[DrFunke]

For the past year I've noticed their cashiers are oddly hostile. I've just not been digging the vibe of the store lately. I pay $60 for membership. You don't need to treat me like a potential criminal who may be using someone else's card.

Anyway, I have two Discover cards (0% apr for 12 months) that gave me 10% cash back at Costco.com. I purchased $3000 worth of Costco giftcards & will be using them in lieu of membership in the store when mine expires (a little known store loophole). I'd like to think it's in the spirit of Steve Jobs leasing cars for one month at a time to avoid license plates.

[adave]

And you wonder why they turn hostile, pay the $60 fee you cheapskate.

[DrFunke]

A cashier will never speak down to me. As god as my witness I will crash this company with no survivors.

[ZeroSolstice]

I'm not sure what you are hinting at by saying "like a potential criminal who may be using someone else's card." Were you using someone else's card or not? Its a membership based store and your card is what validates that status. What exactly was the scenario you found yourself in? maiden vs. married name? Picture scratched up?

It looks like from reviews left that the Costco Shop gift card[1] is a one time use. How they would know that, maybe via system tracking, I'm not sure. It would seem that you would have to have a new card every time you go verse a single card with $3k on it. Other reviews seem to indicate that they check the member that gave you the card which after the first year of renewal you would not be able to show since your membership lapsed.

[1] https://www.costco.com/costco-shop-card.product.10024438.htm...

[DrFunke]

>I'm not sure what you are hinting at

Where am I hinting at anything? I literally said that "I pay $60 for membership"

The scenario I've witnessed many times in the last year: a cashier screaming at members for not having their card ready/not having an item barcode visible/scrutinizing the tiny B&W photo for any hint of malfeasance. Just an unpleasant experience altogether. They do this because memberships are way down. And if you think it's just me here's a reddit thread

https://www.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/14fpbjm/accused_of_...

Costco cashiers enjoy the highest pay and benefits for a job that requires little intelligence or skill. For some reason they act like frustrated divas forced to interact with the unwashed masses. Sorry, no. You're an unskilled service worker and wear a nametag. Get over yourself!

Anyway I'm not going to subsidize that. But I'm also not going to give up my rotisserie chickens and $5 gallons of organic milk. I'll get a membership again when the self-checkout machines outnumber employees.

>one time use

Nope. Have used a single card 3x. Also gift cards are highly regulated in my state, what you're describing is illegal

>they check the member that gave you the card

No idea what you're talking about. Been doing this for three months.

[loco5niner]

The problem is that people ARE using other peoples cards. It hurts members who actually paid for a membership, and I don't mind them checking for that at all.