Retail theft has been a huge problem over the last couple of years (at least according to most). So it shouldn’t be a surprise that shops are taking steps to reduce it wherever they can. Costco is focusing on one particular aspect of theft, but it’s a controversial move.
Here are Five Fast Facts on Costco’s new membership theft strategy:
- 💳 How It Works - Costco requires all of their customers to have a membership, of which there are three tiers (Gold Star, Business, and Executive) each with their own perks and benefits. Typically, you show your membership card when you enter, and scan it as a part of your checkout process when leaving.
- 📱 New Strategery - At a location near the company’s Issaquah headquarters – a site known for testing new features and policies – shoppers have been reporting that when entering now they have to scan their card and a photo of the card’s associated member is displayed to an employee who is monitoring the door.
- 👍 All In Favor - Some customers like this new policy, saying that if it helps reduce theft then it pays off in lower prices and better safety. It also beats having a non-member be turned away at checkout, with a full cart of stuff which they’re more likely to try to discreetly pocket rather than put back.
- 👎 All Opposed - Not everyone is a fan, though. Other shoppers find the extra scan and check a time-consuming hassle that simply isn’t necessary. It just creates a new bottleneck in the shopping experience.
- 🤔 The Wrinkle - One interesting complication to this new policy is that all members can assign a “household” card to someone else at their address. They have to provide proof of residence to get the card, but it does seem like this is a loophole waiting to be exploited if they adopt this policy.
🔥Bottom line: We totally get how businesses like Costco need to take steps to prevent theft! Seems like this is a reasonable step to take, but it’ll ultimately be up to the customers on whether the extra hassle is worth the benefits.
Do you think it will be?
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