A COSTCO member was embarrassed after the self-checkout machine declined his payment and called him out loud enough for other shoppers to hear.
A store policy meant he was unable to use the highly popular and common payment method, forcing him to walk away from checkout in frustration.
A Costco member was left embarrassed after the self-checkout machine called him out when he attempted to pay[/caption]
Costco does not accept a highly popular and common payment method to the dismay of some members[/caption]
Costco has a number of store rules that shoppers are not fond of, from its membership sharing guidelines to its receipt checks.
Another annoying rule is in effect at checkout – and the self-serve kiosks will call you out loudly if you break the policy, according to one TikToker (@bewhittenfunny).
In a video from early May, the shopper recounted the “embarrassing” experience he faced when attempting to purchase his groceries.
“In Costco, they don’t accept American Express,” began the content creator as he walked through the aisles of the warehouse club.
“So when you ring it with an American Express card, the system is real loud like, ‘Card not accepted!’”
“Lower your [expletive] voice,” cried the shopper, feeling exposed by the point-of-sale system.
He chastised the machine for how it spoke to him, writing, “Costco self-checkout needs to watch its tone,” in the video caption.
The member noted that the situation was even more frustrating because the POS system did not explain why his credit card was not accepted.
Although he was unaware of Costco’s policy regarding Amex cards, fellow shoppers in the comments section were more than aware of the rule – and they blamed him for the payment plight.
“Where have you been? Costco hasn’t taken American Express in 10 years,” commented one user.
“Is it your first time at Costco?” questioned another shopper. “Everyone already knows that.”
Many users pointed out that the warehouse club informs customers of its credit card policies when they sign up for a membership, arguing that “people DON’T LISTEN.”
CARD CONUNDRUM
Although Costco does not accept American Express cards now, the retail giant used to exclusively accept Amex.
Beginning in 1999, American Express was the company’s exclusive credit card partner, meaning that members could only pay for their groceries using Amex 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: $65 per year, shop all Costco stores and online with two additional cards for your household.
- Executive Membership: $130 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
Shoppers who wanted a credit card with Costco-related rewards were left with no choice but to sign up for a co-branded American Express/Costco card.
The two companies officially axed their partnership in 2016, and Costco then recruited Citi as its official credit card issuer and Visa as its exclusive credit card network.
In addition to Visa credit cards and Costco’s branded Citi card, members can make purchases using the following payment methods:
- ATM/debit cards
- Costco Shop Cards
- EBT cards
- Checks
- Cash
Costco ultimately opted to make the switch because American Express charges higher merchant fees than Visa, economics professor Mark Tremblay told Reader’s Digest.
“Credit card merchant fees are often passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices. Given Costco’s low-price business model, this presents a trade-off,” explained the professor.
“Accepting Amex would allow consumers whose only credit card is Amex to shop at Costco, but by doing so, Costco would open itself up to higher costs or higher prices.”
The retailer recently made a major payment change after testing a new method with employees – and shoppers cry “finally.”
However, Costco was branded as “insane and archaic” as shoppers beg the chain to speed up the roll out of a popular checkout method used by rivals.
Costco stopped accepting American Express cards in 2016[/caption]
