Costco customers may find membership cards being scanned at the entrance to the warehouse retailer on a future trip.
On its website, the company states that “scanners will be used at the entry door of your local store” in the next few months.
“Once deployed and before entering, all members will scan their physical membership card or digital card by placing the QR code or barcode against the scanner. Costco states that guests must be accompanied by an active member to gain entry.
Costco has been reported to have tested the card scanners at certain locations in January.
Richard Galanti, Costco’s CFO, said in early March that the company was “actually testing that as well, in terms of having your card scanned and checked when you walk into Costco.”
He noted that electronic membership card scanners had been in use “for several years” in the U.K.
Costco CEO Ron Vachris recently spoke about membership card scanners that the company has been investigating since May.
He said that the device “speeds up our registers when we get all of the scanning done and memberships are checked at the front entrance.”
Costco’s website states that “in general, only Costco members can purchase items” from the retailer. Costco has over 880 warehouses spread across 14 countries.
Costco also recently started requiring members to show their membership cards when using the self-checkout system and required membership for its food courts.
Costco’s most recent count of membership cards at the end of its third quarter showed that approximately 133.9 million people had them.
Costco reported that membership fees brought in over $3.3m of revenue during the first quarter of its fiscal year 2024.
