Costco is making a huge shop card change after testing the new system with employees, and customers are saying, “Finally.”
The new Costco shop card update means physical shop cards are going away in favor of a digital wallet, and it’s already causing a buzz online.
The shop card change was revealed by a shopper on Reddit who spotted that Costco had finally added shop cards to the app’s digital wallet. That means you can now add your shop card to your account and leave the plastic at home. Once you do, your physical shop card balance is transferred to the app. After that, the physical shop card will no longer have a balance, so don’t bother pulling it out at checkout.
One Reddit user summed up how the shop card feature works perfectly. “I just added a shop card to my account. It seems like the balance is actually transferred from the card you add to your Costco wallet,” they wrote. Another chimed in that it’s more like a transfer of funds, the money stays the same, but the shop card itself goes digital.
The shop card change was trialed with employees first, then quietly rolled out to customers. Some people are thrilled. “My god, finally,” one Reddit user exclaimed. Others had questions, like what happens if you add multiple shop cards? Another helpful shopper confirmed you can do that too.
And there are some limitations. According to a commenter, this new shop card option can’t be used at food court self-service kiosks because those machines don’t scan your membership QR code. Food court registers also aren’t set up for it. That caused some confusion for one new member who wrote that they’d just joined Costco and were told by the front desk it would work in the food court, only to have a food court employee say otherwise. Multiple commenters confirmed that, as of now, food court machines simply won’t scan the digital shop card QR code.
This shop card overhaul comes right as Costco introduced membership scanners at the warehouse doors back in August 2024. The retailer has been very public about its plan to verify membership at the door before you shop, whether you scan your physical card or flash the QR code on your phone. Costco also clarified that if your card doesn’t have a photo, you’ll need ID at the door.
For shoppers wondering how it all looks inside the app, a Reddit user posted a picture showing the shop card balance displayed under the account section, so it’s right at your fingertips. The app will even give you a short tutorial the first time you load up a shop card, making the process super easy to follow.
And don’t worry, you don’t lose any cash transferring a shop card into your app. It’s literally the same balance moved into your phone. So if you hate carrying around physical shop cards or worrying about leaving them at home, this new digital option could make your next Costco trip a breeze.
Table: How Costco’s Shop Card Digital Wallet Works
| Feature | Physical Card | Digital Shop Card |
|---|---|---|
| Balance transfer | N/A | Moves full balance to app |
| Accepted at food court | Yes | No |
| Membership scanner use | Physical scan | Scan QR code on phone |
| Multiple cards | Keep separately | Combine all into one app |
| Must show ID | If no photo | If no photo |
With these shop card updates now live, Costco is clearly moving deeper into digital. The company hasn’t announced when food courts might catch up, but for now, digital shop cards will at least speed up checkout at the regular registers. If you shop there often, this might be the most convenient Costco hack you didn’t even know you needed.
- Costco Goes Digital and Ditches Physical Cards - June 20, 2025
- Brutal Heat Wave Threatens Northeast And Midwest With Record Temps - June 20, 2025
- $10K Payouts Ending Soon – Here’s How to Claim Yours - June 20, 2025
