Your Costco Membership Card is Going Digital (But Don’t Toss That Plastic Just Yet)
No more digging in your purse for your Costco card when entering the warehouse!
The next time you head to Costco for your Frozen Vodka Martini Pops, tub of Cotton Candy Grapes, or just to grab a snack in the Food Court, you’ll have one less card to carry around in your wallet because the Costco app can now serve as your membership card! That’s right – your plastic Costco card is going digital!
You can use your Digital Membership Card at any of the registers in the following areas: Warehouse entry, Check-out (assisted and self check-out lanes), Returns, Pharmacy, Hearing Aid, Photo, Optical and Tire Center.
But don’t throw away your plastic Costco card just yet!
If you use your card to actually pay for purchases, the app is not yet set up to allow you to pay at checkout. You will also still need your card to fuel up as Costco’s gas pumps aren’t currently set to read the Digital Membership Card. Click here for more information.
Follow these steps to set up your Costco Digital Card:
- Download (or update) the Costco app for iTunes or Google Play.
- Launch the app and then tap the Digital Membership Card icon at the bottom of the screen.
- Login to your Costco.com account. Follow the instructions to sign in with an existing account or to create a new account.
- Verify your membership if you haven’t previously done this online. You will be asked to confirm who you are through a series of questions.
- View your Digital Membership Card. After your membership is verified your card will appear.
- Launch the app when you enter the warehouse to begin checkout at the register.
You might want to tuck this into your cart on your next Costco trip!
Love this! They just need to update their gas pumps to take the QR code from your app.
As do Sams gas pumps. I used my digital card yesterday there but couldn’t get gas. So annoying.
Yet cell phones are worse to have out by the pump than having your car on…
This is completely false. A car with the engine running has 4 or more cables carrying thousands of volts of electricity, a high capacity, high current battery and rotating parts that can cause static discharges, not to mention exposed metal parts that can climb to very high temperatures. There’s no comparison to the risk profile of low voltage/current device completely solid state device (most of which are so well sealed today that they are waterproof) like a mobile phone.
Yet with all the signs posted “shut off engine” I’ve never seen a car explode at a gas station cause the engine was running.
maybe you don’t work in an industry that allows you to be unfortunately enough to see that or have to deal with the aftermath. I work for the nations number one insurer and I handle home and auto claims. I have taken that call twice, it’s not a pretty call…sadly while the families were dealing with the death they were also dealing with the fact that all of the damage to the surrounding vehicles and the gas station were there financially responsibility. When you chose to ensure yourself for the 25,000$ property damage liability limit, it doesn’t go far, and then you’re scrambling to figure out to pay 1.3 million dollars in damages while mourning. Better safe than sorry is always a good life motto.
Do they ever have any deals on Costco memberships? I only ever see Sams club posted.
Sometimes you can get free items and photo coupons if your work has a rep come
yea sometimes there are 1 year Costco membership deals for $60 and you’ll get back $25 gc and other free item coupons.
The best Costco Deal right now is their Executive card paired with the free cash back visa card. It cost $120 BUT when you do that you get a $60 cash card mailed to you and you make money from the membership card and the visa card. that membership ends up being $60. The $60 membership gets you in the door.
Please make the app a scan and go. Love Costco just hate the long lines
Love the Sams scan and go as well! Wish Costco would do this as well.
Yes!! The lines are always so long. Scan and go for sams was a game changer. It would be great if Costco did it too!
Go right before they close or mid-week. I never have issues with lines.
Tried this yesterday and my card wouldn’t scan. Cashier had no clue they had an app said it was first time seeing it. Called manager over she didn’t either and I had to pull out my plastic card to check out.
keep saying unable to verify membership lol
Worked for me! Thanks!
You are welcome, Sandy!
Thank you so much!
Verified the account and it’s ready to be used!
Yay! Glad you got it to work, Natalya!
Sounds like a nightmare, i just use the credit card.
To have to use an app is ridiculous… that just takes up more room in your phone .you should be able to access it when going online… plus if that app crashes (or your data goes down), it’s going to be mass chaos… would rather see them just issue those key ring size cards
The problem I have with key ring cards is that the plastic film peels off and the card gets dirty and mangled even if I have never used the card. Full size cards take alot longer to start peeling.
The only problem I have with my Costco membership card is that my picture on the back is a very low resolution and sometimes looks demonic due to their crappy printer.
I will never use the digital membership card. I would cancel my membership before doing that. I hate that everything is an app now. I don’t need an app when a website or in this case a physical card already works. More apps mean less storage space, slower processing speed, and faster battery drain.
Same. And there are a few people left in the world who do not go everywhere with their cell phone attached to the hip. I leave my phone and purse in my car (secured under the seat) and just take my wallet.
The only time I don’t have my phone with me is when I am going to my mailbox or taking the trash to the dumpster. It stays in my pocket when shopping unless I need to check the time, track a bus, use the calculator, or compare prices.
I only have four restaurant apps on my phone, none of which require GPS to use. I have location services turned off at all times. I have Starbucks(only funded with gift cards purchased elsewhere), Pita Pit(will delete after my birthday due to reward program changes and never eat there again), Menchies(will possibly delete after using the free $5 but will still eat there), and La Madeleine.
I don’t connect anything to my bank account. No cash back app or budgeting software is worth potentially compromising my account. This means my Paypal account has never been fully verified. I am no longer allowed to have a PayPal balance, but I can still pay with PayPal. I’m okay with this. I also don’t store my credit card info in an app. I don’t pay with my phone.
I won’t use any voice-activated/IoT device. They are creepy and unnecessary. The two wifi-enabled products that I think are the most ridiculous are coffee makers and light switches. Coffee makers with timers have existed for a long time. Just set the timer for when you wake up. Wifi light switches are even worse. Flipping a switch isn’t hard. The only things I have that are connected to wifi are my phone, tablet, laptop, and PS4. They are only connected when I am using them.
Good point! I have mine with me because of work. Otherwise, I wouldn’t. My husband never uses apps. Plus, I know several people that don’t even have smartphones yet.
I agree. It’s so much work too. Many times the apps won’t work in the store. I’ve had problems with Michael’s, JoAnn’s and Costco. Target Cartwheel is a pain in the butt. I don’t want to go through that much trouble to save a few cents. Just put the items on sale!
Our Costco is in the basement of the mall. Very little cell service. They are not the best trained either!
I was at Costco for gas today and saw the sign for the digital card. Now the pumps had the reader for the app, but the store has been open just under a month now, so that is probably the difference.
Yay! I’m excited for this!
Woohoo!
Our Costco has now made it where you have to have a Costco card just to go to the food cart. Why the change?
That has always been the official policy for food courts that aren’t outside. The policy isn’t always enforced.
I was at Costco tonight and was wondering why the gas pumps were different. They have a laser scanner as well as the credit card slot. My only problem is that the app never actually works in the store! I’ve tried to search products and the page never loads. I’m on 4G too! This should be quite interesting.