Costco online, app HELP!!, please :)

[Snazzylass]

Admittedly, I haven't been a Costco member for several years, and I am suffering from a brain injury, however, I am confused about how the app & online access works.

Originally, I signed on, online, on my laptop & added my membership #. Then last week, I opened the app...and it asked me if I wanted to transfer my membership # to a new device? Huh? And, I even got an email about it. What the heck?

I mostly use my phone & iMac, and sometimes my iPad for all my accounts. i like the ability to switch between devices. My bank accounts don't work this way. They recognize me on various devices. Same with Amazon. Why is Costco doing this to me?

 

[HitchHiker71]

Admittedly, I haven't been a Costco member for several years, and I am suffering from a brain injury, however, I am confused about how the app & online access works.

Originally, I signed on, online, on my laptop & added my membership #. Then last week, I opened the app...and it asked me if I wanted to transfer my membership # to a new device? Huh? And, I even got an email about it. What the heck?

I mostly use my phone & iMac, and sometimes my iPad for all my accounts. i like the ability to switch between devices. My bank accounts don't work this way. They recognize me on various devices. Same with Amazon. Why is Costco doing this to me?

You can login to Costco on as many devices as you like, however you can only have your Costco digital membership card associated to one device. This is what you're being asked about. You want your digital membership card most likely on your smartphone since that's what you're going to have with you when you go into the store. Just login via the Costco app on your smartphone and when it prompts you to to transfer your membership to that device - do so. This doesn't mean you cannot make purchases on your other devices - it simply means you can only have your digital membership ID card on one device - in this case most likely your smartphone so that you can display that digital ID upon entry into the store on your phone without having to carry around yet another physical card in your wallet that you have to show whenever you enter the store. Costco has a FAQ on the digital membership card in the link below that answers most questions: https://customerservice.costco.com/...0294/~/digital-membership-card---general-faqs

 

[WorldT]

What post #2 said.
In summary,
If you are going into a Costco building, you need to scan a card. You can scan you physical card, your Costco branded credit card, or your digital card.
If you are buying online, no digital card needed.

You can move the digital card between different mobile devices. If you move it too many times (I think 3 or 4). It will lock and you have to call customer service (or go into the store for them to reset it). Costco added that restrictions to prevent card sharing.

 

[joestein]

Sadly Costco's tech absolutely SUCKS! They are literally in the 80s with their computer tech. Still using the old green screen monitors at their stores. Can't tell you if an item is in stock at the store you are at or another store. It is a joke.

What a difference compared to Sams Club who can tell you what the stock at each warehouse either online or through the app. Additionally, you can scan your items at the warehouse and just walk out. They don't even check the receipt anymore - they have some sort of electronic scanner that does the job now.

 

[dioxide45]

Sadly Costco's tech absolutely SUCKS! They are literally in the 80s with their computer tech. Still using the old green screen monitors at their stores. Can't tell you if an item is in stock at the store you are at or another store. It is a joke.

What a difference compared to Sams Club who can tell you what the stock at each warehouse either online or through the app. Additionally, you can scan your items at the warehouse and just walk out. They don't even check the receipt anymore - they have some sort of electronic scanner that does the job now.

Yeah, Costco is the Southwest of retailers. That said, there are far more retailers still using "green screen" than you might realize. Lowes, Marriott, many more are mainframe behind the scenes.

 

[davidvel]

You can login to Costco on as many devices as you like, however you can only have your Costco digital membership card associated to one device. This is what you're being asked about. You want your digital membership card most likely on your smartphone since that's what you're going to have with you when you go into the store. Just login via the Costco app on your smartphone and when it prompts you to to transfer your membership to that device - do so. This doesn't mean you cannot make purchases on your other devices - it simply means you can only have your digital membership ID card on one device - in this case most likely your smartphone so that you can display that digital ID upon entry into the store on your phone without having to carry around yet another physical card in your wallet that you have to show whenever you enter the store. Costco has a FAQ on the digital membership card in the link below that answers most questions: https://customerservice.costco.com/...0294/~/digital-membership-card---general-faqs

Correct, and the card sharing extends mora easily to getting gas, where no one sees your picture. Otherwise you would have people letting multiple people use their card on their phone to buy gas. Found this out when I tried to add to daughter's phone. (I guess I was trying to cheat as well.)

 

[joestein]

Yeah, Costco is the Southwest of retailers. That said, there are far more retailers still using "green screen" than you might realize. Lowes, Marriott, many more are mainframe behind the scenes.

Like Southwest... they better change before they start to lose business. Their food and merchandise use to be top quality. But has really bottomed out since COVID. Eventually, it will catch up to them.

 

[geist1223]

I guess Oregon Costco's are more up to date. In the Salem Store I have on more than 1 occasion checked to see if an item is in Stock and where it is located in the Store. Also when the Salem Store is out of Stock they have been able to tell me which stores in Oregon have the item. They have even called and put a hold on "X" number for me.

 

[JoeWilly]

I guess Oregon Costco's are more up to date. In the Salem Store I have on more than 1 occasion checked to see if an item is in Stock and where it is located in the Store. Also when the Salem Store is out of Stock they have been able to tell me which stores in Oregon have the item. They have even called and put a hold on "X" number for me.

That's been my experience with the Costco stores in Washington too. They can tell me which stores have the inventory. I haven't noticed a drop in food or merchandise quality either.

 

[Snazzylass]

You can login to Costco on as many devices as you like, however you can only have your Costco digital membership card associated to one device. This is what you're being asked about. You want your digital membership card most likely on your smartphone since that's what you're going to have with you when you go into the store. Just login via the Costco app on your smartphone and when it prompts you to to transfer your membership to that device - do so. This doesn't mean you cannot make purchases on your other devices - it simply means you can only have your digital membership ID card on one device - in this case most likely your smartphone so that you can display that digital ID upon entry into the store on your phone without having to carry around yet another physical card in your wallet that you have to show whenever you enter the store. Costco has a FAQ on the digital membership card in the link below that answers most questions: https://customerservice.costco.com/...0294/~/digital-membership-card---general-faqs

Hey, thanks! Honestly, as a consumer, that's a distinction without a difference.

 

[Snazzylass]

Sadly Costco's tech absolutely SUCKS! They are literally in the 80s with their computer tech. Still using the old green screen monitors at their stores. Can't tell you if an item is in stock at the store you are at or another store. It is a joke.

What a difference compared to Sams Club who can tell you what the stock at each warehouse either online or through the app. Additionally, you can scan your items at the warehouse and just walk out. They don't even check the receipt anymore - they have some sort of electronic scanner that does the job now.

TRUTH!!

There are so many things I love about Sams Club, beginning with the app & tech. They truly are a superior shopping experience.

 

[TheHolleys87]

I logged into my Costco app a couple of days ago to compare a specific item with what Sam’s offered, and I was delighted to see for the first time that the app would show me what was in stock at our local store, not just online. Hooray! That worked out to be to Costco’s advantage, because what we needed was $25 less at Costco, so we drove right past the more conveniently located Sam’s and went to Costco on a Sunday afternoon, when it was packed.

Now if only they’d offer Scan & Go….

 

[joestein]

I logged into my Costco app a couple of days ago to compare a specific item with what Sam’s offered, and I was delighted to see for the first time that the app would show me what was in stock at our local store, not just online. Hooray! That worked out to be to Costco’s advantage, because what we needed was $25 less at Costco, so we drove right past the more conveniently located Sam’s and went to Costco on a Sunday afternoon, when it was packed.

Now if only they’d offer Scan & Go….

How about hand scanners at the self checkout kiosks. Unloading the large items from Costco to scan and put on the scale table just pisses me off everytime. Meanwhile the employees are more worried about checking your membership and trying to upsell you to an executive membership rather than using their hand scanner.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Unloading the large items from Costco to scan and put on the scale table just pisses me off everytime.

At every Costco I've visited in the last few years, I've been told to leave the large items in the cart.

 

[HitchHiker71]

At every Costco I've visited in the last few years, I've been told to leave the large items in the cart.

When using self-checkout? Because that's what @joestein is talking about. This is akin to Home Depot, at least in our area, every self-checkout has a hand scanner, wonderful feature, every self-checkout should default to hand scanners so you don't have to move items out of your cart at all. Kudos to places like Home Depot (and now Lowes) who are doing this, thinking about the actual customer experience as opposed to letting bean counters run the business.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

When using self-checkout? Because that's what @joestein is talking about. This is akin to Home Depot, at least in our area, every self-checkout has a hand scanner, wonderful feature, every self-checkout should default to hand scanners so you don't have to move items out of your cart at all. Kudos to places like Home Depot (and now Lowes) who are doing this, thinking about the actual customer experience as opposed to letting bean counters run the business.

Thanks. No - I was referring to the staffed checkout line.

 

[dioxide45]

At every Costco I've visited in the last few years, I've been told to leave the large items in the cart.

That is because they have an employee with a hand wand to scan the items. The problem I have with Costco self checkout is that not all of the registers have an employee. If I get pushed to one without an employee, I have to unload and scan each item. If I get an employee, then they just scan them all. I don't know what the purpose of self checkout is if most of the registers have employees at them, but whatever. If the checkout didn't have employees but had hand wands, it would be a much better experience for me and cheaper for them. It seems their main concern is making sure only members are buying items and self checkout is an easy way for non members borrowing cards to scam the system.

 

[PigsDad]

When using self-checkout?

Actually, I would say at least 80% of the time that I go through the self-scan line at Costco, an employee is there and just scans all of my items w/ their hand scanner without taking them out of the cart. Easy peasy. Maybe I'm just lucky?

Kurt

 

[HitchHiker71]

That is because they have an employee with a hand wand to scan the items. The problem I have with Costco self checkout is that not all of the registers have an employee. If I get pushed to one without an employee, I have to unload and scan each item. If I get an employee, then they just scan them all. I don't know what the purpose of self checkout is if most of the registers have employees at them, but whatever. If the checkout didn't have employees but had hand wands, it would be a much better experience for me and cheaper for them. It seems their main concern is making sure only members are buying items and self checkout is an easy way for non members borrowing cards to scam the system.

Our local Safeway grocery store recently remodeled and installed a large self-checkout area that is typically staffed by 1-2 employees for assistance dependent upon how busy the store is at the time. These self-checkout areas don't have handheld scanners though - and are still using the annoying detection scanners that ding you if you don't actually put the scanned goods to the left of the scanner in the temporary storage area - which is especially annoying since we don't use bags - we just load everything into two bins in our trunk and then I carry those large bins into the house for unloading once we get home - no sense having to bring bags with us with this approach and/or pay extra for bags. The problem is, we literally have to unload the entire cart - then reload the cart. Compare this to Home Depot or Lowes - where you pick up the handheld scanner - scan all of your goods right in your cart - and then pay and leave without ever having to unload/reload anything. Much simpler and a much better and faster customer experience for all involved.

 

[HitchHiker71]

Actually, I would say at least 80% of the time that I go through the self-scan line at Costco, an employee is there and just scans all of my items w/ their hand scanner without taking them out of the cart. Easy peasy. Maybe I'm just lucky?

Kurt

Agreed that oftentimes this occurs when going through the manned checkout lines at Costco - but for the self-checkout lines - just have handheld scanners for customers to use without having to be dependent upon an employee. It's not rocket science to locate the barcodes on the goods and scan them quickly and easily especially with a handheld scanner. Easy peasy. There's always at least one employee manning the self-checkout area so if you run into a problem - you just ask for help and they will quickly resolve your issue as a general rule.

 

[davidvel]

That is because they have an employee with a hand wand to scan the items. The problem I have with Costco self checkout is that not all of the registers have an employee. If I get pushed to one without an employee, I have to unload and scan each item. If I get an employee, then they just scan them all. I don't know what the purpose of self checkout is if most of the registers have employees at them, but whatever. If the checkout didn't have employees but had hand wands, it would be a much better experience for me and cheaper for them. It seems their main concern is making sure only members are buying items and self checkout is an easy way for non members borrowing cards to scam the system.

None of the Costco self checkout registers "have an employee," so you can't get "pushed to one without an employee." There are generally a few employees that float the registers. Because Costco has so many bulk items, they often are helping customers by hand scanning. At our 3 local Costcos, the self checkouts are very efficient and we use them most of the time.

The reason Costco does not allow customers to just use the hand scanners full time is that there is enormous loss when doing so. You may notice that even in the regular lines, when the boxer hand scans the cart, the cashier is backup and counts the items and confirms the count is correct. If they feel the need to do this with an employee you can only imagine how many "missed" items customers would have. That is just for the honest customers. I'll defer to Costco to have policies to keep prices down by reducing shrink. One can go to the local market if they think Costco is too inefficient.

 

[dioxide45]

None of the Costco self checkout registers "have an employee," so you can't get "pushed to one without an employee." There are generally a few employees that float the registers. Because Costco has so many bulk items, they often are helping customers by hand scanning. At our 3 local Costcos, the self checkouts are very efficient and we use them most of the time.

This is not my experience at our local Costco. Others may be different. Ours seems to have an employee at most of the individual registers and they work that register. Not just one or two employees that float. There is always a few registers (I think our store has 9 self checkouts in total) that don't have an employee with a wand assigned to them. When you get one of those registers you are responsible for scanning everything yourself. There is also an employee directing people to registers. You go where they tell you. I always hope I get sent to a register with an employee.

The reason Costco does not allow customers to just use the hand scanners full time is that there is enormous loss when doing so. You may notice that even in the regular lines, when the boxer hand scans the cart, the cashier is backup and counts the items and confirms the count is correct. If they feel the need to do this with an employee you can only imagine how many "missed" items customers would have. That is just for the honest customers. I'll defer to Costco to have policies to keep prices down by reducing shrink. One can go to the local market if they think Costco is too inefficient.

Doesn't Costco have employees checking your receipt and comparing it to items at the door? Costco has the exit staffed to reduce shrinkage. It seems the main comparisons here are to Sam's Club who seems to have figured out a way to do this without the need for all these shenanigans. It seems Costco is chasing loose change in the couch cushions instead of trying to make the customer experience better.

 

[geist1223]

One of my issues with self-checkout at Safeway or Krogers is the number of errors especially when items are on Sale 2 different ways. For example Powerade on Sale for $1.25 but if you buy 10 then on Sale for 99 cents. The self-checkout will charge you the $1.25 but not take off the additional 26 cents when there are 10 or more scanned. Then it becomes a major problem to get it corrected. Or there will be items on Sale for "X" but if you used the AP and selected the item the price is "X-" but the self-checkout only gives you the "X" price. Again major hassle to get correct.

 

[joestein]

None of the Costco self checkout registers "have an employee," so you can't get "pushed to one without an employee." There are generally a few employees that float the registers. Because Costco has so many bulk items, they often are helping customers by hand scanning. At our 3 local Costcos, the self checkouts are very efficient and we use them most of the time.

The reason Costco does not allow customers to just use the hand scanners full time is that there is enormous loss when doing so. You may notice that even in the regular lines, when the boxer hand scans the cart, the cashier is backup and counts the items and confirms the count is correct. If they feel the need to do this with an employee you can only imagine how many "missed" items customers would have. That is just for the honest customers. I'll defer to Costco to have policies to keep prices down by reducing shrink. One can go to the local market if they think Costco is too inefficient.

I think the argument that a hand scanner leads to theft is completely untrue. The only time I had trouble with an unscanned item was the rare time that an employee came over with a hand scanner to help - halfway through my scanning of the items.

 

[joestein]

In addition to the aggravation with Costco's technology and check out - I think there products have gone down hill. They use to have nice clothing - now it is all cheap polyester blends - even the brands that are generally 100% cotton. It is the only place I know where you can get polyester Banana Republic Khakis. Their food prices are no cheap anymore. Generally, the things I buy there are things that I can't get elsewhere - though much of the same stuff is at Sams Club.

The only real bargain left is their eyeglasses. Maybe some other stuff I dont generally buy.