3 Reasons Costco Has Membership Fees

Costco

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Costco Wholesale, the members-only big-box discount retailer, charges $60 annually for its lowest-level membership, the Gold Star. For $120 per year, Executive membership offers additional savings, perks, and benefits, as well as cashback on qualified purchases. In September 2024 Costco will increase its membership costs to $65 and $130, respectively.

These fees may seem steep, but Costco relies on a subscription model for three reasons: loyalty, shrinkage reduction, and revenue stream.

Key Takeaways

  • Costco offers members savings on bulk items and other consumer goods, such as apparel, travel, and electronics.
  • There are two membership tiers from Costco: Gold Star and Executive.
  • Costco has a business model that depends heavily on repeat shoppers buying and renewing memberships.
  • By selling memberships, Costco can sell products at deep discounts.
  • Membership revenue continues to grow and contributes a portion to Costco's bottom line.

Costco Membership

Costco (COST) is a warehouse club that offers consumers bulk goods. Buying in bulk can provide consumers with significant savings when compared to buying consumer items in traditional retail stores. Bulk purchases are particularly beneficial to large households.

Costco provides its value-seeking customers with a variety of products, from apparel to food to home goods to electronics. It's also renowned for its in-house brand, Kirkland Signature, which it started in 1995 to provide better quality products at affordable prices.

In addition to consumer goods and groceries, Costco provides a slew of other products and services, including pharmacy discounts, travel packages, insurance, auto maintenance, and more.

To use all these services as well as purchase from the store, customers require a membership, which comes in two options: Executive and Gold Star.

Costco Membership Tiers

Executive Membership

Costco's Executive membership is its top-tier member's program that costs $120 a year. In addition to providing access to the online and physical stores, two membership cards, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee, the membership comes with an annual 2% reward up to $1,000 and access to Costco Services discounts.

Gold Star Membership

The Gold Star membership comes in at $60 a year and provides all the benefits of the Executive Membership except for the 2% annual reward and access to Costco Services discounts.

Business Membership

Costco also offers both membership options for businesses. The costs and benefits are the same, except there are some additional options for business members, such as the ability to add people to the membership at $60 per person.

Costco Membership Tiers

Gold Star
  • Annual Cost: $60

  • Shop Online and in Warehouses

  • Includes Two Membership Cards

  • 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

Executive
  • Annual Cost: $120

  • Annual 2% Reward

  • Costco Services Discounts

  • Shop Online and in Warehouses

  • Includes Two Membership Cards

  • 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

Why Costco Has Membership Fees

There are three main reasons why Costco incorporates membership fees for access to its products and services: loyalty, reducing shrinkage, and revenue stream.

Loyalty

American grocery competition is intense. BJ’s Wholesale Club and Sam's Club offer direct competition for Costco. In addition, consumers can choose among Sam's Club parent Walmart Stores (WMT), Target (TGT), and a variety of neighborhood groceries and farmers' markets.

Psychology plays a part in the success of the subscription model. Costco offers membership perks in several countries other than the U.S. The company offers discounted goods and services to members. These include vacations, car insurance, and term life insurance policies. Members can even enjoy discounted pet insurance for Canadian members.

Membership means Costco shoppers belong to a "private" club. Also, the fee motivates action: the money's been spent, so it's best to use the club's advantages.

This thinking gives Costco its most powerful advantage: customers become loyal to the store. Having paid the fee, members are more likely to visit Costco than a non-membership store that confers no special benefits.

Reducing Shrinkage

Costco has found a way to deter theft in its stores: charge people to shop. It's unlikely that shoplifters will spend $60 a year for the opportunity to steal. By controlling entrances and exits in addition to the membership format, Costco believes its shrinkage is "well below those of typical retail operations."

Revenue Stream

In the volatile world that is the grocery business, membership fees provide a stable source of revenue. The company's fiscal year 2023 revenue from membership fees came in at $4.58 billion, which was 1.9% of total sales.

While membership fees are a small percentage of total sales, this steady flow of membership fees helps allow the company to keep prices low and attract and retain more customers.

Revenues from membership fees are great. Aside from a few minutes of an employee’s time, plus the cost of the card and subsequent promotional mailings, managing membership isn't too costly.

861

The number of Costco warehouses operating worldwide as of September 2023.

How to Sign Up for a Costco Membership

Signing up for a Costco membership is straightforward. Customers can head to the company's website and fill out a membership form online or call Costco's Member Services at 1-800-774-2678 and speak with a representative to sign up. You can also visit a Costco location and sign up in person.

On Costco's website, individuals will have the option of choosing either the Executive membership or the Gold Star membership, and by clicking on the "start saving" button at the end of each membership option, will be taken to a separate page to fill out the membership form.

When the payment has been processed, you will receive an email with your membership number. To pick up your membership card, you will need to bring this email as well as a government-issued photo ID.

Is a Costco Membership Worth It?

Whether or not a Costco membership is worth it will depend on the individual or family. Paying to shop can add an expense to consumer and food purchases; however, it comes down to budgeting. If you are single, for example, eat out a lot, rarely cook, and do not need many household items, then a membership may not be worth it for you.

Conversely, if you are a family of five, eat at home almost all the time, and have your own home and car that require maintenance, then a Costco membership may bring you savings and benefits. To find out whether the membership is worth it, it can be useful to model out the costs and see how much you could save at Costco, if at all.

What Is Costco's Annual Membership Fee?

Costco has two membership options: Gold Star and Executive. The Gold Star membership costs $60 and the Executive costs $120. On Sept. 1, 2024, the membership costs will increase to $65 and $130, respectively.

Can I Borrow My Friend's Costco Card?

No, you cannot borrow your friend's Costco card. Costco memberships are not transferable. Costco members are allowed to bring two guests into the store with them, however. Purchases must be made by the Costco member.

The Bottom Line

Costco has consistently low prices with a strong consumer following. With the company expanding both domestically and internationally, as well as profits increasing year over year and its sophisticated logistics network, the company competes with other retail giants, such as Walmart. Membership fees are standard for bulk warehouse retail stores and Costco's membership fees provide it with customer loyalty, a theft deterrent, and a stable revenue stream.

Article Sources
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  1. Costco Wholesale. "Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports June Sales Results and Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend and Plans for Membership Fee Increases."

  2. Costco Wholesale. "Join Costco."

  3. Costco Wholesale. "2023 Annual Report," Page 35.

  4. Costco Wholesale. "Remember Services."

  5. Costco Wholesale. "2023 Annual Report," Page 5.

  6. Costco Wholesale. "2023 Annual Report," Page 4.

  7. Costco Wholesale. "How Do I Sign Up to Join Costco and Get a New Membership?"

  8. Costco Wholesale. "Gold Star Membership New Signup - $60."

  9. Costco Wholesale. "Can Other People Use My Membership Card?"

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