I expect that demanding a card also reduces theft. since only members can come in you do not get the usually cheap thieves shoplifting in the store.

Instead you get those who pay to shoplift I guess :)

Shoplifting at Costco? You must be kidding. Have you ever TRIED to put a 40 pound block of cheese down your pants and walk normaly?

Just tell them you have a medical problem that causes an enlarged scrotum.

I went to the Costco at Clybourn in chicago. As I was walking in, I looked over to the person standing at the enterance, smiled at her and continued walking. So no, they didn't check my Costco membership card.-

It seems pretty hit or miss at that store. I usually have the card out anyway since I know the drill but they barely look at it.

My Costco has card Nazis working there. I bought a DVD with my dad's card and they ran off with it to the back, grilled me about it, and wouldn't give it back. After arguing, he finally gave it back with a smile. Why was he smiling? the next time my dad went to use his card himself, it was declined. The ****er CANCELLED his membership card right there on the spot and didn't tellme anything. My dad has been a member for 10+ years at least (back when it used to be Price Club) and now he goes to Sam's and will never go back.

And another thing: they don't take Visa or Mastercard? WTF?

Well, Sam's club doesn't either...each store has their own agreement with a certain credit card company...

Costco- American Express
Sam's- Discover

But you can use any debit card...they take those regardless of who it's from....

The merchant fees are much higher for Visa and Mastercard than Discover. Don't quote me on it, but I believe the merchant fees for Visa and MC are around 2%, whereas it is around 1% for Discover. This makes a huge difference towards their credit card usage fees.

My Costco doesn't even take debit cards, or Discover. Just AX. It's the only place I have to go and write a check any more.

Welcome to the 21st Century!

I think that's probably more like it.

That's crazy-I was speaking about Sam's which takes debit cards and Discover. I figured Costco was the same since there are no Costcos in my area.

I think it is a violation of the costco card agreement to allow anyone else to use your card. So they would cancel the card if they discovered it being used by someone else. I bet Sam's Club would do it also.

As far as theft. They sell dvd's, cd's.

People do steal at club stores. I had a Sam's club near me stop keeping dvd's out where customers could get them since they were losing them by the hundreds from what they said.

Obviously people still steal from those stores; hence the buggy-search/receipt comparison as you leave [at least at my BJ's.] Although most retail theft is internal...
We used to go to Sam's, but we moved and a BJ's is much closer. You can walk in without showing your card, but they do need to see it when checking out. If a store won't let me in to browse to decide whether or not I want to shop there, then I won't shop there. I do the same thing at some buffet restaurants, check out the buffet.
Our BJ's only scans the card at checkout [and if you write a check, that acts as your ID, so that's convenient], and a guy at the exit checks and stamps your receipt. The guy who's there 90% of the time when I go there is always very friendly, chitchatting as he checks it and saying something like 'Thanks for coming, see ya next time' when he's done.
If it's the store's right to decide to bar entry to non-card-member's, it's my right to decide to stay non-card-member.
Our BJ's also has a gas station that is usually 1-5 cents cheaper a gallon than anywhere else [member price, of course.]
BJ's takes any credit card [MC, V, Disc, and debits], they also take checks and coupons, which a lot of club stores don't. In fact, you can use multiple coupons--like if I had 3 coupons for 50 cents of a can of Pringles, and I bought the 3-pack of Pringles cans, I could use three coupons.
I've actually never been to a Costco, they're apparently not well represented down here in the Southeast [at least as far as I've seen.] But it does seem like they are trying to appear somewhat elitist and hardnosed with their policies.

DVDKrayzie, with respect to your Costco situation, what you should have done is to just say that you had no idea who that person was, you just found the card and thought there wouldn’t be a problem since you were paying, not the other person. Anyway, it’s too late for that now, what you can do at this time is to return to Costco and buy alcohol without a membership. Drives the clerks nuts because most will have no idea that you can legally do it and they will try to tell you that you can’t buy it, and you just say you can and ask to speak with a manager.

It sucks that Costco cancelled the membership. I loan out my card alot to relatives, and to family if I can't get to the shopping. Never had any trouble with BJs. They never look at the card to verify identity. Saddam could be on it. At the door, they just want to see the receipt.

I did get past the Costco door nazi and looked around. Not worth switching. BJs seems to have a better selection.

I would say that Costco is snobbish, when comparing their shoppers to BJs. Won't go into that one.

My understanding was that Costco has a deal with American Express. They also offer Costco-branded AmEx cards in the store and it probably gets them lower merchant rates as a result of being exclusive.

Yes... they sell DVD's... in HUGE plastic/cardboard boxes that I thought had been outlawed YEARS ago as "excessive packaging". It's the only place I know of where a DVD is the same size and weight as a 40lb block of cheese; so I think the above argument still stands! :D

I find it incredible that they have shoplifters however, with all those glorified wannabe security guard, ex-WalMart greeters at every door... ;)

My local Sam's has card nazis at the door. I've asked them just what their function is, since I have to show my card at the register to purchase anything. All I get in response is a blank stare.

I wonder how much money the store would save if they eliminated the useless positions of entrance and exit Nazis.

It is my understanding that the primary purpose of these people is to prevent people from leaving through those doors with merchandise, checking people for cards is just their primary visible duty.

Apparently merchandise tags work better, or else every major store would have people at the doors.

Wal-Mart and Sam's Club was founded on the idea of the "People Greeter" at the door. These people also serve as the Sam's Club equivalent of the Wal-Mart People Greeter.

The difference is most of the time WM employs senior citizens to be the 'greeters'.

The BJ's I used to shop at in NJ checks cards at the door. The 1st time I went to shop there I was also fished to Customer Service for a pass.

I like how they take all major CC's tho... that is definately handy.

Not really. Circuit City, Best Buy still check your receipt (or attempt to) when you leave, tags or not.

These warehouse stores don't tag because of the way they operate - throw a pallet somewhere down with merchandise and move on.

Its more efficient to hire 1 person to stand at the door then to hire a bunch of people to sit around and tag all the crap they have.