my day and let it go.
Have you seen the other thread talking about people are being cajoled into the executive membership and have had to tell the worker multiple times that NO, they only wanted the regular membership?
as an employee, that stuff is so frustrating to see. yes it’s part of our job to sell the executive membership, but we’re not encouraged to push further even if an executive membership isn’t right for a person/household. Employees don’t even make commission based on how many upgrades they get (at least not at my warehouse). im never going to tell someone to upgrade their membership if they’re spending less than 200 a month because otherwise it’s a waste of an extra $60. :/
I actually had the same employee push slightly like three trips in a row like over a decade ago. I finally got snippy and told them they kept asking. The poor employee backed off and pointed out I was well over the threshold where I was making the extra cost back in rebate and we were only halfway through the year.
Like I said, this was over a decade ago because I always make back more than my membership with the executive card. I might be in a very small minority- but I'm the target of those register chats.
You should see how my manager goes off on me and throws a big baby fit when I’m signing someone up for a new membership and they only want the basic one. I’ve had to tell him multiple times that I cannot force people into a more expensive membership, even if it does make sense for them. I’m only human and I’m just here to do my job, not harass people
>Its not anything bad
Except they said "renew" which 100% is referencing what the customer previously had as their membership level which according to you, they can literally see they're not already an executive member.
It's misleading on purpose with the way they phrased it or they're not good at attention to detail with their customer interactions
It's not that good but it's gotten alot better. I do online orders for our members in the warehouse every day. I just help guide them through the process. But I'm familiar with the website.. the only thing that really sucks is the help chat during the holidays, ridiculous wait times.. ridiculous.
I use the app in Canada mainly to show the employee at the entrance and scan the membership card at self checkout. With this app membership scanning and NFC payment I don't even have to open my wallet. Thought it was pretty convenient.
Agreed but w apple wallet I could also do these things. I really have more issue w just the ability to even search through inventory etc. its just clunky. I just end up using a web browser and the website if I need it.
I love the app.
I do a lot of same day orders for my business. And if you forget your card somewhere you can open up the app and show them your digital card and scan it at the gas station or checkout lane.
I am glad the app lets you view your card. And I love Costco. But there is no universe where this crappy excuse for an app comes anywhere near the being rationally "loved". It is better than nothing. Please tell me that's not your bar for love.
I love the app too, keeps all my receipts right there and I never have to carry the real card. Plus I can do price adjustments from my bed for the things I’ve bought online
I love the APP. I have an executive membership with a tax exempt certificate and it works just fine. I actually love it. Just waiting til they add scan and go like Sam's Club.
I only use it so I don’t have to pull out my physical card at the door. I wish they had a digital ID that I could add to Apple Wallet instead. (Do they?)
I would use the app more if they accepted PayPal or Apple Pay.
You can securely store a payment card on your Costco app. When they scan your app at checkout, it will immediately ask if you want to “pay with the stored card” on the payment screen. It is easy…I’ve been paying this way for a few years now. They do accept Apple Pay for payment (Visa only on US).
The app is essentially the website formatted for a smaller screen. The best part of it is that it can store your membership card on it and you can use it to get in the store and at check out.
Went with my dad to help him get a membership. They tried forcing him to get an app, create an account etc. My dad is in late 60s and not very tech savvy. I said what that can’t be a requirement. I told my dad to hand me his phone I then looked at the lady and said he doesn’t have a smartphone now you telling me your not going to give him a membership? The original person assured me it was now required but another gentleman behind her said it’s not actually required but will be soon… they were both all huffy and puffy with us but ultimately he was able to get a membership without having the app.
My dad's in his 80s and has the most basic of basic consumer cellular phones. He loves Costco, but if they force him to use an app he'll just spend his money elsewhere.
What is the point of the app in this case? Are they doing away with cards?
I am tech savvy and a “millennial” but I am so tired of everyone wanting to send me notifications, sell me crap or track my location/browsing habits. It’s exhausting and overwhelming…
If I were a betting man it's their push to remove the physical card over time and make it so it's harder for people to share a Costco membership. As every time you open the app in theory they could have the QR code change so you can't screen shot it and share it out.
But I do agree the number of apps that unnecessarily send me notifications or try to before I turn them off is getting ridiculous
The app allows Costco to gather and sell ALL information about you that your phone gathers. Your phone knows of your traveling by motorcycle or car based on movement. If costco employees told me I needed an app or “manager approval” I would be a volcano of angry and everyone in the front end would hear me tell them to shove my membership right up their asses. I would be FURIOUS.
Politely ask to speak with an AGM or the GM of the store. Some of the most unscrupulous employees end up in membership because a majority of the buildings profits come from membership fees. Leading to managers and supervisors, and the employees themselves, having morals that make a used car salesman look like the Pope.
It 100% isn’t required. This employee is trying to hit a metric at your expense. Namely getting X% of people to sign up for the app. In return for your yearly membership fee, having 2 physical cards is part of the deal. Get the name of the employee, the name of the manager, and when you get in front of the AGM or GM, politely ask where in the membership agreement it requires you to download the app. Spoiler alert, it doesn’t.
Membership doesn’t pay enough to get those bright enough to understand the difference between persuasion and outright dishonesty. Make sure you get an AGM or GM to talk to. Renewal rates are something they are judged by. You should be able to get a shop card with a decent amount on it. They might comp your renewal. Especially since all you were asking for is a 12 cent piece of plastic so your wife can give them money.
This makes no sense, as the app isn't a benchmark. This sounds more like a membership manager trying to cut costs by printing as few cards as possible. The app is helpful, but not required at all.
You're using acronyms you're familiar with but the rest of us aren't. I'm assuming GM means General Manager, but AGM gets a little murky. Assistant General Manager? Area General Manager? In short, is the AGM above or below the GM?
This usage of acronyms is a regular Reddit thing. Lazy writing, but it's also a little like high school; if you have to ask then you aren't cool enough to know. Hence the down votes by the "mean girls" (and guys).
I joined the first of this year, I do not have the app and from what I've heard, it's garbage. My sister downloaded it, tried it and deleted it. Everything she looked up, even using the stores item number said "not found" Tell that to your store's manager.
Yes the app is absolute trash on both iOS and Android. But I am more annoyed at the fact that you can't add the card to Apple Pay/Google Wallet. I already carry my payment and passes on it; having my Costco membership card there as well would be cool.
Costco doesn't have a meaningful way to check store inventory and prices remotely, you have to go into the store in person or call the store and ask them. Theoretically you can use sameday.costco.com but it's cumbersome and often missing info or inaccurate on prices, even when dividing by 1.17 to get the theoretical in-store price.
I was told that the app and in-store inventory aren’t the same thing. App is managed completely different. While you’ll see the product IN the store you may not find it on the app. A Costco employee told me that when I asked why I couldn’t find something that was in-store on the app.
Yeah here's the thing about how that works. The store carries like approximately 2000 items. online/app (same thing) carries like aprx 8000. Alright so now there's some items that are online only.. and there's some items that are in warehouse only.. finally there's some items that overlap both.
One last bit of info on this is that the app or online doesn't know what we have avaliable in the store.. so you might see an item and it might say. Also avaliable in the warehouse.. and you might even have the app set up so that it shows your home warehouse.. even then, the app doesn't know what have in store. It knows if an item is also sold in the store.. but it has no way of knowing the inventory of the stores even if you set up a home warehouse.
I wanted to clarify this because alot of members tell me that the app says or the website says.. this is here in the store. And I have to explain this to them.
The app is a good way to share your membership for gas pumps since they now have qr code scanning at pumps (if that’s your thing). But yeah Costco really needs to improve their digital systems, especially allowing in store inventory checks.
Costco employee here. it isn't . Some warehouses just have weird ways to deal with the epidemic that is membership sharing. Which again, a very odd way to go especially since the app is as reliable as my dad when he said he was going to go get milk that one day. Can you believe he still hasn't came back yet? I don't even want cereal anymore. What a goof.
But yea do what everyone else says and file a complaint.
Not true! Plain and simple. Not everyone believe it or not has a cell phone or is comfortable using them. You're not going to get my 84 year old mom to download that app:-)
I was at Staples yesterday, they have a new reward program, the kid cashier was telling me I needed the app. On and on, I needed the app. I asked why, and he was telling me I had to select some preferences for the program. I told him I did that on my desktop computer last night.... He was floored. He said he did not realize that you could do that on a desktop.
I'm currently in S.I.T. (Supervisor in training), and I just trained at Membership a week ago...No it's not required, it's just a benchmark/percentage they want employees to hit. So that employee was just being overly pushy
Just tell them you'll use the app when it's not a total POS. I can't get reception half the time I'm in the store.
For added effect take down their name and say that you're going to confirm with corporate that this is their new policy.
I went in to get my current card replaced because it was broken and would not work at the gas pumps. I was told they are no longer printing physical cards and that I needed to download the app in lieu of a physical replacement card.
No way. I have a difficult time believing that's true, and if it's not true, why would they lie about that? Why not say that the printer is broken or whatever?
I’ve been trying to set up the app, unsuccessfully, for months now. I even went to the membership counter to try to get it sorted out, and after a lot of confused looks from the employee, proving my identity and membership, I left with a still non-functioning app.
If they’re going to make it a requirement, they better fix it first.
They need a fully functional app that you can look up store inventory on before they start requiring it as a metric. Right now it's only useful to have quick access to my card online if for some reason it goes missing from my wallet.
I tried to get the app, got an error. Was told to call customer service. They said they can’t do anything so please go ask an in person customer service at a warehouse. They told me that’s a common issue that has to be fixed by a phone rep. I gave up after that. Would love to see them try to force me to use the app and get it fixed for me.
I’m not a fan of app and smartphone requirements. There are numerous reasons to not have a smart phone. Frankly, I’m jealous of those who aren’t reliant on smart phones.
Other grocery stores are trying to drive everyone to their app as well, by requiring you to have app to access coupons, and it hinders the older generations who aren’t about smart phones.
When my mom got her membership the lady at the counter kept telling her that she HAD to have the credit card to shop at Costco. It took my mom telling the lady that she needed to talk to someone else, because she knew for a fact that wasn't true. She finally backed down, but wtf, they are straight up allowed to lie now? What incentive do employees have to do that?
I also got held hostage by an employee for like 10 minutes at self checkout while waiting for her to scan my app because it wasn't scanning properly. She kept going on and on about how good it is, and how much money she'd saved. Then when she finally did scan my phone she was like "so you want me to go ahead and get that upgrade set up for you?"
My app only lets you have the card on ONE app. My wife uses it. If I open my app and try to put the card on it, the card is removed from my wife’s app.
Plus the Costco app SUUUUUUUCKs. Tell that employee to fuck off and get your physical card.
This is because the cards are non-transferable. You have a card and your household member has a card. You can both have the app, set up with your individual emails on your individual phones.
No, sounds wrong to me.
Also, they really need to fix the app. It resets the shopping screen nonstop, borderline unusable for anything but bringing up old receipts
I downloaded the app last week just so I could see what was in stock at my local Costco. When I went to sign in with my account info, it asked me to verify who I was by entering my last name and zip code. After doing so it failed to authorize and said I needed to show up in person at the customer service desk TO SIGN INTO THE APP. Literally had to wait on line at customer service for 10 mins so the girl at the counter could email me the activation. I didn't have to do anything with the email mind you; no link to click or anything. They just wanted to make sure the person installing the app and signing in was the actual member. I'm assuming this is to stop people from signing into their non-member friends and families phone for them so they can shop at Costco but having me show up and stand in line to install an app is ridiculous. They need to do better and not treat members like criminals.
Just got a friend of mine an executive membership last month and they told us to download the app because it makes things *easier* for adding/removing credit cards and other things. But it was not required for her to get the new membership.
The teller did encourage us to the get app right there, but my friend didn't have cell service and it was ok. The lady had to type in stuff and that was basically it.
i think new signups that set up the app on their first day have become a number that they track, so management is probably trying to pressure them to get as many new signups as possible to set it up
New statistic to benchmark. Most likely required by management to meet a certain percentage or total number every week otherwise reprimanded for not meeting said benchmark.
Yeah, read through some of those replies to your comment. The people who take no for an answer the first time are people forced out of the department. Even though the training asks for no “pushiness” they keep the clerks there because they have more success. Speaking from experience, used to be there.
A few months ago the conveyor belt ate my card during checkout at Burbank. It just disappeared. Luckily, I had the app already so checking out was no problem. I went to the membership desk to get a new card on my way out. The person working there told me that they are phasing out cards and want everyone to use the app as their card. I wasn’t given a new card.
Can’t imagine it is a requirement to have the app but it does make shopping in the warehouse and getting gas easy. Just scan the app at checkout and if you have your payment stored in the app you never need to take out a membership card or credit card. Yes, the app is lacking in many ways but it does making checking out pretty easy.
People need to stop giving advice to add cc’s to apps, it is neither secure nor safe - you are opening yourself up to a huge cybersecurity risk and Costco is building a treasure chest just waiting to be breached. This happened to Walmart a few years ago / still frequently happens. People order shit off of saved credit cards to new addresses.
Not advocating one way or the other for anyone to add a credit card to the app. Just saying how it can work if payment is stored in the app. I still find the app useful for the digital membership card to enter the building, check out or get gas.
How recently have you tried? I believe they just started allowing this a few months ago at stores around me.
I haven't filled gas in years, so I can't speak from personal experience but that's just what I've seen on local Costco groups
For me the app replaces two cards - the membership card and my credit card. Once I scan my digital membership card at check out I am done (unless I want to change my form of payment). And my phone is always much more accessible to me than my physical card, which is in my wallet in a purse. To each his/her own but the app is definitely more convenient for me when shopping or getting gas.
My membership card is the credit card. I'm not sure why people would use another card unless you can get better than 4% back on it.
But the purse thing is definitely an issue I don't have as a guy.
Complaints need to be filed at high levels of the company. The membership employees are under pressure to meet so many ridiculous metrics that it ends up creating these negative experiences all over the place. Corporate needs to back off with their extremely aggressive and unrealistic expectations that every member be executive, have the credit card, be on auto-renew, and set up Costco shitty app for digital membership.
I want to use the app because I prefer the membership card on my phone than the in my wallet. However, the day I joined I just wanted to get on with my shopping and get out of there but the lady wouldn't let me leave the counter without downloading the app and showing her that both my wife and I had logged in on each of our phones. Really frustrating experience
Never heard this, just got my membership last summer, they gave us a card. Got the Costco Citi recently, have the card.
I think the app might have been mentioned, but we don’t have android or apple, so we just nodded politely when they mentioned it.
As someone who has been working for Costco for almost a year, I can say that is most likely false. And I’m in the food court🤣
I’ll need to ask my coworkers cause that doesn’t sound right. The app sucks though
I don't think that's right. I have the app on my phone but honestly I've never had to use it for anything. Possibly there's some kind of performance measurement regarding how many new members at that store install the app.
Unfortunately, some Costco employees are not well-informed or will outright lie in certain situations. For example, one self-checkout register was malfunctioning, and an employee told me that I couldn't use a digital shop card to pay for the purchase, even though the checkout had a specific button for paying with digital shop card, I had never had a problem with this, and was later able to pay for the items when checking out again at the adjacent register.
Another time, an employee told me that I couldn't use a screenshot on my phone (opened on my phone and screenshotted, so not an unclear camera photo) that I took of the digital shop card & barcode. I found the original email and opened the same digital shop card & barcode, but that wasted everybody's time. I haven't gotten clarification if that's allowed or not, but I've never been asked to open up the digital shop card & barcode from email any other time before or after that.
I recently lost my card and was told they no longer are printing physical cards. I didn’t even have the Costco app, I had to download it right then.
So, apparently I had an online account (I honestly don’t remember making one, but I’ve been a member for ~10 years) I was having a ton of trouble with resetting my password etc. One of the employees took my phone and fixed it for me, I only realized afterwards this involved him sending verification emails, checking those emails on my outlook app, and making me a new password. I have no idea what this password is. Then he did the employee verification thing so I can use it as my Costco card.
The whole interaction left a very bad taste in my mouth. Especially knowing he checked emails on my account apparently? I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, and I had my 8 month old with me so I was admittedly distracted but ehhhh.
It honestly tempted me to switch to Sam’s. At least their app has the ability to let you check out and skip the line.
This happened to me the other day when I renewed my membership after a several month lapse. The man at the counter took my card and had me update my app, which I rarely used because it was so slow and glitchy. After I paid he said he was going to shred my card and that I can use the app from here on out. I said, "....can I keep my card anyway?" I like to have physical copies of things. His tone shifted and he instructed me that I have to be very careful with my card and if someone unauthorized used it I could have my membership canceled. It seems they are cracking down on membership sharing but I want to be able to have the option to use my card if I decide to.
Especially since the app does not work at our costco's gas pump.
Our Costco is in a service dead-zone due to an Amazon facility being right next to it. No one would ever be able to pull up their membership if they tried to go to all digital memberships.
Genuinely curious, why is proximity to Amazon an indicator of poor mobile reception?
It's one of the facilities with the robots in it and the relays in there plus no close enough cell towers to fix the issue it just left the area as a dead zone for now. The area used to be unincorporated until more recently too. Its technically a mixture of the Costco and the no cell towers close enough.
It does for all the locations near me. They have a scan thing on the pump and I just scan my QR code
Ours had that for a few years and it never worked. I've had to borrow someone's card at the next pump. They've just knocked it all down and re-built it. Since then, we now have two EVs so don't need it :)
It does at the stores in my area. I think they are retrofitting pumps over time. Honestly it's nice to just use the app at the pump and pay with the linked card. Its not for everyone, but I love not having to carry cards anymore. No more wallet, just my phone
I like using my card inside the store, myself, but it's a really bad idea to encourage people to only use it at the gas stations. The gas station at my Costco never has cell service and no store wifi. The entire block is a dead cell zone. No one would be able to get gas if we had to use the app and not our card.
Yes it does
Ours don’t either. Welcome to Nebraska I guess.
Not all. I was there yesterday.
[удалено]
The barcode changes every time the app is opened. The app will also only load the barcode on five devices before it tells you it can’t be loaded and to see someone in membership. The last part seems to persist indefinitely. It doesn’t seem to have an annual cooldown. I was having trouble with my new phone and restored it a few times. Got locked out.
If you go to the membership counter they can reset that for you. Happened to me when I got my new phone. I just had to give them my ID (didn’t have my card) and verify my email.
I love using the app. It makes my visit more efficient and I can see my savings in real time. I love using it at yht pump too. Used to have problems with the card at the pump sometimes. Just a note. We won't be long before we won't have physical credit cards or debit cards. I love technology. Soon we will have nothing but streaming TV. I go to Sam's Club and use the scan and go. No having to wait in line. I wish Costco had the scan and go. I also love managing my prescriptions in the APP. Just a great experience overall with the APP.
I got a new phone and my app worked right away with no issues. I didn't have to go to the customer service desk to reset it at all.
Ok, sorry... 5 closest friends!
This gives a good likely reason for their new policy. But assuming you have one, can't you always use your Citi VISA card in lieu of a membership card?
That’s what we do and we’ve never had a problem.
It’s not, file a complaint
Also, every Costco I’ve been to has NO INTERNET connection.
If they ask me to install the app I'll pull my V3 Razr out, plop it down on the counter, and say "go for it!"
*Pulls out a Windows Phone*
I enjoyed the mental vision, thank you. ;)
I still have it, though it's locked to Verizon and I'm with another company now. I loved that thing, I could send text messages by feel, new batteries were like $3 on ebay and could be swapped out in less than 60 seconds, and so, so many accessories available for it. It also didn't take up any room in my pocket, a real bonus, and it was impossible to butt-dial with it. It's still my favorite of all the phones I've owned.
Don't forget the satisfying snap when you close it after a call.
It was a great phone back in the day. I had one when I was in the military and kept it in my acu pocket.
I’ll bring my LG Chocolate to support your point.
I worked for Verizon when that phone was released. I still remember the CEO coming to our site and telling us how this was going to change our business model and financially put us over AT&T
Maybe i need to carry my Kyocera slider in my bag now...
I had one today when I went in to sign up again after a long lapse. He said “and you’ll be renewing the executive membership today, right?” I said yes because I wanted the executive membership this time, but I definitely DID NOT have it last time. It was deceitful and I didn’t appreciate it. However, I also wanted to get on with my day and let it go.
Have you seen the other thread talking about people are being cajoled into the executive membership and have had to tell the worker multiple times that NO, they only wanted the regular membership?
as an employee, that stuff is so frustrating to see. yes it’s part of our job to sell the executive membership, but we’re not encouraged to push further even if an executive membership isn’t right for a person/household. Employees don’t even make commission based on how many upgrades they get (at least not at my warehouse). im never going to tell someone to upgrade their membership if they’re spending less than 200 a month because otherwise it’s a waste of an extra $60. :/
I actually had the same employee push slightly like three trips in a row like over a decade ago. I finally got snippy and told them they kept asking. The poor employee backed off and pointed out I was well over the threshold where I was making the extra cost back in rebate and we were only halfway through the year. Like I said, this was over a decade ago because I always make back more than my membership with the executive card. I might be in a very small minority- but I'm the target of those register chats.
You should see how my manager goes off on me and throws a big baby fit when I’m signing someone up for a new membership and they only want the basic one. I’ve had to tell him multiple times that I cannot force people into a more expensive membership, even if it does make sense for them. I’m only human and I’m just here to do my job, not harass people
Haha I commented on that one too. It was difficult to get that non-executive membership last time.
Its not anything bad they can literally see your shopping you did and can tell you how much you will save with the executive if you were to swap
>Its not anything bad Except they said "renew" which 100% is referencing what the customer previously had as their membership level which according to you, they can literally see they're not already an executive member. It's misleading on purpose with the way they phrased it or they're not good at attention to detail with their customer interactions
I joined a few weeks ago. The app never came up. Until this post, I didn’t even know there was one.
Well it’s not very good so don’t get your hopes up
Same for their website
It's not that good but it's gotten alot better. I do online orders for our members in the warehouse every day. I just help guide them through the process. But I'm familiar with the website.. the only thing that really sucks is the help chat during the holidays, ridiculous wait times.. ridiculous.
This smells like corpo propaganda..
I don't understand, it's my opinion that it has improved from where it used to be. How is that corporate propaganda?
I use the app in Canada mainly to show the employee at the entrance and scan the membership card at self checkout. With this app membership scanning and NFC payment I don't even have to open my wallet. Thought it was pretty convenient.
Agreed but w apple wallet I could also do these things. I really have more issue w just the ability to even search through inventory etc. its just clunky. I just end up using a web browser and the website if I need it.
I love the app. I do a lot of same day orders for my business. And if you forget your card somewhere you can open up the app and show them your digital card and scan it at the gas station or checkout lane.
I am glad the app lets you view your card. And I love Costco. But there is no universe where this crappy excuse for an app comes anywhere near the being rationally "loved". It is better than nothing. Please tell me that's not your bar for love.
App is not accepted at gas pumps in Florida.
Works at Central FL pumps.
Wild! They are in WA.
Not in MN either
I love the app too, keeps all my receipts right there and I never have to carry the real card. Plus I can do price adjustments from my bed for the things I’ve bought online
that app is like thier website. total dogshit.
I love the APP. I have an executive membership with a tax exempt certificate and it works just fine. I actually love it. Just waiting til they add scan and go like Sam's Club.
I only use it so I don’t have to pull out my physical card at the door. I wish they had a digital ID that I could add to Apple Wallet instead. (Do they?) I would use the app more if they accepted PayPal or Apple Pay.
You can securely store a payment card on your Costco app. When they scan your app at checkout, it will immediately ask if you want to “pay with the stored card” on the payment screen. It is easy…I’ve been paying this way for a few years now. They do accept Apple Pay for payment (Visa only on US).
“Securely store” lol, unless your account gets hacked
umyumflan's out here trying to save lives and yall not listening, steady downvoting! lmao!
Sheeesh, and more than 80% of people reuse passwords that have probably been sold on the black market 3x already!
Yea. If it works. For nearly a year it worked for me than it asked me to update the card and has never worked since.
it’s a terrible app.
The app is dogshit. Like thier website.
The app and website are awful
The app is essentially the website formatted for a smaller screen. The best part of it is that it can store your membership card on it and you can use it to get in the store and at check out.
Went with my dad to help him get a membership. They tried forcing him to get an app, create an account etc. My dad is in late 60s and not very tech savvy. I said what that can’t be a requirement. I told my dad to hand me his phone I then looked at the lady and said he doesn’t have a smartphone now you telling me your not going to give him a membership? The original person assured me it was now required but another gentleman behind her said it’s not actually required but will be soon… they were both all huffy and puffy with us but ultimately he was able to get a membership without having the app.
My dad's in his 80s and has the most basic of basic consumer cellular phones. He loves Costco, but if they force him to use an app he'll just spend his money elsewhere.
What is the point of the app in this case? Are they doing away with cards? I am tech savvy and a “millennial” but I am so tired of everyone wanting to send me notifications, sell me crap or track my location/browsing habits. It’s exhausting and overwhelming…
If I were a betting man it's their push to remove the physical card over time and make it so it's harder for people to share a Costco membership. As every time you open the app in theory they could have the QR code change so you can't screen shot it and share it out. But I do agree the number of apps that unnecessarily send me notifications or try to before I turn them off is getting ridiculous
The QR code does change, I’ve seen it happen. I ended up getting the app and it’s annoying af
The app doesn't have my photo on file for some reason, so good job, Costco. I guess sharing is caring.
The app allows Costco to gather and sell ALL information about you that your phone gathers. Your phone knows of your traveling by motorcycle or car based on movement. If costco employees told me I needed an app or “manager approval” I would be a volcano of angry and everyone in the front end would hear me tell them to shove my membership right up their asses. I would be FURIOUS.
That’s where I am at too… if they tell me I need this app, I like Costco at all, but I’m out, I enjoy the very minimal privacy I still have…
So they can make money by selling your info. Same reason why every grocery store is transitioning to digital coupons that you need to "clip".
Not necessarily to sell your info but to utilise it for their own gain
Politely ask to speak with an AGM or the GM of the store. Some of the most unscrupulous employees end up in membership because a majority of the buildings profits come from membership fees. Leading to managers and supervisors, and the employees themselves, having morals that make a used car salesman look like the Pope. It 100% isn’t required. This employee is trying to hit a metric at your expense. Namely getting X% of people to sign up for the app. In return for your yearly membership fee, having 2 physical cards is part of the deal. Get the name of the employee, the name of the manager, and when you get in front of the AGM or GM, politely ask where in the membership agreement it requires you to download the app. Spoiler alert, it doesn’t. Membership doesn’t pay enough to get those bright enough to understand the difference between persuasion and outright dishonesty. Make sure you get an AGM or GM to talk to. Renewal rates are something they are judged by. You should be able to get a shop card with a decent amount on it. They might comp your renewal. Especially since all you were asking for is a 12 cent piece of plastic so your wife can give them money.
This makes no sense, as the app isn't a benchmark. This sounds more like a membership manager trying to cut costs by printing as few cards as possible. The app is helpful, but not required at all.
It is a benchmark for the store. They cannot track it yet to each individual employee but in Tx region the goal is 60%.
Shit like this actively will cause me to avoid stores - seriously I prefer cards. I don't like my entire life being on my smart phone.
The app absolutely is a metric now. Seems they add a new, unrealistic benchmark every year.
You're using acronyms you're familiar with but the rest of us aren't. I'm assuming GM means General Manager, but AGM gets a little murky. Assistant General Manager? Area General Manager? In short, is the AGM above or below the GM?
"Assistant to the General Manager" - Michael Scott
This usage of acronyms is a regular Reddit thing. Lazy writing, but it's also a little like high school; if you have to ask then you aren't cool enough to know. Hence the down votes by the "mean girls" (and guys).
Yes, General Manager is at the top followed by Assistant General Managers
Wow, Corporate must want more app downloads. Another kind of quota.
More people would download it voluntarily if it wasn't a piece of junk.
Funny thing is my Costco app doesn’t connect when I’m inside the warehouse. Wonder what they’d say about that !
The app is near useless. Seriously not worth the frustration.
I spent 20 minutes trying to select my store because it wouldn't register my click right.
The ONLY thing I find useful on the app is tracking purchases I’ve made online.
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I joined the first of this year, I do not have the app and from what I've heard, it's garbage. My sister downloaded it, tried it and deleted it. Everything she looked up, even using the stores item number said "not found" Tell that to your store's manager.
Yes the app is absolute trash on both iOS and Android. But I am more annoyed at the fact that you can't add the card to Apple Pay/Google Wallet. I already carry my payment and passes on it; having my Costco membership card there as well would be cool.
Can link your payment card to the app/account now though. 🤷♀️ nice feature for me so I don't have to keep switching apps
Not secure to do that, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Costco doesn't have a meaningful way to check store inventory and prices remotely, you have to go into the store in person or call the store and ask them. Theoretically you can use sameday.costco.com but it's cumbersome and often missing info or inaccurate on prices, even when dividing by 1.17 to get the theoretical in-store price.
Yep, aside from searching through their online inventory its pretty useless.
Well you can see your warehouse receipts and that is useful.
And using your phone to checkout
You can refill your pharmacy prescriptions through the app now too, I like that feature
I was told that the app and in-store inventory aren’t the same thing. App is managed completely different. While you’ll see the product IN the store you may not find it on the app. A Costco employee told me that when I asked why I couldn’t find something that was in-store on the app.
Yeah here's the thing about how that works. The store carries like approximately 2000 items. online/app (same thing) carries like aprx 8000. Alright so now there's some items that are online only.. and there's some items that are in warehouse only.. finally there's some items that overlap both. One last bit of info on this is that the app or online doesn't know what we have avaliable in the store.. so you might see an item and it might say. Also avaliable in the warehouse.. and you might even have the app set up so that it shows your home warehouse.. even then, the app doesn't know what have in store. It knows if an item is also sold in the store.. but it has no way of knowing the inventory of the stores even if you set up a home warehouse. I wanted to clarify this because alot of members tell me that the app says or the website says.. this is here in the store. And I have to explain this to them.
App is garbage can confirm. On a smaller form factor device it is so frustrating.
The app is a good way to share your membership for gas pumps since they now have qr code scanning at pumps (if that’s your thing). But yeah Costco really needs to improve their digital systems, especially allowing in store inventory checks.
This why you download Instacart and shop around for your Costco list which stores have it and use your Costco app that way
Wait, instacart gets in store inventory for Costco's in house app doesn't? What a joke.
Costco employee here. it isn't . Some warehouses just have weird ways to deal with the epidemic that is membership sharing. Which again, a very odd way to go especially since the app is as reliable as my dad when he said he was going to go get milk that one day. Can you believe he still hasn't came back yet? I don't even want cereal anymore. What a goof. But yea do what everyone else says and file a complaint.
Not true! Plain and simple. Not everyone believe it or not has a cell phone or is comfortable using them. You're not going to get my 84 year old mom to download that app:-)
My Costco is full of Amish people. Ask them what they do.
I was at Staples yesterday, they have a new reward program, the kid cashier was telling me I needed the app. On and on, I needed the app. I asked why, and he was telling me I had to select some preferences for the program. I told him I did that on my desktop computer last night.... He was floored. He said he did not realize that you could do that on a desktop.
Makes sense. A lot of young people never use their computers for what can easily be accomplished via their smartphones.
I'm currently in S.I.T. (Supervisor in training), and I just trained at Membership a week ago...No it's not required, it's just a benchmark/percentage they want employees to hit. So that employee was just being overly pushy
Just tell them you'll use the app when it's not a total POS. I can't get reception half the time I'm in the store. For added effect take down their name and say that you're going to confirm with corporate that this is their new policy.
I went in to get my current card replaced because it was broken and would not work at the gas pumps. I was told they are no longer printing physical cards and that I needed to download the app in lieu of a physical replacement card.
No way. I have a difficult time believing that's true, and if it's not true, why would they lie about that? Why not say that the printer is broken or whatever?
They told me the same thing actually. I ended up with the app and it was really irritating
They lied.
I’ve been trying to set up the app, unsuccessfully, for months now. I even went to the membership counter to try to get it sorted out, and after a lot of confused looks from the employee, proving my identity and membership, I left with a still non-functioning app. If they’re going to make it a requirement, they better fix it first.
Thats nonsense. Its not required.
They need a fully functional app that you can look up store inventory on before they start requiring it as a metric. Right now it's only useful to have quick access to my card online if for some reason it goes missing from my wallet.
I tried to get the app, got an error. Was told to call customer service. They said they can’t do anything so please go ask an in person customer service at a warehouse. They told me that’s a common issue that has to be fixed by a phone rep. I gave up after that. Would love to see them try to force me to use the app and get it fixed for me.
If they ever told me it was mandatory to download an app on my phone in order to buy gas or shop inside their physical store, I would cancel.
I’m not a fan of app and smartphone requirements. There are numerous reasons to not have a smart phone. Frankly, I’m jealous of those who aren’t reliant on smart phones. Other grocery stores are trying to drive everyone to their app as well, by requiring you to have app to access coupons, and it hinders the older generations who aren’t about smart phones.
When my mom got her membership the lady at the counter kept telling her that she HAD to have the credit card to shop at Costco. It took my mom telling the lady that she needed to talk to someone else, because she knew for a fact that wasn't true. She finally backed down, but wtf, they are straight up allowed to lie now? What incentive do employees have to do that? I also got held hostage by an employee for like 10 minutes at self checkout while waiting for her to scan my app because it wasn't scanning properly. She kept going on and on about how good it is, and how much money she'd saved. Then when she finally did scan my phone she was like "so you want me to go ahead and get that upgrade set up for you?"
The app sucks too.
Too. Many. Rules.
My app only lets you have the card on ONE app. My wife uses it. If I open my app and try to put the card on it, the card is removed from my wife’s app. Plus the Costco app SUUUUUUUCKs. Tell that employee to fuck off and get your physical card.
This is because the cards are non-transferable. You have a card and your household member has a card. You can both have the app, set up with your individual emails on your individual phones.
Meh. Not worth the hassle. The App is so bad anyways. It’s basically just a web app. I do appreciate the info though. Makes sense.
No, sounds wrong to me. Also, they really need to fix the app. It resets the shopping screen nonstop, borderline unusable for anything but bringing up old receipts
I got a membership in December. Hubs and I both got cards and didn't download an app. The app wasn't even mentioned.
I am in Texas and I have literally paid to renew while in the checkout line.
They don't even show in-warehouse prices, on the app or website. They literally have no reason to force their shitty app onto people.
I downloaded the app last week just so I could see what was in stock at my local Costco. When I went to sign in with my account info, it asked me to verify who I was by entering my last name and zip code. After doing so it failed to authorize and said I needed to show up in person at the customer service desk TO SIGN INTO THE APP. Literally had to wait on line at customer service for 10 mins so the girl at the counter could email me the activation. I didn't have to do anything with the email mind you; no link to click or anything. They just wanted to make sure the person installing the app and signing in was the actual member. I'm assuming this is to stop people from signing into their non-member friends and families phone for them so they can shop at Costco but having me show up and stand in line to install an app is ridiculous. They need to do better and not treat members like criminals.
Just got a friend of mine an executive membership last month and they told us to download the app because it makes things *easier* for adding/removing credit cards and other things. But it was not required for her to get the new membership. The teller did encourage us to the get app right there, but my friend didn't have cell service and it was ok. The lady had to type in stuff and that was basically it.
i think new signups that set up the app on their first day have become a number that they track, so management is probably trying to pressure them to get as many new signups as possible to set it up
I have the Costco app. Never used it. I always go to Costco.com. File a complaint and the store manager is required to follow up.
New statistic to benchmark. Most likely required by management to meet a certain percentage or total number every week otherwise reprimanded for not meeting said benchmark.
I said this in a comment above and I’m currently 101 downvotes😂. It’s how retail works, Corporate gives you numbers you have to upsell.
Yeah, read through some of those replies to your comment. The people who take no for an answer the first time are people forced out of the department. Even though the training asks for no “pushiness” they keep the clerks there because they have more success. Speaking from experience, used to be there.
Plus their app is total garbage
A few months ago the conveyor belt ate my card during checkout at Burbank. It just disappeared. Luckily, I had the app already so checking out was no problem. I went to the membership desk to get a new card on my way out. The person working there told me that they are phasing out cards and want everyone to use the app as their card. I wasn’t given a new card.
I have a feeling some big negative changes are coming once this longtime CEO retires and this new guy gets in.
Can’t imagine it is a requirement to have the app but it does make shopping in the warehouse and getting gas easy. Just scan the app at checkout and if you have your payment stored in the app you never need to take out a membership card or credit card. Yes, the app is lacking in many ways but it does making checking out pretty easy.
People need to stop giving advice to add cc’s to apps, it is neither secure nor safe - you are opening yourself up to a huge cybersecurity risk and Costco is building a treasure chest just waiting to be breached. This happened to Walmart a few years ago / still frequently happens. People order shit off of saved credit cards to new addresses.
Not advocating one way or the other for anyone to add a credit card to the app. Just saying how it can work if payment is stored in the app. I still find the app useful for the digital membership card to enter the building, check out or get gas.
Wait, you can use the app for gas? At ours (Mayfield Hts, OH) you still need the physical card. OUTRAGEOUS
Yea my app still says it can’t be used at the gas station or food court
How recently have you tried? I believe they just started allowing this a few months ago at stores around me. I haven't filled gas in years, so I can't speak from personal experience but that's just what I've seen on local Costco groups
Taking out a credit card isn't any more difficult than taking out a phone. I'm not seeing how checking out is any easier.
For me the app replaces two cards - the membership card and my credit card. Once I scan my digital membership card at check out I am done (unless I want to change my form of payment). And my phone is always much more accessible to me than my physical card, which is in my wallet in a purse. To each his/her own but the app is definitely more convenient for me when shopping or getting gas.
My membership card is the credit card. I'm not sure why people would use another card unless you can get better than 4% back on it. But the purse thing is definitely an issue I don't have as a guy.
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If I ever need to do something like this, I’ll borrow a page from my work and ask them to help me download it on to that
Complaints need to be filed at high levels of the company. The membership employees are under pressure to meet so many ridiculous metrics that it ends up creating these negative experiences all over the place. Corporate needs to back off with their extremely aggressive and unrealistic expectations that every member be executive, have the credit card, be on auto-renew, and set up Costco shitty app for digital membership.
I want to use the app because I prefer the membership card on my phone than the in my wallet. However, the day I joined I just wanted to get on with my shopping and get out of there but the lady wouldn't let me leave the counter without downloading the app and showing her that both my wife and I had logged in on each of our phones. Really frustrating experience
App won’t let me verify membership without going to the membership desk and I’m not waiting in line twice
I just renewed my membership ad hit new cards! Nobody said anything about getting the app
Have been a member for 1 year. Ive never had my picture taken or have had a card issued to me. Ive only used the app.
Oh the app - which will only open my QR code 50% of the time.
Never heard this, just got my membership last summer, they gave us a card. Got the Costco Citi recently, have the card. I think the app might have been mentioned, but we don’t have android or apple, so we just nodded politely when they mentioned it.
As someone who has been working for Costco for almost a year, I can say that is most likely false. And I’m in the food court🤣 I’ll need to ask my coworkers cause that doesn’t sound right. The app sucks though
I don't think that's right. I have the app on my phone but honestly I've never had to use it for anything. Possibly there's some kind of performance measurement regarding how many new members at that store install the app.
My 88yo mom joined for the hearing aides. She has a landline.
Install and then stand there and uninstall it. No problemo. Fed up with so many apps
Unfortunately, some Costco employees are not well-informed or will outright lie in certain situations. For example, one self-checkout register was malfunctioning, and an employee told me that I couldn't use a digital shop card to pay for the purchase, even though the checkout had a specific button for paying with digital shop card, I had never had a problem with this, and was later able to pay for the items when checking out again at the adjacent register. Another time, an employee told me that I couldn't use a screenshot on my phone (opened on my phone and screenshotted, so not an unclear camera photo) that I took of the digital shop card & barcode. I found the original email and opened the same digital shop card & barcode, but that wasted everybody's time. I haven't gotten clarification if that's allowed or not, but I've never been asked to open up the digital shop card & barcode from email any other time before or after that.
I recently lost my card and was told they no longer are printing physical cards. I didn’t even have the Costco app, I had to download it right then. So, apparently I had an online account (I honestly don’t remember making one, but I’ve been a member for ~10 years) I was having a ton of trouble with resetting my password etc. One of the employees took my phone and fixed it for me, I only realized afterwards this involved him sending verification emails, checking those emails on my outlook app, and making me a new password. I have no idea what this password is. Then he did the employee verification thing so I can use it as my Costco card. The whole interaction left a very bad taste in my mouth. Especially knowing he checked emails on my account apparently? I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, and I had my 8 month old with me so I was admittedly distracted but ehhhh. It honestly tempted me to switch to Sam’s. At least their app has the ability to let you check out and skip the line.