Watch Costco membership ID crackdown in action – but shoppers vow to cancel subscription after ‘extra’ check

COSTCO shoppers have been left puzzled after the chain rolled out new scanning technology across its warehouses.

The chain installed new devices as part of its efforts to combat membership sharing.

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Costco is cracking down on its members sharing their cards (stock)[/caption]

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Shoppers must scan their cards before entering the store[/caption]

Footage has gone viral online that showed the scanning devices in action.

Shoppers are now required to scan membership cards as opposed to just flashing them to a store worker.

They can alternatively scan the digital version of the card.

Once a member scans their card, their profile picture appears on a tablet-like screen.

A Costco worker stands by the monitor to ensure customers are following the rules.

The new technology has sparked division online.

And it has prompted some to take what seems like an extreme course of action.

“I canceled my membership over this nonsense,” one shopper claimed.

She claimed the retailer was treating customers like criminals.

Others struggled to work out the purpose behind the new rule.

Some shoppers admitted they couldn’t understand why they had to scan into a store before grabbing their groceries.

“I don’t get it. It’s not like people can buy anything once they get to the cashier,” another chimed.

“I don’t understand this. Still have an employee standing there,” a shopper pointed out.

“It’s like self-checkout and three employees standing around watching you. America has jumped the shark.”

Shoppers were left scratching their heads and pointed out that receipts are inspected.

“I still think it’s pointless to have someone standing there checking cards upon entry,” one said.

“You can’t check out without a membership card, so it seems redundant to have someone standing at the door checking.”

Costco shopper Ken Lofton told the ABC affiliate KABC that he thinks the policy will lead to delays.

“I can see that slowing down people getting in,” he said.

“It’s not just a flash of a card anymore.”

Despite the frustration among shoppers online and in-store, Costco CEO Ron Vachris defended the move.

“They’re speeding up our registers significantly when we get all the scanning and memberships verified at the front door,” he said in an earnings call transcript seen by The Motley Fool.

‘MAKE A CHANGE’

Wholesaler fanatics took the opportunity to urge Costco chiefs to take a page out of its rival Sam’s Club playbook by rolling out scan-and-go technology.

Scan and go means shoppers can avoid having to wait in checkout lines.

It is a feature on the Sam’s Club app and shoppers can use their camera to scan items as they walk up and down the aisles.

Shoppers can even pay for their shopping via the app before showing their receipt to a worker.

The digital receipt is scanned by a worker using a machine.

Soon, all Sam’s Club warehouses will be equipped with scanners that verify purchases automatically.

This reduces the need for a physical receipt check.

Sam’s Club execs revealed they’re aiming to have the scanners installed in all 600 warehouses by the end of the year.

The archway-like structures have been rolled out in more than 120 stores so far.

The U.S. Sun has reported how the move has been welcomed among some shoppers, but there have been teething problems.

One shopper said she was embarrassed after noticing an unscanned item in her cart.

While others claimed the checkout process was even longer than normal – despite the technology being rolled out.