Latest news with #ExecutiveMembership
Digital Trends
22-07-2025
- Business
- Digital Trends
New Costco members can get $20 or $40 in rewards
Not sure if a Costco membership is the right fit for you? Right now, new members who enroll in auto renewal and sign up for a Gold Star Membership will get a $20 Digital Costco Shop Card, and new members who sign up for an Executive Membership will receive a $40 Digital Costco Shop Card. Use the promo code CJDTM at sign-up. Make sure to check the terms and conditions for exact details. What is the Digital Costco Shop Card? The Digital Costco Shop Card is a reloadable gift card that can be used to make purchases at a Costco location and online. Why you should become a Costco member You must be a Costco member to shop at Costco warehouses or to receive member-only pricing on That means nonmembers miss out on warehouse finds, including TVs, laptops, headphones and more. A Costco membership also gives you access to exclusive value through Costco Travel, Costco Services and much more. The Costco Gold Star Membership—which gets you the $20 Digital Costco Shop Card for this promotion—costs $65 per year and gives you and a member of your household access to Costco warehouses and Costco gives its satisfaction guarantee, so you can cancel and get a refund at any time if you aren't happy with your membership. The Costco Executive Membership—which gets you a $40 Digital Costco Shop Card with this promotion—costs $130 per year. It gives you the same benefits as the Gold Star Membership, and also provides exclusive benefits only available to Executive Members. You get an annual 2% Reward on Costco and Costco travel purchases (up to $1,250 per year)*, and you can get exclusive discounts and added value on Costco Services. Sign up as a new member for a Costco membership and auto renewal of your annual membership to get a $20 or $40 Digital Costco Shop Card. During checkout, use the code CJDTM to receive this promotion. Check the terms and conditions for more details. *To receive a Digital Costco Shop Card, you must provide a valid email address and set up auto renewal of your Costco membership on a Visa® credit/debit card or Mastercard debit card at the time of sign-up. If you elect not to enroll in auto renewal at the time of sign-up, incentives will not be emailed. Valid only for new members and those whose memberships (Primary and Household) have been expired for at least 18 months. Valid only for nonmembers for their first year of membership. Not valid for upgrade or renewal of an existing membership. Promotion may not be combined with any other promotion. Digital Costco Shop Card will be emailed to the email address provided by the Primary Member at time of sign-up within 2 weeks after successful sign-up and enrollment in auto renewal. Digital Costco Shop Card is not redeemable for cash, except as required by law. Costco is not liable for incentives not received due to entry of an invalid address during sign-up. Digital Costco Shop Cards are not accepted at the U.S. or Canada Food Court. Neither Costco Wholesale Corporation nor its affiliates are responsible for use of the card without your permission. Use the provided single-use promo code when entering your payment information. A Costco Gold Star Membership is $65 a year. An Executive Membership is an additional $65 upgrade fee a year. Each membership includes one free Household Card. May be subject to sales tax. Costco accepts all Visa cards, as well as cash, checks, debit/ATM cards, EBT and Costco Shop Cards. Departments and product selection may vary. (Note: You will see a $0.01 deduction on your membership cost after the promo code is entered. This indicates that your promo code has been successfully applied)
Fast Company
27-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Costco embraces the two-tier economy with its new early shopping perk
It can be easy for consumers to feel like we now live in a two-tier economy: one geared toward showering the wealthy with perks, extras, and exclusive access, and the other for us normies. But one place you might not expect that is at Costco. Which might explain the mixed reaction to the recent news that, starting June 30, Costco U.S. locations that now open at 10 a.m. will open an hour earlier Sunday through Friday—but only for certain people. Holders of its Executive Member card, which at $130 a year costs double the standard Gold Star membership fee, are allowed into the store early. (Those fees are up from $120 and $55, respectively, as of last year.) And locations that already open at 9 will now also make that first hour Executive only. (Saturdays it's just for Executive members for the first half hour of operation.) 'All members will be welcome to shop starting at 10 a.m. Monday through Friday and Sunday, and at 9:30 a.m. Saturday,' an announcement on Instagram explained. Some responses to that post suggested that this new Executive perk came across like second-tier treatment for devoted Costco shoppers. 'Why reduce the value of a regular membership for US members?' one asked. Extended hours 'should be for all members,' another argued. 'As members we all pay to shop there,' a third added. 'Inconveniencing your loyal customers for 30 mins to an hour is actually not cool.' It might seem counterintuitive that a brand so fundamentally tied to bargain hunting, volume discounts, and savvy shopping would have an elite membership level at all. While Costco's product mix has come to include items targeting higher-end consumers —from fancy champagne to Rolex watches to actual gold bars—the Costco image is tied to the idea that finding a great deal is the ultimate equalizer. The appeal of, say, the chain's famous $1.50 hot dog cuts across class lines (at least symbolically). Costco has long enjoyed a broad and loyal fan base, and over the past year its reputation has seemed particularly virtuous. Its in-house Kirkland brand, already popular, has become arguably even more appealing as shoppers contend with tariff-war uncertainties. More broadly, Fast Company recently named CEO Ron Vechris ' Visionary of the Year ' for standing by diversity, equity, and inclusion policies that the company believes are good for business. As Target and other rivals have been dinged for seeming to cave to political pressure, Costco has gotten more popular. Its sales were up 8% in the most recent quarter, just shy of $61 billion and ahead of analyst estimates. But that includes its Executive tier: It turns out that a remarkable 47% of Costco members pay extra for the black-card Executive level. This currently entails a 2% reward on qualified purchases—meaning that it's actually possible to earn back the extra fee cost if you spend enough—and discounts on some Costco services and Costco Travel deals. In addition to the exclusive shopping time, Costco is also adding a $10 credit for certain home delivery orders (a segment the chain has been pushing, including an Instacart partnership) for Executive members. Maybe more to the point, Costco rival Sam's Club's elite tier already includes exclusive shopping time (and Costco itself actually had an earlier version of the perk that was discontinued in the peak pandemic era). And notably, Costco has said its Executive customers account for about 73% of its global sales. In other words, given what those elite, black-card-carrying customers contribute to Costco's business, maybe they deserve more special treatment. That's certainly how some reacted to that Instagram post announcing the new hours. 'Nice added benefit to those with the Executive membership,' wrote one member. 'Hope to see more distinguishing benefits down the road.' Another added: 'Finally, something exclusive for Executive members.' Others sounded a more appreciative note. 'Fresh morning hot dogs,' one wrote, 'for me and my black card!' Such are the privileges of the Costco elite.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Costco Issues 'Warning' to Shoppers Ahead of June 30 Change
Costco is giving a new benefit to its highest tier of members next month, and the big announcement is coming with days to spare until the new change. Starting in a matter of days, Costco will open its warehouse stores one hour earlier for all of those who have the Executive Membership - the most expensive and highest tier of Costco's membership program. Previously, the perk of additional hours was only available at certain locations. The new change will affect all Costco locations, incentivizing shoppers who prefer to venture at at earlier time or with less crowds to do so under the more expensive membership. "Our Executive Members are our most loyal members, and we want to reward them for their commitment to Costco," the company said in an email, according to Business Insider. In addition to the earlier hours, Executive Members will also receive a $10 monthly credit for orders made through Instacart and up to $150 in savings on other services. Most Costco warehouses open at 10 AM and at 9:30 AM on Saturdays, but Executive Members will be able to shop at 9 AM on weekdays from June 30 onward. The pharmacy, optical center, and food court - among other specialized areas within the store - may not open at the earlier time, depending on the location and its staffing on that particular day. Executive Memberships cost $130 per year, and gives members a free Costco membership card valid at all locations around the globe. Members also receive an annual 2% benefit on select purchases, perks on Costco travel and other benefits. Costco's Gold Star Membership costs $65 annually, effectively cutting the cost in half over the course of a calendar year. Members do lose out on the extra benefits, but they still earn the same membership card that's valid at every Costco warehouse around the world. The membership prices are up across the board from their previous status. Gold Star was once $60 while the Executive Membership was once $120, price increases that come as the chain admits prices on certain goods will increase due to impeding tariffs. These items mostly include food imported from other countries, and Costco will increase prices in America to retain the same profit margins from before the implementation of those tariffs. Costco Issues 'Warning' to Shoppers Ahead of June 30 Change first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 26, 2025
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Costco Just Brought Back the Perk Fans Have Been Begging For
Grocery shopping, especially on the weekends, can feel overwhelming. Not to mention, long lists and never-ending lines aren't exactly how you want to spend your free time. But while you might not feel like getting out of bed early just to beat the crowd, it's usually worth sacrificing a little sleep. For years, Walmart has designated 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. as sensory-friendly hours, which include no music and low lighting to promote a calmer environment. And Sam's Club Plus members have been able to start shopping two hours before the store opens to all members, giving you plenty of space to browse the aisles and load up on all the best new finds. Now, Costco is bringing back a popular member perk that will help you beat the crowds and polish off your to-do list in record time. Costco recently announced that beginning June 30, those with an Executive Membership can shop as early as 9 a.m., which is an hour earlier than regular public hours. According to a Reddit post, which included a screenshot of an email from Costco, Executive members can also look forward to additional benefits such as a $10 monthly credit on Instacart orders over $150, and even more savings on Costco services. If your Costco already opens at 9 a.m., it's not yet clear how the update will affect your location. One social media user who claims to be an employee said that the first hour will slowly transition to executive-only hours, with a grace period for adjustment. Costco has not confirmed this information. This isn't the first time Executive members have been treated to this perk. Years ago, Costco did away with early shopping hours, but those with the black card say they're excited to see it finally return. 'Thankful this is coming back. Was originally why I got the Executive Membership in the first place,' wrote one user on Costco's Instagram post announcing the change. 'This is the best news I've heard all year,' added another thrilled shopper. Not everyone is pleased with the change, though. Some felt that the new hours were still not early enough and others said they would prefer additional evening hours instead. 'I would rather have it stay open an hour later…Why would I wake up to rush to Costco earlier? Not a perk,' wrote one person. Another chimed in to say Costco's upgraded benefits still fall short compared to its biggest competitor. 'Honestly, I can get into Sam's Club at 8 o'clock in the morning and they also have curbside pick-up service! Costco needs this too!' they wrote. Shoppers will be happy to know that, along with the new Executive tier benefits, the retailer is also extending evening hours for all membership levels. You'll be able to grab your favorite Costco finds and hit the food court until 7 p.m. every Saturday. So, even if you aren't an early bird, you may still be able to beat the crowd. Read the original article on ALLRECIPES
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Costco rolls out new perk to help shoppers beat crowds… but there's a catch
Costco is introducing a new perk that will allow certain members to have their own private shopping hours. Executive tier members will be able to shop for an hour earlier than regular Gold Star members from June 30. The big box retailer will now allow its top tier members, who pay $130 a year, to shop from 9am to 10am on weekdays and Sundays, and 9am to 9:30am on Saturdays. 'Our Executive Members are our most loyal members, and we want to reward them for their commitment to Costco,' the company told employees in an email seen by Business Insider. The retail giant said that the top tier members would also start receiving a $10 monthly credit for Instacart orders, as well as $150 worth of other benefits and savings on Costco services. Around half of Costco shoppers have Executive level memberships, but they account for 73 percent of sales, according to the company. The top level also offers a 2 percent rebate on all Costco purchases made that year up to a total of $750. Costco hopes the new shopping hours will reduce traffic in car parks and lines at checkouts, which is a key customer complaint. However, it is also a move that could boost membership fee revenue, a key driver of Costco's bottom line. Last year Costco brought in more than $4 billion a year from membership fees alone, after upping its rates in September. As well as access to discounted groceries and electronics, Costco membership also gives shoppers access to services such as hearing tests and home insurance. It is not yet clear whether the new shopping times will include these extra services. It comes after Costco also expanded its gas station hours and added more pumps. The retailer's gas stations are now open from 6am until 10pm on weekdays. On Saturday and Sunday, Costco gas stations now open at 6am and close at 8:30pm and 7:30pm, respectively. The wholesale giant originally closed it 60 gas stations at 9pm but decided to extend its hours further, much to the delight of its loyal customers. Costco members are delighted that gas stations are now open an hour later Costco has built a reputation for consistently offering gas prices below market averages, leading to the familiar sight of vehicle queues at Costco pumps across the country. Fuel sales made up around 12 percent of the Costco's total sales last year, and its cheap gas and accessible stations are a key incentive for memberships. Costco hiked its membership rates back in September last year, taking its standard Gold level membership from $60 to $65 and its Executive level by $10 to $130 a year. It was the first time the retailer had upped its membership fees since June 2017. The retail giant currently has around 52 million members in the US and Canada.
