Fast information:
- Non-members can store at Costco by accompanying a member, utilizing a Costco Store Card, or ordering from Costco on Instacart.
- Store Playing cards permit non-members retailer entry, however they should be bought by a member and produce other limitations.
- Anybody can use Costco’s pharmacies, however solely members obtain unique prescription reductions.
Costco, like its largest rival, Sam’s Membership, is a members-only warehouse membership, which implies that solely paying members can store at its shops—or on its app or web site. That being stated, there are just a few exceptions and loopholes to this rule.
For many who aren’t fairly able to decide to spending $65 for an annual Costco Gold Star membership or $130 for an Govt membership, however need to discover what America’s hottest warehouse membership has to supply, listed below are 4 easy methods to buy a few of Costco’s stock with out your individual membership.
1. Accompany a present member
Should you occur to have a pal or member of the family with a present Costco membership, the best strategy to expertise the within of one of many firm’s iconic warehouse golf equipment is to ask them to accompany you for a purchasing journey.
Can Costco members carry visitors to shops?
Costco members are allowed to carry as much as two non-member grownup visitors with them every time they go to the shop. There’s only one caveat—solely Costco members could make purchases on the retailer’s checkout counters, meals court docket, and gasoline station.
As you’ve seemingly already imagined, that is a straightforward challenge to get round. Should you discover one thing you’d wish to buy, you may merely give the Costco member you’ve accompanied the money essential to cowl the price of your objects. Alternatively, you may pay them again afterward utilizing money, Venmo, PayPal, or one other fee software.
Associated: Costco vs. Sam’s Membership: Memberships, costs & perks in contrast
2. Use a Costco Store Card
The subsequent best strategy to experiment with Costco purchasing with out a membership is to acquire a Costco Store Card.
Costco Store Playing cards are primarily reward playing cards that can be utilized—by members and non-members alike—to pay for purchases at Costco shops or on-line. Simply scan your store card whenever you enter the shop or present it to the greeter.
These playing cards are an effective way for non-members contemplating a Costco membership to expertise purchasing on the bulk retailer with out committing to an annual membership, however they do include a few necessary restrictions.
First, they will solely be bought from Costco by present Costco members. When you have a pal who’s a member, asking them to snag one for you on their subsequent go to (or order you one on-line) is a straightforward strategy to get your foot within the door. Alternatively, when you don’t know any present members, Costco Store Playing cards are sometimes bought on third-party web sites like eBay by resellers, however when you select to go this route, it’s necessary to be cautious of attainable scams.
Costco has been cracking down on non-member entry to its meals courts, and they don’t settle for Costco Store Playing cards for fee.
Picture by Kevin Carter on Getty Photographs
Do Costco Store Playing cards work at meals courts and gasoline stations?
One other necessary restriction is that Costco Store Playing cards can’t be used at Costco’s meals courts, so when you’re hoping to strive the model’s well-known $1.50 sizzling canine and soda combo, chances are you’ll be out of luck.
In relation to fueling up after you store, bodily Costco Store Playing cards can be utilized on the model’s gasoline stations, whereas digital Store Playing cards can’t. That being stated, a digital Store Card can be utilized to buy a bodily Store Card, which might then be used to pay for gasoline.
3. Store Costco on Instacart
Instacart customers can order groceries and different objects for supply from Costco, together with Costco’s store-brand Kirkland Signature merchandise. Sadly, Costco and Instacart cost larger costs for non-members who use this service.
For that reason, ordering from Costco on Instacart with out a membership isn’t normally an ideal concept in the long run, however it may be a great way to pattern one or two of the model’s unique merchandise earlier than deciding to purchase a membership.
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4. Store Costco’s pharmacy
Anybody, together with non-members, should purchase pharmaceuticals at Costco pharmacies. As a result of most states have legal guidelines that require pharmacies to be open to most of the people, Costco has made public entry to its pharmacies an official coverage nationwide.
Are prescriptions cheaper at Costco than at different pharmacies?
Whereas Costco members get unique decrease drug costs by the Costco Member Prescription Program, non-members don’t. For non-members, prescription costs at Costco pharmacies are prone to be similar to these at grocery retailer pharmacies, and in some instances, they could be larger.
With a membership, Costco’s costs for frequent generic drugs are typically considerably decrease than these of its rivals’, so for somebody who has lots of prescriptions, the financial savings provided by the CMPP may justify the price of a membership.
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