Shopping at Costco without a membership card can be done only in specific situations for the most part. These situations include shopping online, purchasing alcohol, prescriptions, and other items if you have a Costco Shop Card that is bought by a member. Non-members who shop online are charged an additional 5% surcharge.
It turns out there are a few under-the-radar ways to shop and buy from Costco, without a membership. For those interested, I since have published a list of ways you can shop at Sam’s Club without a membership too (also, see my Costco versus Sam’s Club review ). Is there a Free Costco Membership or Trial?
Do you have to be a member to shop at costco?
You don’t need to be a Costco member to be able to buy online via Instacart. But, being a Costco member will, of course, make the cost lower. So, if you’re not a member, you’ll have to be ready to pay a 5% surcharge to do the shopping.
Do you need to be a member to shop at costco?
You’ll need a membership to shop at Costco. We have two membership types, Gold Star and Business, which both include a free household card. There are also a few ways to renew your membership when it’s close to expiry.
A Costco membership is required to get in the door and into the food court at many Costco locations. Yet in warmer climates where the food court is outside the store, food can be purchased without a membership .
Costco doesn’t offer trial periods , but there’s a free—and legal—way to shop at warehouses without buying a membership. You can shop at Costco without a membership thanks to a little loophole in the retailer’s gift card.
There is an exception: Costco Shop Card customers do not need to be Costco members.” So, all you need is access to Costco Shop Cards, and you will be pumping cheaper gas in no time . Unfortunately, getting your hands on such cards as a nonmember can be tricky. Video: Costco’s bulk size month in sales (Yahoo! Finance).
Can a non-member use a Costco shop card?
With a Costco Shop Card, any non-member can show the card to get in the door and use it to make a purchase . The trick with the Costco cash card is that it can be purchased by a member only. Again, you’ll have to rely on a member, which makes you a bit of a moocher, and it raises costs for every membership-buying member.
You can use a Costco gift card . Anyone can shop at a Costco if you have their version of a gift card — the Costco Cash Card. Com, “Members and non-members may use the Costco Cash Cards to shop at any Costco location in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada and online at Costco. Com.” One caveat here: If you choose to use.
Is it worth it to buy a Costco membership?
BUY A MEMBERSHIP. Although you can shop Costco without a membership, the $55 fee for a basic Costco membership may be worth the money if you expect to shop at the warehouse club regularly. Pro tip: Be on the lookout for deals on membership through outlets such as Groupon.
In fact, their 2020 annual report indicates that 88.5% of Costco’s net income comes from its membership fees from 100 million members worldwide. Costco’s markups on food pricing are razor thin, which benefits its members.
Does Costco sell groceries in bulk for members?
Costco sells groceries in bulk for members. Memberships cost between $60 and $120 annually . There are a few ways to shop at the retailer without paying the membership fee. See more stories on Insider’s business page.