I'm sure the store would rather turn ineligible people away at the door than have to restock a full cart's worth of merchandise for someone turned away at the checkout. Just saying.
I don’t think it’s a big issues since you already have to pull out your proof of membership at the door. I can’t help but wonder if they will use it for data collection purposes as well to see how long your in the store etc
Meh, one small inconvenience to keep non-members out. The food court got better (fewer people) since they started requiring membership to buy. Where else can you get such large Pizza and hot dog combo for such small cost? Costco truly values its members.
I'm very happy with this. I was absolutely appalled when I found out the food court allowed non members in. I realized that's why the food court was always so jammed pack.
Nice assumption that the people who shop their dont belong there. Never once had I experienced someone turned away or left a cart of groceries without paying
@@mcd4039It happens multiple times everyday...and in most of those cases, the fresh items have already been out of the fridge/freezer too long so they get thrown out. Then prices go up for everyone.
It feels like this will make crowds worse. People are going to be fighting both inside the store and now while waiting outside. Also they already check memberships at checkout and I don’t even care if people get in for free. That doesn’t affect me. This new scanning is just going to slow me down. That doesn’t sound good. It’s good to know if I’m ever in a hurry, I can’t stop at Costco because I’ll have to wait in line like it’s a Taylor Swift concert just to get in.
The guy says it's to cut down on people shopping for free, but... you have to scan at checkout so that's B.S. It doesn't save an employee, they still need the one human to make sure you actually scan and don't just walk by it. Seems pointless to me.
It's to try to stop freeloaders without an active membership from eating free samples all the time. There are some people that go to Costco at lunch every day for free food or cheap hot dogs and sodas. That's annoying for those that have paid! I don't know how many times I've seen whole families that snuck in at the Food Court causing backups for members. I think some stores are now requiring an active membership to buy at the food court. These people just need to buy a membership it's not that expensive especially if you eat there a lot . Definitely cheaper and better than a Fast Food stop.
Some people would use the emergency exits to shoplift. I've seen it happen before. They move their carts close to the exits and then grab their items and bolt out the door. This scanner is in place to mitigate that... or so I would think.
@@fatfatthewaterrat5010 It was not advantageous in my case. I did the calculations myself and it wasn't worth an upgrade. But they PUSHED and PUSHED and PUUUUSHHHHEEDDDD. I finally called and they removed me from their harassment list. Hasn't been a hustling attempt since!!
You can add a family member to your membership. For many that's a wife or husband. Having others added it is an affiliate add on and it will cost you a membership fee per person.
There's no real way of replacing an in-person attendant at the front door to verify customer membership. If they go, people will just walk right in whether or not there's a membership scan reader. One great example of eliminating an in-person verification is MUNI. When I took MUNI in the 80s and 90s, you had to enter through the front door and pay your fare in front of the bus driver or train operator to verify everyone paid to ride. Once MUNI pushed for the clipper card and allowed people to enter in the rear of the bus or train while confining drivers and operators to just doing that and not verifying payment, MUNI started seeing a huge reduction in revenue and is now in a massive deficit. So Costco is still going to need front door people.
The Boston business professor said Costco doesn't want people to just enter the store. That Costco wants members to buy something. A member can still leave the store (exit only now) without buying something (what's next? Can't exit without a purchase receipt?). There's really no logic to the scanner because no one "just walking in" can buy anything without a membership card anyway. Is the scanner going to match up the person's face to the picture on the card, too? Not. That's still the job of the Costco employee at the entrance (there he is in his spot in this video). This scanner is some kind of business model for Costco and has nothing to do with the shopping experience of it's customers other than to frustrate. Because as we all know, cards and scanners can, and will be problematic at times.
Well, not everything requires a membership. Little known fact, by law, Costco can't require a membership for the Pharmacy or if the food court is not inside the building (There are quite a few locations where that's the case) .
@@3henry214 The self-service food court ordering machines require a membership card to pay for your items. Without a membership, you must go to the manned checkout line inside the store to order and pay for food court items.
if I am paying to shop there then it should not be complicated, technology is only as good as the creators and it's obvious it's not that great but you are right for me it may be better if the lines are shorter.
With your way of thinking i wouldn't be surprised if any store you ran had zero customers with that silly "my store my rules" theory you got. remember the mighty dollar belongs to the customer and you have to give them a reason to spend it with you and not the next shop. good luck going out of business.
It’s simple, be a member. I’m fine with it and most of the time when I go to Costco I’m in no rush to leave because I know I’m there getting a lot of stuff.
Exactly, in my state if you sell alcohol you can't deny someone entry so what the hell is the point of this nonsense Costco is doing? My Sam's doesn't ask to see the card at all.
Yeah, but who's going to make sure you scan your card. They still need to have someone there. The only real thing that's happening is membership verification.
They made a big deal out of it a few months back, people using someone else’s card, borrowing it. They will lose a lot of money by limiting use of the card. For one thing, its a great advertisement for occasional users to decide if they need to get their own card
Instacart and such apps. People can go through them to get items delivered to their door without being a member. Sure a member has to get it, but they are doing so for a non-member. You can do the same at Sam’s club.
People, with valid membership cards, were letting their family or friends (without a Costco membership) use their card to get in & make purchases. . . For many years, I used to shop for my elderly mom @ Costco. . . I used her Costco card with her name & photo on it & her credit card with her name on it as well!! As long as the Costco Card was current & her credit card worked, no one ever stopped me or even cared. . . C'mon Costco, you're raking in $4.6 BILLION in memberships alone & don't tell me you're not making any $$$ from the products you sell. . . Even if you're "losing" money on your $1.50 🌭 +🥤you got me in your store to spend $300💰 or more!
You just show your id walk through and scan the id card from your family member. I dont shop much so I wont be getting the membership as it does not save me anything. If anything, I can go with the person on the card and still get stuff without paying for the membership and split the bill.
Self checkout is the reason for this crackdown. Bc since Covid and since self checkouts came into the store the card sharing has dramatically multiplied. That’s why you see people insisting to go to a long self checkout line instead of going to a human cashier with far fewer members in it.
In order to match the same face as a card folder. Lots of people use someone else's card, dad , mom, friend. It has to be the same person as cardholder to pay actually too
I'm done with Costco. Wait in line to get in, muddle through the grazers, wait in line to give money, wait in line to exit, and now at every step be expected to prove you have paid for the right to shop there. I am sitting here post surgery, unable to walk much, discussing with my wife if we need anything from Costco soon. Ive had a card for years and weve never bothered to add her. Shes been turned away once when i was not there and we were both questioned like criminals when we split a trip at the register on another trip. Once after waiting for five minutes at the exit with zero movement, I skipped the line and left. I was all but tackled in the parking lot and accused of theft before I showed my $600 receipt. The first time I experience a delay in the door, Im throwing my card and walking away. We are now shopping our Costco staples with other providers, once those go away, Costco becomes a foul memory. STOP TAKING YOUR CUSTOMERS FOR GRANTED AT BEST AND TREATING THEM LIKE THIEVES AT WORST! Baaaaa goes the sheep in the rest of the comments.
I cancelled mine back in 2018. My husband and I were in a good ways when the front door employee flagged him down. She said he had to open his cellphone case to prove he wasn't carrying a gun. I was livid and was ready to cancel on the spot. The next day I called corporate to complain about the employee chasing us down. She said well if he had a gun, that would have traumatized the kids..He could have started shooting up the store. I told her that was the stupidest thing I had heard. If the employee had bothered to look she would have seen his cellphone was clearly visible their was no room for a gun. She could cancel my membership.
"so people just can't sort of sneak into the store and buy things" ... wtf lol we already have to scan our card at checkout so idk what he's even talking about like who even is this man 😂 god forbid people buy things lmao I gaurantee you the number of memberships will not increase like they think it will. Edit: If I was borrowing someone else's card because I didnt want to pay a membership I certainly wouldn't just start paying for a membership now 😆
I got a refund for my membership. I felt like I was a thief the way they treat you and how they check your cart as you leave the store and go through your items was enough for me to just go to Walmart now.
@@kushking949if they check everyone’s receipt, are they really treating you like a criminal? Sam’s Club actually scans your receipt and a couple of items in the cart. It’s way more annoying. Also, doesn’t Walmart check receipts? I stopped shopping there when they eliminated most of their cashiers and have had people arrested because their self-checkout scanners malfunctioned. If you like shopping at Walmart more than Costco, I think we’re all happy that you canceled your membership.
@@kushking949i feel you brother but Walmart checks your receipts too. I always blast past them when they hold their hands out at Walmart as if I'm going to voluntarily stop and get frisked after paying for all my goods. They got me twisted.
even if you do get in the store without having a membership, you CANNOT actually buy anything because you are required to give the cashier your membership card at the checkout. the only thing you can buy is food from the food court area.
I think that people with a huge amount of items in their cart, with someone else's memberhip card, would cause a kerfuffle at checkout. Easier to scan at door to make sure that does not happen.
Nobody can buy anything without having a card anyway! You have to have your card at checkout. They scan it at the register. Apparently they no longer want anyone who isn't a member coming in to look around the store to see if they might want to join. That's ridiculous. Another reason why I like Sam's better than Costco. Costco also won't take my Mastercard and Sam's will. Costco apparently has some exclusive deal with Visa that leaves out anybody who doesn't have a Visa card.
@@mattbosley3531 No there’s not. Look at all the looters in the Bay Area. They have to put normal items behind a glass case on all their shelves now. Thats much worse than this.
it’s also about increasing membership. lots of people share the same accounts and are dependent on costco. you are only allowed two members per account.
The Costco Visa does not have an annual fee. You get varying rebates on everything you buy with the card. I get more back from the Visa card each year than I do with my Costco membership rebate. I use the Costco Visa card for everything I buy and I get hundreds of dollars back each year. I highly recommend it.
My Costco in La Habra ,CA. has two people with scanners on both sides of the entrance door and the process is very quick. If you're not a up to date paid member, then get one or get out. With 30 plus years as a member, we average about 57 visits a years and are happy customers. And those samples are a plus to shopping there, especially when many have prompted my wife and I to buy the product.
How? No one looked at the poor photo on the back of the card. No one asked for ID. Scanning the card is barely above flashing it to a human except now there will inevitably be a line. The only reason they want you to scan a card is data collection. I can easily think of a dozen ways to use that information.
I wonder how enforceable it is. Some states won't let membership stores restrict alcohol sales to the the general public. And all states require these type of stores to sell prescriptions to everyone.
What’s the point of scanning before you purchase? If you scan at the point of sale problem solved. I understand the theft aspect, but Costco doesn’t have widespread theft. Am I missing something?
People with any form of security details (understood that that is a small but very wealthy portion of Costco shoppers) will have their bodyguards not happy about their present location being in a hackable database.
Good. Between the membership fee and my Costco being at the outskirts of town away from other businesses, I don't have to deal with homeless drug addicts, shop lifters, or the class of people who leave the place trashed. They could do away with the free food samples though. I know what I need to buy before even going in, and despite them being fellow paying members, I don't like the type of crowd the free samples draw. They block the isle, take multiple samples pretending like they're serious considering purchasing the product, and half the time toss the empty cups or napkins on the floor.
There is still an employee at the door. You still have to scan your card at checkout. Every time I go, all but one checkout lane is open. I understand that they want to keep non members out, but this doesn’t cut down on employees at the door.
When I get to checkout and my card is expired, the machine tells me and it renews right there with my payment. Card readers might catch it. If I get stopped at the door because of that, I'm just gonna turn around. Waste of time to stand in multiple lines when it only has to be one line for checkout.
Costco just screwed themselves by implementing scan membership. The reason is because those shoppers who refuse to buy a membership before will now take their business elsewhere. Costco still makes alot of money from actually selling the items in store, but now will see a major drop in sales due to those customers who refuse to buy membership. Therefore, prices will begin to increase afterwards.
"Durrr, this _seems_ logical in my little mind, so it must be fact." The company has repeatedly stated that it sells most products on miniscule margins and that the bulk of its annual profits (about 3/4) come from MEMBERSHIPS, which these clowns are effectively stealing, but hey, what do they know compared to the unassailable business acumen of @thuydoan7496?
This may be a dumb question,,im not a Costco card holder,but does the card have your picture on it or something?? Facial recognition? If not,how will this stop someone from using a friend's card?do you have to show actual identification at check out or something??
I am a Costco member. I am fine with scanning my membership card, just like I think everybody should have a picture ID to vote in elections. What a novel idea!
@@oliver_3185 if you have a Drivers License that will work. If you need a State Issued I.D., how much does it cost? It can't be much. It's a small price to pay to make sure that you are a Citizen of the U.S.A. and that you are who you say you are when voting. Common sense. Now, watch how this blows up!
If you don't like it try going to a grocery store. Bacon -$7 a lb. A loaf of bread $5 Ice cream$7 -1/5 gts.[if it gets smaller it will be on a stick] actually everything is expensive.
They scan the card at checkout, no? Why also at the entrance? My wife used to simply walk in and ignore the workers calling her to show the card. We left Costco because of all the checkpoints, treating us like criminals to weed out the real thieves.
It's to prevent people without membership to get to the checkout and be like "what I need a membership???". Also avoids checking misuse of other people's membership card if the customer uses self-checkout.
Your feelings are hurt from that? Newsflash, they do that to everyone snowflake. Your wife is rude, you are a guest at Costco. When you agreed to membership you accepted their terms. With that kind of behavior maybe you are criminals.
There are two figures to keep in mind -- $3,000 and $3,250. Based on the current cost of an Executive membership, it takes $3,000 in annual Costco spending to recoup the $60 upgrade fee, you have to spend 250 dollars every single month to make up for the fee, thats ridiculous.
How are you calculating that figure? Recouping the cost of membership is not just dependent on how much you buy to offset the cost of the membership with the cash back reward. It's also the amount you are saving by not buying somewhere else and paying a higher price, or getting a better value for what you get. Example, meat (beef). Three grades sold... prime, choice and select. Costco sell Choice, most supermarkets are selling the lower grade select for what you pay for choice grade at Costco. If you drive a car in the Bay Area, you should already know how much more you save by 1) filling the tank up at Costco at a lower cost per gallon and 2) Getting 4% cash back with a Costco (Chase Visa) credit card... which is higher than the typical 2% cash back reward credit card. The price per gallon at the Costco where I shop is usually at least 10 - 15 cents lower than the least expensive gas station in my area. And unlike the cheap "no name" gas at other stations, Costco gas meets the standards for getting the "top tier" rating, just like the much higher priced name brand gas (Chevron, Mobil, Shell). My last annual Costco rewards check was over $200 ( about 70 - 80% from gas purchases), more than enough to justify the cost of membership.
You failed math spectacularly. Just on gas my Costco is 40 cents a gallon cheaper sometimes and my tank is 15 gallons so that's $6 saved just on one fill up. LOL
Why don't you go over to Mexico and then attempt to see if you can get back into the US using illegal methods and make a video telling us how easy it is. I highly suspect it''s not nearly as easy as you think it is. LOL
@@frankieknuckles8160 By come right over, you mean face deportation and legal proceedings right? Because the lack of legal documents basically ensures legal issues and detention. And if you're referring to those coming over illegal AND not getting caught by the USBP then yeh no shit you don't need an iD. Do you need an ID anywhere when sneaking in without detection?
Doubtful. Just went in middle of the week. Card scanners at the door. Before people were off work and kids still in school. Still packed and lines down past the candy and nut isles.
People really think it’s to check your membership 🤔 for one that’s true. Think about it!!! This will give Costco insights as far as how much time members spend and how much money😅 it will give statistics so they can move stuff around to maximize profits, so much info will collected as far as how members time behavior effects how much they spend, if they know exactly when you go in, what items you purchase and how much time you spent in the store.
This best way Costco can sell memberships is to let everyone in so they can see if the membership is worth buying. Anyone that wants to come in can look at the prices and types of products they have. Restricting access will not increase memberships it will just slow entry to the store down.
there is this thing called a spreasheet or database which has a list of members when they scan it, it pulls in the information from the system and shows data such as when you first became a member, whether your memberhip expired, etc.
Why don't they change the card to have a much better and bigger pic first if all. And maybe i just don;t understand, you may be able to get in but you will be checked right at the checkout before you can purchase anything. I don't get the point of it????
No card scanners at the entrance to my local Costco (Leesburg VA). The thing is, the membership should automatically include one’s spouse or domestic partner plus one additional family member.
I have never been to a Costco but I am assuming it is like Sam's Club. At Sam's Club, you have to show your membership card when you enter and you have to scan your membership card when you check out. Do you not have to scan your membership card at the register at Costco to check out?
PRO TIP: Obtain a gift card. Even if you dont have a membership, and even if its only worth $1. Not only do they have to let you in, but you can just use that "$1" and pay the rest with any method youd like.
For all you dummies. The first scan is for admittance. The second scan at checkout is for transaction purposes. How many of you tried to return something and didn’t have your credit card or receipt? And then have the audacity to then say, “Well I’m a member here. Can’t you look it up with my membership?”
Sounds like it's a way for them to track which members are lending out their cards. If a card is scanned multiple times in a week or over a month, its very likely that its multiple people using the same membership. Just a thought
No, you scan your card at the door and your picture comes up for the attendant to match you with your picture. So no one is getting in without them being the member. This eliminates them having to check your picture on the back of your card at the self check out.
What's the point of being a member if they let anyone in. Do ya'll just walk into Goodlife flashing your card? No, you scan it at the door. Would you want a bunch of random ass people walking around your gym, using equipment for free, meanwhile you are paying $60/month to be there?
My wife normally goes to Costco with me. Today my whole family was sick with the flu except me. So I went with her card and got turned away. I had to get meds and items to make soup elsewhere to help my family. I don't think everyone would appreciate it if I just sent my sick wife into Costco.
@@pytube777 they are now, I ended up going to walmart since I was buying stuff for the costco member. I dont need anything costco sells. the prices are not much different from everywhere else lol
At our Costco cashier scans your card before starting to scan your purchases. Scanning before you get in does not make much sense if you can't buy without scanning.
As for buying anything? They check and scan your card at the register also. Sooooo, whats the purpose of the double scan then. They get all that info atcthe register.
Self checkout won't need someone to verify the picture on the card to make sure that you are the member. So they are just checking that you are the member one way or another.
The scanning is a massive bulk of data collections by tracking the members on how many minutes he stays in the box, by the time it enters the store and the time it check outs. In a heartbeat, Costco would willing to spend billions of dollars to switch the membership cards to biometric card membership by installing monitoring devices on every corner of the store, where it detects the location of the card and then send that data for collection purposes on that particular customer and send back to its device or mails on the items he/she looking for. Rather than servicing the customers to get in and out quickly without hassles, instead create a non-issue and use it for marketing/data collection purposes, to campaign its offering a safe place for shoppers.
don't worry it's just giving your personal information to potential chinese and japanese foreigners, ai technology who are wanting to regain lost revenue from their potential multi billion dollar investments, and whatever else 3rd party companies are wanting to use the data for. not counting security tracking measures, how you shop detaling exactly your exact approach in facial features and body movements, sounds and speech recognition. nothing to worry about.
@@luisfmc14 I am a member of Amazon. When I first joined it was just free 2 day shipping. Now there is streaming, music, home security, thermostats, and much more. All of that is for data. You signing up and giving Costco your name and phone number is not data. Now that you scan your card they know when you enter the store. When you check out they know how long it took you to shop. They can also place cameras in the store like Amazon and QT that track you to see what you looked at, but didn't buy. They have much more power with you scanning than just flashing.
They just started this here in AZ. I asked them what the scanners were for/how they worked. Was told it is to verify that it is your card and not a friend's. That owner's image is shown on the screen for, oh, I don't remember how many seconds. She was very adamant that no personal data was collected or stored. Yup, that's what she said... I think it could be both. Seems to me that the only extra data they could really gather is the date/time you came in and if you made any purchases, how long it took you. But there probably is some value in that information, both for Costco and whatever data broker they may sell it to. Cheers!
they should just copy what they do at military bases where there is a commissary or exchange, aka supermarket and store, and have sentries at the entrance to the parking lot with handheld scanners and scan once for the whole car. no valid card, refuse car entry.
I don't quite understand this though since you need a card to make the purchase at the check out stand.
Exactly
Right!!
The sole purpose for scanning the card at the door is data collection. Any other excuse they give is BS.
I'm sure the store would rather turn ineligible people away at the door than have to restock a full cart's worth of merchandise for someone turned away at the checkout. Just saying.
Exactly! Makes no sense. Also, when my husband and I go we have one card. How will that work with the new system?!??
I don’t think it’s a big issues since you already have to pull out your proof of membership at the door. I can’t help but wonder if they will use it for data collection purposes as well to see how long your in the store etc
Only problem, a human checks for validity, while a compute compiles data, which is then used for all kinds of nefarious purposes.
@@aa-hj2fdis it really nefarious to track how long people are in the store? I really can’t think of a nefarious reason to have people scan in.
@@aa-hj2fd Name the nefarious purposes
Data collection and is the sole purpose of scanning the card at the door.
What about people going in to buy alcohol and more importantly, prescriptions, who are allowed to do so without a membership?
Meh, one small inconvenience to keep non-members out. The food court got better (fewer people) since they started requiring membership to buy. Where else can you get such large Pizza and hot dog combo for such small cost? Costco truly values its members.
I'm very happy with this. I was absolutely appalled when I found out the food court allowed non members in. I realized that's why the food court was always so jammed pack.
Sounds like they want to keep out minorities
Costco pizza at food court tastes terrible.
@@tdhtran I respect your opinion, there are times when I can eat it but there are times when is just too greasy.
Sam's Club, that's where
For those of us who pay for our memberships and hate fighting crowds, this will be a good thing.
Costco will always have crowds and lines so this does nothing for that
Nice assumption that the people who shop their dont belong there. Never once had I experienced someone turned away or left a cart of groceries without paying
@@mcd4039It happens multiple times everyday...and in most of those cases, the fresh items have already been out of the fridge/freezer too long so they get thrown out. Then prices go up for everyone.
You don't make any sense, you need membership card at checkout.
It feels like this will make crowds worse. People are going to be fighting both inside the store and now while waiting outside.
Also they already check memberships at checkout and I don’t even care if people get in for free. That doesn’t affect me. This new scanning is just going to slow me down. That doesn’t sound good.
It’s good to know if I’m ever in a hurry, I can’t stop at Costco because I’ll have to wait in line like it’s a Taylor Swift concert just to get in.
The guy says it's to cut down on people shopping for free, but... you have to scan at checkout so that's B.S.
It doesn't save an employee, they still need the one human to make sure you actually scan and don't just walk by it.
Seems pointless to me.
Exactly!!! But I enjoyed he thought he could blow smoke up skirts and no one would notice
It's to try to stop freeloaders without an active membership from eating free samples all the time. There are some people that go to Costco at lunch every day for free food or cheap hot dogs and sodas. That's annoying for those that have paid! I don't know how many times I've seen whole families that snuck in at the Food Court causing backups for members. I think some stores are now requiring an active membership to buy at the food court. These people just need to buy a membership it's not that expensive especially if you eat there a lot . Definitely cheaper and better than a Fast Food stop.
Some people would use the emergency exits to shoplift. I've seen it happen before. They move their carts close to the exits and then grab their items and bolt out the door. This scanner is in place to mitigate that... or so I would think.
Costco makes its money on membership fees, not on sales. They keep their profits to 15% to provide value to the members.
Exactly
I’m fine with it. What I hate is when they try to upsell memberships during checkout. So annoying!
They only upsell you if it’s advantageous for you. Gotta get that executive membership
@@fatfatthewaterrat5010 It was not advantageous in my case. I did the calculations myself and it wasn't worth an upgrade. But they PUSHED and PUSHED and PUUUUSHHHHEEDDDD. I finally called and they removed me from their harassment list. Hasn't been a hustling attempt since!!
@@fatfatthewaterrat5010They should leave us alone with the membership we have. We know the difference between the 2.
If I wanted an executive membership, I’d just go up to the membership counter and get one. I don’t need to be asked EVERY SINGLE TIME I checkout.
I've never had anyone try an upsell with me.
First you get used to scanning you card. Then a camera will doing a face match against your id within a year.
@@rickv5833 that makes sense, unfortunately we have lost our ability to have certain rights anymore
Smart guy... already testing the next version of the scanner with a biometric camera.
We're losing all our privacy!!!! More scanners coming.
Ur not that interesting anyways so why are you tripping if someone has ur identity 😂
If only we had that for illegals.
They want people to buy their own membership instead of sharing family or friends like Netflix
Excalty
You can add a family member to your membership. For many that's a wife or husband. Having others added it is an affiliate add on and it will cost you a membership fee per person.
There's no real way of replacing an in-person attendant at the front door to verify customer membership. If they go, people will just walk right in whether or not there's a membership scan reader. One great example of eliminating an in-person verification is MUNI. When I took MUNI in the 80s and 90s, you had to enter through the front door and pay your fare in front of the bus driver or train operator to verify everyone paid to ride. Once MUNI pushed for the clipper card and allowed people to enter in the rear of the bus or train while confining drivers and operators to just doing that and not verifying payment, MUNI started seeing a huge reduction in revenue and is now in a massive deficit. So Costco is still going to need front door people.
Probably..because what if you walk pass the scanner unless there's a alarm..you are going to keep going.
They are not replacing the front door attendants. They are the ones that are verifying that the picture on the card that you scanned is you.
The Boston business professor said Costco doesn't want people to just enter the store. That Costco wants members to buy something. A member can still leave the store (exit only now) without buying something (what's next? Can't exit without a purchase receipt?). There's really no logic to the scanner because no one "just walking in" can buy anything without a membership card anyway. Is the scanner going to match up the person's face to the picture on the card, too? Not. That's still the job of the Costco employee at the entrance (there he is in his spot in this video). This scanner is some kind of business model for Costco and has nothing to do with the shopping experience of it's customers other than to frustrate. Because as we all know, cards and scanners can, and will be problematic at times.
They can't tell you the real reason 🤐 but what I can say is your data is more valuable to these big companies then you think....
Well, not everything requires a membership. Little known fact, by law, Costco can't require a membership for the Pharmacy or if the food court is not inside the building (There are quite a few locations where that's the case) .
@@3henry214 The self-service food court ordering machines require a membership card to pay for your items. Without a membership, you must go to the manned checkout line inside the store to order and pay for food court items.
Keep the rift raft out. Oh wait, I'm the rift raft. Hahaha.
🤣
Funny but it’s riffraff 😁💜
pay up
Hey you cat looks cool
Bye Felicia. 🤣
You can't pay for your stuff until they scan your card at the check out and verify you're an active member with your membership paid up.
Stop whining, it’s their store their rules! You don’t like it don’t shop there!
😂 good one brah
Or just get a memebership simple solution.
if I am paying to shop there then it should not be complicated, technology is only as good as the creators and it's obvious it's not that great but you are right for me it may be better if the lines are shorter.
@@rob8392 you sign a contract with them agreeing to their terms. It’s really that simple.
With your way of thinking i wouldn't be surprised if any store you ran had zero customers with that silly "my store my rules" theory you got. remember the mighty dollar belongs to the customer and you have to give them a reason to spend it with you and not the next shop. good luck going out of business.
It’s simple, be a member. I’m fine with it and most of the time when I go to Costco I’m in no rush to leave because I know I’m there getting a lot of stuff.
If you have a Costco cash card, you still can get in. Buying alcohol or medication in pharmacy. Also don’t require a membership.
Exactly, in my state if you sell alcohol you can't deny someone entry so what the hell is the point of this nonsense Costco is doing? My Sam's doesn't ask to see the card at all.
@@venom5809 my Sam’s started choking cards recently in so FL.
Waste of time
Yeah, but who's going to make sure you scan your card. They still need to have someone there. The only real thing that's happening is membership verification.
And having a digital record of every time a member enters a store.
They made a big deal out of it a few months back, people using someone else’s card, borrowing it. They will lose a lot of money by limiting use of the card. For one thing, its a great advertisement for occasional users to decide if they need to get their own card
So, people could shop w/o being members? How did that work? We always have to have a card to pay at the check out.
Instacart and such apps. People can go through them to get items delivered to their door without being a member. Sure a member has to get it, but they are doing so for a non-member. You can do the same at Sam’s club.
People, with valid membership cards, were letting their family or friends (without a Costco membership) use their card to get in & make purchases. . . For many years, I used to shop for my elderly mom @ Costco. . . I used her Costco card with her name & photo on it & her credit card with her name on it as well!! As long as the Costco Card was current & her credit card worked, no one ever stopped me or even cared. . .
C'mon Costco, you're raking in $4.6 BILLION in memberships alone & don't tell me you're not making any $$$ from the products you sell. . . Even if you're "losing" money on your $1.50 🌭 +🥤you got me in your store to spend $300💰 or more!
You just show your id walk through and scan the id card from your family member. I dont shop much so I wont be getting the membership as it does not save me anything. If anything, I can go with the person on the card and still get stuff without paying for the membership and split the bill.
Don’t they scan your membership card at checkout? Why twice?
some people just go in and fill up on free food samples and $1.50 hot dogs
@@cashrjr23its so people dont use other peoples cards so they have to buy their own individual membership
Self checkout is the reason for this crackdown. Bc since Covid and since self checkouts came into the store the card sharing has dramatically multiplied. That’s why you see people insisting to go to a long self checkout line instead of going to a human cashier with far fewer members in it.
In order to match the same face as a card folder. Lots of people use someone else's card, dad , mom, friend. It has to be the same person as cardholder to pay actually too
@@cashrjr23on a free spoon full of tuna 😂
They know who's in their store. This will cut down people (shoplifters) who never set foot inside.
no one is shoplifting bulk toiletpaper
I doubt any significant shoplifting goes on in Costco !! The scanner is just preparing for Communism !
If they sneak in, how did they pay for items?
I'm done with Costco. Wait in line to get in, muddle through the grazers, wait in line to give money, wait in line to exit, and now at every step be expected to prove you have paid for the right to shop there. I am sitting here post surgery, unable to walk much, discussing with my wife if we need anything from Costco soon. Ive had a card for years and weve never bothered to add her. Shes been turned away once when i was not there and we were both questioned like criminals when we split a trip at the register on another trip. Once after waiting for five minutes at the exit with zero movement, I skipped the line and left. I was all but tackled in the parking lot and accused of theft before I showed my $600 receipt. The first time I experience a delay in the door, Im throwing my card and walking away. We are now shopping our Costco staples with other providers, once those go away, Costco becomes a foul memory. STOP TAKING YOUR CUSTOMERS FOR GRANTED AT BEST AND TREATING THEM LIKE THIEVES AT WORST! Baaaaa goes the sheep in the rest of the comments.
I cancelled mine back in 2018. My husband and I were in a good ways when the front door employee flagged him down. She said he had to open his cellphone case to prove he wasn't carrying a gun. I was livid and was ready to cancel on the spot. The next day I called corporate to complain about the employee chasing us down. She said well if he had a gun, that would have traumatized the kids..He could have started shooting up the store. I told her that was the stupidest thing I had heard. If the employee had bothered to look she would have seen his cellphone was clearly visible their was no room for a gun. She could cancel my membership.
I'm with Sam's Club, love the scan & go feature. Don't need a card, just the app is all I need.
"so people just can't sort of sneak into the store and buy things" ... wtf lol we already have to scan our card at checkout so idk what he's even talking about like who even is this man 😂 god forbid people buy things lmao I gaurantee you the number of memberships will not increase like they think it will.
Edit: If I was borrowing someone else's card because I didnt want to pay a membership I certainly wouldn't just start paying for a membership now 😆
I got a refund for my membership. I felt like I was a thief the way they treat you and how they check your cart as you leave the store and go through your items was enough for me to just go to Walmart now.
@@kushking949if they check everyone’s receipt, are they really treating you like a criminal? Sam’s Club actually scans your receipt and a couple of items in the cart. It’s way more annoying. Also, doesn’t Walmart check receipts? I stopped shopping there when they eliminated most of their cashiers and have had people arrested because their self-checkout scanners malfunctioned.
If you like shopping at Walmart more than Costco, I think we’re all happy that you canceled your membership.
@@kushking949they check your cart to make sure you’re not getting charge for something that is not in the cart.
@@kushking949i feel you brother but Walmart checks your receipts too. I always blast past them when they hold their hands out at Walmart as if I'm going to voluntarily stop and get frisked after paying for all my goods. They got me twisted.
It's really to know who is in the store at what time so they can accurately keep track of us.
Who cares if they know I'm in their store. I shop and I leave.
even if you do get in the store without having a membership, you CANNOT actually buy anything because you are required to give the cashier your membership card at the checkout. the only thing you can buy is food from the food court area.
I think that people with a huge amount of items in their cart, with someone else's memberhip card, would cause a kerfuffle at checkout. Easier to scan at door to make sure that does not happen.
free samples
Need card at food court
Nobody can buy anything without having a card anyway! You have to have your card at checkout. They scan it at the register. Apparently they no longer want anyone who isn't a member coming in to look around the store to see if they might want to join. That's ridiculous. Another reason why I like Sam's better than Costco. Costco also won't take my Mastercard and Sam's will. Costco apparently has some exclusive deal with Visa that leaves out anybody who doesn't have a Visa card.
Deters shoplifters from entering.
@@GROGU123 Yeah, deters prospective members from entering as well. There are probably better ways to deter shoplifters.
@@mattbosley3531 No there’s not. Look at all the looters in the Bay Area. They have to put normal items behind a glass case on all their shelves now. Thats much worse than this.
it’s also about increasing membership. lots of people share the same accounts and are dependent on costco. you are only allowed two members per account.
The Costco Visa does not have an annual fee. You get varying rebates on everything you buy with the card. I get more back from the Visa card each year than I do with my Costco membership rebate. I use the Costco Visa card for everything I buy and I get hundreds of dollars back each year. I highly recommend it.
My Costco in La Habra ,CA. has two people with scanners on both sides of the entrance door and the process is very quick. If you're not a up to date paid member, then get one or get out. With 30 plus years as a member, we average about 57 visits a years and are happy customers. And those samples are a plus to shopping there, especially when many have prompted my wife and I to buy the product.
I’m not renewing my Costco membership. They no longer sell items that are not available at the same price somewhere else.
exactly and costco brands taste like ass now
I'm glad that there is still an employee standing there.
I fine with it. That will learn those people that leech off other people's cards
How? No one looked at the poor photo on the back of the card. No one asked for ID. Scanning the card is barely above flashing it to a human except now there will inevitably be a line. The only reason they want you to scan a card is data collection. I can easily think of a dozen ways to use that information.
Private business. Yawn
It's useful data too. The time people enter the store, how much time they spend in store etc.
I'm sure that is their main reason.
I wonder how enforceable it is. Some states won't let membership stores restrict alcohol sales to the the general public. And all states require these type of stores to sell prescriptions to everyone.
lol let’s create a new annoyance/problem to “solve” a nonexistent issue.
This
Exactly holding lines to enter🙄
Don’t shop there, it’s really that simple.
It’s a huge issue when people who don’t have a card are using other people’s cards. It’s very simple No card No Service
More like a data collection rather than security purpose or whatever marketing nonsense they're talking about.
Don’t you need a membership card first to be able to pay?
What if your card expires? Normally they just add it on checkout. What now?
What’s the point of scanning before you purchase? If you scan at the point of sale problem solved. I understand the theft aspect, but Costco doesn’t have widespread theft. Am I missing something?
People with any form of security details (understood that that is a small but very wealthy portion of Costco shoppers) will have their bodyguards not happy about their present location being in a hackable database.
Data
I’m all for it but will it keep non member shop lifters out?
Cool with scanning but just don't take away the self-check as rumored.
I can’t believe the only money they made is with the membership cards.😂
😂😅😂😂
80%.
Good. Between the membership fee and my Costco being at the outskirts of town away from other businesses, I don't have to deal with homeless drug addicts, shop lifters, or the class of people who leave the place trashed. They could do away with the free food samples though. I know what I need to buy before even going in, and despite them being fellow paying members, I don't like the type of crowd the free samples draw. They block the isle, take multiple samples pretending like they're serious considering purchasing the product, and half the time toss the empty cups or napkins on the floor.
Your a bit bitter but I lean that way also🇺🇸
Where the heck do you live that homeless people tear up your Costco??? That sounds pretty low brow 😂 I’m sorry!
Er you may want to find another Costco, that one may be the worst one in the country 😂
and what happens if i don’t scan?
There is still an employee at the door. You still have to scan your card at checkout. Every time I go, all but one checkout lane is open. I understand that they want to keep non members out, but this doesn’t cut down on employees at the door.
Some products in Costco is as expensive as any other store and they claim most the profit is from membership? Very fishy
Some products are even more expensive than at others stores.
Ruse
You can also use your Citi Bank Costco Credit card for entry scan.
Cut down on how many people get to checkout only to find their membership is expired.
When I get to checkout and my card is expired, the machine tells me and it renews right there with my payment. Card readers might catch it. If I get stopped at the door because of that, I'm just gonna turn around. Waste of time to stand in multiple lines when it only has to be one line for checkout.
Costco just screwed themselves by implementing scan membership. The reason is because those shoppers who refuse to buy a membership before will now take their business elsewhere. Costco still makes alot of money from actually selling the items in store, but now will see a major drop in sales due to those customers who refuse to buy membership. Therefore, prices will begin to increase afterwards.
"Durrr, this _seems_ logical in my little mind, so it must be fact." The company has repeatedly stated that it sells most products on miniscule margins and that the bulk of its annual profits (about 3/4) come from MEMBERSHIPS, which these clowns are effectively stealing, but hey, what do they know compared to the unassailable business acumen of @thuydoan7496?
Keeps the thieves out.
Next they will enforce how many guests you can bring in and you can’t get more than one free sample
During Covid restrictions they did have a rule that you can only come with one additional person. I loved it!
Maybe if covid is 2020 bad again they might limit the guest numbers but samples hardly dig into their bottom line.
Hyperbole
Id is racist remember
As long as they keep finding ways to keep the prices low, I'm in.
This may be a dumb question,,im not a Costco card holder,but does the card have your picture on it or something?? Facial recognition? If not,how will this stop someone from using a friend's card?do you have to show actual identification at check out or something??
I am a Costco member. I am fine with scanning my membership card, just like I think everybody should have a picture ID to vote in elections. What a novel idea!
Governments should make ID free then
@@oliver_3185 if you have a Drivers License that will work. If you need a State Issued I.D., how much does it cost? It can't be much. It's a small price to pay to make sure that you are a Citizen of the U.S.A. and that you are who you say you are when voting. Common sense. Now, watch how this blows up!
You pay a membership fee, you should be accepting of this.
If you don't like it try going to a grocery store.
Bacon -$7 a lb.
A loaf of bread $5
Ice cream$7 -1/5 gts.[if it gets smaller it will be on a stick]
actually everything is expensive.
No, I PAID. This is just one more of their insulting actions.
@@craigheise9764 I shop at Winco and the prices, there, are essentially the same. Slightly lower on eggs, milk, & chicken breasts.
They scan the card at checkout, no? Why also at the entrance?
My wife used to simply walk in and ignore the workers calling her to show the card. We left Costco because of all the checkpoints, treating us like criminals to weed out the real thieves.
yes same here I felt like I was a thief they way they treated my wife and me
Wah Wah waaah
It's to prevent people without membership to get to the checkout and be like "what I need a membership???".
Also avoids checking misuse of other people's membership card if the customer uses self-checkout.
Your feelings are hurt from that? Newsflash, they do that to everyone snowflake. Your wife is rude, you are a guest at Costco. When you agreed to membership you accepted their terms. With that kind of behavior maybe you are criminals.
It's a member's only store and you want them to remember you like you're some sort of distinguished customer HAHAHA!
What I would ask is if a person goes down there from Canada for example Would their Costco card work since there isn’t a barcode on our cards
Actually they should move it to the check stand right before you pay for your products , that’s where it will save time on the check out.
Yes but then if someone isn't valid, they've got a cart full of sh*t that someone has to put back.
A line walking in; a line paying, and a line leaving store. Be prepared to spend at least 3 hours...half that waiting, especially during holiday time
There are two figures to keep in mind -- $3,000 and $3,250. Based on the current cost of an Executive membership, it takes $3,000 in annual Costco spending to recoup the $60 upgrade fee, you have to spend 250 dollars every single month to make up for the fee, thats ridiculous.
How are you calculating that figure? Recouping the cost of membership is not just dependent on how much you buy to offset the cost of the membership with the cash back reward. It's also the amount you are saving by not buying somewhere else and paying a higher price, or getting a better value for what you get. Example, meat (beef). Three grades sold... prime, choice and select. Costco sell Choice, most supermarkets are selling the lower grade select for what you pay for choice grade at Costco.
If you drive a car in the Bay Area, you should already know how much more you save by 1) filling the tank up at Costco at a lower cost per gallon and 2) Getting 4% cash back with a Costco (Chase Visa) credit card... which is higher than the typical 2% cash back reward credit card.
The price per gallon at the Costco where I shop is usually at least 10 - 15 cents lower than the least expensive gas station in my area. And unlike the cheap "no name" gas at other stations, Costco gas meets the standards for getting the "top tier" rating, just like the much higher priced name brand gas (Chevron, Mobil, Shell).
My last annual Costco rewards check was over $200 ( about 70 - 80% from gas purchases), more than enough to justify the cost of membership.
You failed math spectacularly. Just on gas my Costco is 40 cents a gallon cheaper sometimes and my tank is 15 gallons so that's $6 saved just on one fill up. LOL
@@venom5809 bs
@@venom580920c cheaper. Buy glasses
Sam’s scan and go is a game changer.
Costco has always been slower with using the latest technologies. I'm sure they're working on it and watching how it all works out for Sam's.
You need to get scanned to get into Costco! But not at the border! WOW!
True. Got to have that valid id. So is Costco “racist”? 😂
@@frankieknuckles8160 or even to vote?
Why don't you go over to Mexico and then attempt to see if you can get back into the US using illegal methods and make a video telling us how easy it is. I highly suspect it''s not nearly as easy as you think it is. LOL
@@venom5809 I have, I need ID. But if your illegal you can come right over. Crazy right? LOL
@@frankieknuckles8160 By come right over, you mean face deportation and legal proceedings right? Because the lack of legal documents basically ensures legal issues and detention.
And if you're referring to those coming over illegal AND not getting caught by the USBP then yeh no shit you don't need an iD. Do you need an ID anywhere when sneaking in without detection?
I love this new scan in process
It takes longer because too many people wait until the last minute and then fish around in the bags for their cards.
means the lines will be shorter at the checkout stands...yes
Doubtful. Just went in middle of the week. Card scanners at the door. Before people were off work and kids still in school. Still packed and lines down past the candy and nut isles.
I'm okay with that!
Less to deal with thieves with more security. I agree to scan.
People really think it’s to check your membership 🤔 for one that’s true. Think about it!!! This will give Costco insights as far as how much time members spend and how much money😅 it will give statistics so they can move stuff around to maximize profits, so much info will collected as far as how members time behavior effects how much they spend, if they know exactly when you go in, what items you purchase and how much time you spent in the store.
It really speeds things up at the checkout line because there’s less people sharing memberships or having memberships that have an issue.
This best way Costco can sell memberships is to let everyone in so they can see if the membership is worth buying. Anyone that wants to come in can look at the prices and types of products they have. Restricting access will not increase memberships it will just slow entry to the store down.
Yes but just by scanning they will know that I’m the membership holder? How?
there is this thing called a spreasheet or database which has a list of members when they scan it, it pulls in the information from the system and shows data such as when you first became a member, whether your memberhip expired, etc.
Why don't they change the card to have a much better and bigger pic first if all. And maybe i just don;t understand, you may be able to get in but you will be checked right at the checkout before you can purchase anything. I don't get the point of it????
I still dont get whats so good about costco. Everything is negative about it to me. Too crowded, limited selection, have to pay membership.
The prices. Costco limits its profits to 15%, pays its employees well, and is always looking for ways to better serve its customers.
@@willieverusethispizzas are 300% markup
My only problem with this is when there are a bunch of people trying to get in, there's a line at the door.
Not sure what stops Costco from installing a second scanner. Each can be installed at each side of the entrance.
No card scanners at the entrance to my local Costco (Leesburg VA). The thing is, the membership should automatically include one’s spouse or domestic partner plus one additional family member.
I have never been to a Costco but I am assuming it is like Sam's Club. At Sam's Club, you have to show your membership card when you enter and you have to scan your membership card when you check out. Do you not have to scan your membership card at the register at Costco to check out?
I love it! But then again, I’m in favor in showing your ID to vote as well!
I love the scan. Go Costco!
Yes. It scans quickly. Their scanner works quickly. Good scanner and network.
The next step would be mandatory shopper vests with numbers on it given to customers at entry points.
I absolutely love this system. They have these at the new Costco in Rocklin
PRO TIP:
Obtain a gift card. Even if you dont have a membership, and even if its only worth $1. Not only do they have to let you in, but you can just use that "$1" and pay the rest with any method youd like.
This reminds me of the chip thingy that doom day shows talk about for the future.
Its in Santa Clarita as well. Its a interesting change.
How are you suppose to get in to get a membership if you don’t have one?
You’re allowed into membership, returns, and tires without showing an ID.
I hope they do this on the east coast!! I pay a lot of money for my membership!!
$50? 😂, I’m glad it’s here but tf
She's passed away now but I used to take my elderly aunt shopping. Later when she was sick, I would shop for her.
Buy a membership
You can't check out without scanning your card at the register.
The funny thing is that each machine is worked by an associate, so no it was not to limit the amount of associates at the door
For all you dummies. The first scan is for admittance. The second scan at checkout is for transaction purposes. How many of you tried to return something and didn’t have your credit card or receipt? And then have the audacity to then say, “Well I’m a member here. Can’t you look it up with my membership?”
No problem scanning the card....as long as the reader is working.
Sounds like it's a way for them to track which members are lending out their cards. If a card is scanned multiple times in a week or over a month, its very likely that its multiple people using the same membership. Just a thought
No, you scan your card at the door and your picture comes up for the attendant to match you with your picture. So no one is getting in without them being the member. This eliminates them having to check your picture on the back of your card at the self check out.
What's the point of being a member if they let anyone in. Do ya'll just walk into Goodlife flashing your card? No, you scan it at the door. Would you want a bunch of random ass people walking around your gym, using equipment for free, meanwhile you are paying $60/month to be there?
My wife normally goes to Costco with me. Today my whole family was sick with the flu except me. So I went with her card and got turned away. I had to get meds and items to make soup elsewhere to help my family. I don't think everyone would appreciate it if I just sent my sick wife into Costco.
You could still use other people's membership for online purchases.
You can use other’s card to enter too. They’re not checking pictures.
@@pytube777 they are now, I ended up going to walmart since I was buying stuff for the costco member. I dont need anything costco sells. the prices are not much different from everywhere else lol
@@pytube777 maybe if you say why are you questioning my identity. im transgender, etc. you can probs finese your way in.
At our Costco cashier scans your card before starting to scan your purchases. Scanning before you get in does not make much sense if you can't buy without scanning.
As for buying anything? They check and scan your card at the register also. Sooooo, whats the purpose of the double scan then. They get all that info atcthe register.
Self checkout won't need someone to verify the picture on the card to make sure that you are the member. So they are just checking that you are the member one way or another.
I’m all for it. Why should members pay $65-$130 annually for membership while others don’t pay that yet enjoy the perks of membership. I love Costco.
Costco makes over 70% of all annual profit on the membership card. That's pure profit, not a single item to stock, vendor to pay or sale to process.
Will they stop asking to see my card (3 times) inside the store while shopping now?
The scanning is a massive bulk of data collections by tracking the members on how many minutes he stays in the box, by the time it enters the store and the time it check outs.
In a heartbeat, Costco would willing to spend billions of dollars to switch the membership cards to biometric card membership by installing monitoring devices on every corner of the store, where it detects the location of the card and then send that data for collection purposes on that particular customer and send back to its device or mails on the items he/she looking for.
Rather than servicing the customers to get in and out quickly without hassles, instead create a non-issue and use it for marketing/data collection purposes, to campaign its offering a safe place for shoppers.
In combination with CBDC, welcome you are in China! BS!
At mine im able to slip in through the exit pretend im going to the return desk. Theres always a way
It's gathering data, not enforcing rules.
They already have your data since you're a member...
don't worry it's just giving your personal information to potential chinese and japanese foreigners, ai technology who are wanting to regain lost revenue from their potential multi billion dollar investments, and whatever else 3rd party companies are wanting to use the data for. not counting security tracking measures, how you shop detaling exactly your exact approach in facial features and body movements, sounds and speech recognition. nothing to worry about.
@@luisfmc14I totally agree with you 100%!!!!.
@@luisfmc14 I am a member of Amazon. When I first joined it was just free 2 day shipping. Now there is streaming, music, home security, thermostats, and much more. All of that is for data. You signing up and giving Costco your name and phone number is not data. Now that you scan your card they know when you enter the store. When you check out they know how long it took you to shop. They can also place cameras in the store like Amazon and QT that track you to see what you looked at, but didn't buy. They have much more power with you scanning than just flashing.
They just started this here in AZ. I asked them what the scanners were for/how they worked. Was told it is to verify that it is your card and not a friend's. That owner's image is shown on the screen for, oh, I don't remember how many seconds. She was very adamant that no personal data was collected or stored. Yup, that's what she said...
I think it could be both. Seems to me that the only extra data they could really gather is the date/time you came in and if you made any purchases, how long it took you. But there probably is some value in that information, both for Costco and whatever data broker they may sell it to. Cheers!
You have to show your card at checkout, so my guess is they are concerned about people shoplifting.
Nobody see me shopping in cosco
they should just copy what they do at military bases where there is a commissary or exchange, aka supermarket and store, and have sentries at the entrance to the parking lot with handheld scanners and scan once for the whole car. no valid card, refuse car entry.
Wait. How is this freeing up an employee? Isn't there an emplyoyee standing by the machine checking to ensure if patrons scan their card?