A Costco shopper is accusing the wholesaler’s point-of-sale system of trying to embarrass him whenever he attempts to use his American Express card. TikToker @bewhittenfunny reveals what it’s like to have other shoppers experience his faux pas in a viral clip posted on May 5.
@bewhittenfunny begins his TikTok with him walking through the aisles at Costco, retelling his “embarrassing” tale of trying to pay at self-checkout.
“In Costco, they don’t accept American Express,” he begins. “So when you ring it with an American Express card, the system is real loud like, ‘Card not accepted!’”
“Lower your [expletive] voice,” @bewhittenfunny says of the POS. He adds that the system does not let him know why it isn’t accepted. In the caption, he chastises the system, writing, “Costco self-checkout needs to watch its tone.”
Viewers think it’s a skill issue
Several of @bewhittenfunny’s viewers thought the fault lay with him for trying to use American Express in the first place.
As one user noted, “They tell you that when you signup. Only visa.” Another wrote, “Where you been Costco hasn’t taken American Express in 10 years.”
One MasterCard customer says they experienced the same thing, writing that “that voice had an attitude.”
A viewer commented the only other thing that may be more embarrassing than hearing your card isn’t accepted: “Card not accepted not too bad lol screaming it’s declined [is] the worst.”
Another asked the creator, “They haven’t accepted that card since 2016, where you been?” He replied that he shops at Sam’s Club.
Why doesn’t Costco accept American Express?
While the warehouse club doesn’t accept AmEx now, there was a time when the company was the chain’s official credit card partner. However, Costco switched to using Visa exclusively in 2016. According to a report by Reader’s Digest, the reason for the switch is “nuanced” than just preference. The site spoke to an economics professor who shed more light on the reason. Long story short, Visa gave Costco a better deal.
“Amex’s merchant fees are higher than Visa,” Professor Mark Tremblay told RD. “Credit card merchant fees are often passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices. Given Costco’s low-price business model, this presents a trade-off. Accepting Amex would allow consumers whose only credit card is Amex to shop at Costco, but by doing so, Costco would open itself up to higher costs or higher prices.”
So what can I do if I don’t have Visa?
If you find yourself at Costco without a Visa credit card and no other form of payment, a Chowhound article shares what you can do. According to the article, Costco locations accept:
- Most ATM/debit cards
- Costco Shop Cards (prepaid gift cards)
- EBT cards
- Checks
- Cash
“Costco’s online store also allows customers to pay with MasterCard credit cards, and non-members are able to order on the website (with additional restrictions and a surcharge),” Chowhound states. “So it’s a great option for customers looking for a more flexible Costco shopping experience. Note that the website still doesn’t accept American Express cards, however.”
@bewhittenfunny Costco self check out needs to watch it’s tone. #costco #funny #jokes #relatable #comedy ♬ original sound – bewhittenfunny
The Mary Sue reached out to Costco via media request form and to the TikToker via email.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
