- James Lawley
A COSTCO member has shared their frustrations after not being able to pay due to the store's rules.
They tried two popular forms of payment that were denied by the retailer.
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A Costco member has posted to Facebook after a negative store experience.
In a post, they revealed they were a new member and ran into difficulties when trying to pay.
"I went to Costco for the first time today. I shopped around for about an hour, and got to the register to pay for my items, when I tried to pay with my Discover card, I was told they do not take Discover cards.
"I tried to pay with my American Express card and was told they do not take American Express."
Read more on Costco
Costco only accepts Visa cards.
"I then decided to use my bank card," she continued.
"Which is a Visa card. But, I had to know the pin number. It’s a new card and I do not know the pin number.
"So frustrated, I said, 'I guess you have to put it all back.'"
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However, this shopper met a man in the line who offered to pay for her shopping if she would Venmo or Zelle him the total.
"What a wonderful man! If I didn’t say thank you enough thank you, thank you, you made my day better," she gushed.
EXCLUSIVE CARD
Costco only accepts Visa credit cards at its warehouse locations and gas stations because of a deal it has with Visa that allows it to pay lower merchant fees.
Visa charges some of the lowest processing fees of major credit cards, and Costco's deal with Visa gives it a fee of less than 0.4%.
Costco can then pass these savings on to customers by keeping prices low.
However, the Visa-only restriction only applies to credit cards — Costco accepts most PIN-based ATM/debit cards.
Membership and store cards on offer from major retailers
Here is a breakdown of the store cards on offer to customers from various retailers and their benefits
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Costco:
- Gold Star Membership: $60 per year, shop all Costco stores and online with two additional cards for your household.
- Executive Membership:$120 per year, annual 2% reward, additional discounts and benefits on Costco services, shop online and in-store, and get two additional cards for household use.
- Sign up for a Costco Membership here
Sam's Club:
- Club Membership:$50 per year, bonus offers, same-day delivery, instant savings, Sam's Club Mastercard, members-only fuel savings, tire and battery center, complimentary membership, and add-on memberships.
- Plus Membership:$110 per year, all benefits of Club membership plus Sam's Cash, free shipping, free curbside pickup, early shopping, and pharmacy and optical savings.
- Sign up for Sam's Club Membership here
Target:
- Target Circle:A free-to-join reward program allowing users to earn 1% in Target Circle earnings rewards when an eligible purchase is made, access deals and personalized offers, get a birthday gift, and earn a vote to help direct how Target helps out your community.
- Target Circle Card:A credit, debit, or reloadable account card that gives users 5% off in-store and online as well as exclusive offers, free two-day shipping, and an additional 30-day returns window. Formerly Target RedCard.
- Sign up for Target Circle here
Walmart:
- Walmart+: $12.95 per month or $98 per year with a free 30-day trial. Offers members free delivery, free shipping with no minimum spend, fuel savings, Paramount+ subscription, auto car, Walmart+ travel, returns from home, mobile scan and go in-store, and early access to deals and product releases.
- Sign up for Walmart+ here
OTHER COMPLAINTS
Costco's exclusive deal with Visa is not the only source of customer complaints.
One customer was recently charged 10x for one transaction due to a store error.
Posting to Facebook, he wrote: "Costco, I just found out today (5/7) that my $232.57 purchase at my local warehouse on 5/2 was charged to me 10 times. That's a huge deal."
He urged others in his area: "If you paid via the app and your linked digital payment - check your statement!"
Read More on The US Sun
One Costco shopper canceled their membership after 15 years thanks to adisputeover a washing machine.
And customers are heartbroken as a section of the store willno longer be present all year round.
Topics
- Costco
- Credit cards
- Money US
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