A woman says she was shocked when a Costco worker turned her away after she scanned her membership card at 9am.
In a video with over 83,000 views, TikToker Natasha Figueroa (@natashafigueroa1021) says she needed milk and decided to get to Costco as soon as the store opened.
“[The workers] are like, ‘Ma’am, you can’t come in. It’s only executive members,” she recounts. “She’s like, ‘You have the Gold Star membership. Would you want to upgrade for $21 so you can come in at 9am instead of 10?’”
Costco recently implemented “executive hours” for members of their highest tier. Executive members, who pay $130 annually, can now enter the store an hour earlier than Gold Star members, who pay $65.
Beyond shopping earlier, executive members receive a 2% annual reward on Costco purchases and exclusive discounts.
Is there a loophole for entering Costco during executive hours?
Figueroa declines the worker’s offer to upgrade, but decides to get into the store another way.
“I’m not going to drive back home without my milk. And I’m not going to stop anywhere else,” she says. “So I see this guy, and I’m like, ‘Hey, do you have an executive membership?’”
The man says he does and she enters the store with him.
Costco memberships of any tier allow members to bring a guest, regardless of their own membership status. So, this loophole allows her to enjoy the executive hours without the upgraded membership.
“Just like that, I was able to get my milk and now I’m on my merry way home,” she says. “The moral of the story is if there’s a will, there’s a way.”
What did executive members think of her strategy?
In the comments, some Costco executive members call out Figueroa for using a store benefit she didn’t pay for.
“It’s an executive member perk. You violated the rules and terms. You found a way around the system. You didn’t win. Costco never opened at 9 am that’s a new thing,” one writes.
“That’s like trying to sit in first class when you bought an economy ticket because you boarded the plane first and a first class seat was empty,” another says.
“Costco needs to fix this loophole so people cant take advantage of it,” a third adds.
Others encourage her to consider upgrading her membership.
“Executive is 100% worth it for the cash back. I paid for my membership only one year. Since then my membership has been ‘free’ bc they send a check every year and it pays for my membership and a portion of groceries,” a commenter explains.
“Or the moral of the story is you should upgrade,” another writes.
@natashafigueroa1021 @Costco Wholesale #costco #costcofinds #storytime #f #fyp ♬ original sound – Natasha Figueroa
The Mary Sue reached out to Figueroa and Costco for further comment.
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