Sharing Costco Membership

Costco Wholesale Corporation (simply called Costco) is an American company founded in 1983 and has headquarters at Issaquah in Washington. The company is a wholesale club or warehouse club run retail stores. The stores sell discounted products to members of the club. The company trades in supermarket items along with other merchandise. It offers products and services, and some of the stores run ancillary businesses.

It is a popular company in the United States and has more than eight hundred stores across the world. You will find Costco stores outside the US in countries such as China, Mexico, Japan, Canada and other countries. In the United States Costco has over five hundred stores.

Can you share your Costco membership?

According to Costco policy, the membership card cannot be transferred. Fortunately, there are lots of ways you can make your family and friends share your experience.

As a registered, card-carrying member you are allowed to bring two persons along with you on your shopping but you are the one doing the shopping.

As a primary member, you can also assign a free household card to one member of your household, this will let them experience the benefits of a Costco membership.

Lastly, you can purchase additional Business membership cards during your yearly renewal at an added cost of $60 (you will get a Business membership card and a free household card). This is an affiliating membership. The more you add people to your membership the more you pay.

Sharing is an innate

Imagine you sitting next to a hungry man to eat a flavoured sandwich. You noticed the dude’s silent interest and then offered a slice of the food to the person. Note his reaction; he will smile and perhaps say thank you—this could mean happiness. The point here is that sometimes we share to meet other people’s needs—even though it is just temporary. 

Sharing can also produce both positive and negative feelings. Sharing can make you feel happy, fulfilled, remorseful, helpful, humble, and self-awareness. On the negative side, sharing can make you feel superior, bossy, better-than-everyone, lack-nothing attitude, in charge, in control, to show off, and so on.

Sharing natural, out of necessity or outright compulsion (you could be forced against your will to share—this later one does not sound good. No one should be forced to share, except by the law (in case of litigation).

Sharing Costco membership is still an act of sharing just like giving your share of food to somebody, sharing your money with another person etc. Why would someone do that? Well, just like answering the question on why we share this one too does not have a straight answer. The good thing is the answers are narrowed down.

Membership at Costco

Buying at Costco is strictly by membership, which you paid to get and have to renew annually. The process of becoming a member is seamless as long as you are of the legal age you can apply.

Some of the items you can purchase at Costco include home appliances, home furniture, kitchen utensils, office items, office furniture, computers & electronics, food items, wines & drinks, grocery, frozen foods, baby products, pet products, luxury goods, men’s wear, women’s wear, gifts & cards, jewellery, bags and shoes, sports items, garden and patio supplies, outdoor living products and so on.

Types of membership

At Costco, you have two types of membership and two subtypes in each. Business Membership and Personal Membership are the types Costco offers.

1. Personal Membership—you have two subtypes.

a. Executive: This membership cost $120 to get and you renew yearly with the same amount. The benefits it offers include a 2% annual reward on all your purchases; a discount on Costco services; you get to shop online at Costco.com and in warehouses; you get two membership cards (one for you and one for a member living in your household); free cancellation available also.

b. Gold Star: The cost of this is $60 annually. You only get to shop in their warehouses, online, get a two-membership card also, and can cancel your purchase free.

2. Business Membership

a. Business Executive: Cost $120 and renewable yearly. You get everything above in Personal Executive membership and get the following: additional discount on services you purchase; can resell the products you purchase and make a profit; lastly, you have the benefit of adding people to your membership at $60 per person.

b. Business (Everyday Value): The cost of this is $60. You get to benefit from everything under the Business Executive except the 2% annual reward and discount on services you purchase.

Conclusion

Sharing is part of human nature. It could be done out of willingness, necessity or compulsion. Your Costco membership card is not transferrable so you cannot share your membership. Nonetheless, you will have free household care along with your membership card for someone (from 18 years above) living in your household to experience the benefits of Costco membership. 

  1. Can I share my membership with my spouse?

Ans: No, you cannot. However, you will get a free household card along with your membership card. If you register your spouse on the free household card then the spouse will be able to purchase at Costco under your account, not on your behalf.