I get very cross at the requirements for membership to Costco. I hear so many people talk about shopping there and the bargains they get and yet here I am, desperate to join but I don't qualify Why do they put stipulations on who can join?

What are the requirements?

From the Costco website (which you can buy from without being a member, but you are charged 5% more)

Qualified as:

Chartered Architect Optician Pharmacist
Chartered Surveyor Qualified Accountant Solicitor/Barrister
Dentist Magistrate/Advocate Chartered/Civil Engineer

Current or retired employee of:

Banking/Finance Civil Servant Education Fire/Rescue Insurance
Local Government Airline Post Office Police Force Medical/Health Service

From the Costco website at www.costco.co.uk:-



As for their reasons, I couldn't say, except that it's not a "normal" retail outlet, it's more like a wholesale warehouse with extended membership. As such, it's up to them who they chose to offer membership to.

Do you know anyone who has Costco membership? Members are allowed to take up to 2 guests with them, so that may be an option for you

i have a costco membership and i can have friends on there they just pay a fee for their card (15) i think, and can go when they please, im not sure when mine runs out i think its november, if your really desperate to shop there you can give me the money and i will register a card for you, but honestly your not missing much, it certainly isnt cheaper unless your buying in bulk, we get our tellys from there cos of the 5yr guarentee,

Just take 2 utility bills and proof of id, passport, driving license etc and join up I never met any of there requirements but they let me join

Elizabeth. Your profile states you are in 'Banking' therefore you qualify for a Costco membership.

Never found them to be that cheap anyway except maybe for food platters and danish pastries. They sell things in odd size packaging so its not so easy to compare prices.

I worked for a bank when I lived in USA, now that I've returned to UK I'm no longer employed in the banking field.

I must change my profile

I might try that and see what happens. If all else fails I might take up MadgetheQueen's kind offer

no probs just message me

So,its the rich c***s again- getting it all on the cheap? FFS

Beautiful smelling and feeling Body Butters too....

There has to be ONE perk of working, right?

I love a Costco.

Bought the other half some jewellery for Xmas from there.

Keeps the riff raff out, I'd like to see it in more places, tesco sainsburys etc.

I'm looking forward to us getting a Waitrose around here.

There is always M&S Food in Heswall. Whilst the great unwashed are technically permitted into the store, you won't see them clambering to bulk buy all the cut price own brand beans because they are 3p instead if 5p! Haha.

so being in poverty is funny is it ?

Well said egg and chips.disgusting post by Emeeh.

Hardly - if you look at the list, it doesn't specify what job someone does in those particular organisations, so you could have (for example) a single mum doing a few hours working part time as a domestic on a Band 1 salary in the NHS, they'd still qualify as they work in the health care sector. Just one example, obviously there are lots more, which will definitly include people on minimum wage. So not exactly rich!

Of course there will be people who use Costco who are well off - you only have to look at the prices of some of their higher end lines to see that - but that doesn't mean we all are! However I suspect that it's profit from the high value lines (along with the no-frills warehouse premises and minimum staffing levels etc) that make the business model work, and effectively subsidise the more mundane day to day stuff.

I was a member a few years ago and shared the annual fee of £30ish between me, my mother and my sister in law. Even only paying £10 per year each it wasn't really worth it. I found it normally a bit more expensive than anywhere else but they had some lovely things such as their hot rotisserie barbecue ribs which fell off the bone, pizza and Danish pastries. Would recommend finding someone with a card and going with them every now and then.

Well I'm on the list and consider myself FAR from rich !!
In fact I'd be in the queue fighting for the reduced price beans with the unwashed !!

i go there all the time, i joined when i was a volunteer with the NHS and have had my membership for about 3-4 years now... it's not FULL of bargains but some things in there are definitely worth the £30 a year membership... the meat they have is nice, washing up powder etc works out good value and so do the sweets at this time of year when buying for others, but things like alcohol and cigarettes are probably cheaper in places like bargain booze and asda

Well, I went there today with just a utility bill and my ID and still I couldn't get membership, however the girl at the customer service desk did say that if I could bring a pay stub from my previous job when I worked for a bank, she would happily sign me up. I'll go again tomorrow with the necessary paperwork and will hopefully get my card.

Toilet roll on offer works out about 24 pence a roll. Plus on the way out you can get a hot dog and a drink for 1.50 I love it me

It is when the guys I've seen doing the above smoke 20 a day and have Sky TV.

Emeeh if you know they have sky tv and smoke 20 a day I can only imagine you know these people personally, so I think maybe you should tell them !

i DONT smoke i DONT have sky, but tell me when the beans are 3p a tin and i'll be there.......

Costco can be as good as anywhere, if you want to buy big sometimes it's worth it. There is normally someone you know who has a card, get them to take you with them.

Im amazed that a business in this day and age can dictate who joins up with them based on stupid arbitrary reasons. I bet they would add "no blacks, gays or riff raff" to the list if they could get away with it.

Hooray I went today with a paystub from my previous job showing that I had worked in a bank (the customer service girl said it was fine, she knew I didn't work there now) So I am now a member of what was the elusive Costco.

I bought a few things, and now we won't need toilet paper for ages and have enough washing powder to last a very long time too.

lmao, glad you managed to get in `the club`

Me too, though I'll probably never go again I just wanted to belong and it became a matter of principle in the end !

The full name of the company is Costco Wholesale, the clue is in the name, it is a wholesaler or what some businesses call a "cash & carry" they are not a retail outlet. There are many other wholesalers in the UK who have stricter membership rules to keep out the "riff raff", Costco Wholesale have just extended their eligibility to include limited individual membership as well as trade membership. It is not a supermarket to do your weekly food shop at, unless you normally buy your food in bulk on trays or by the pallet load.
Maybe Makro or Booker should start relaxing their membership rules to compete with Costco.

I used to have a card, but found there wasn't much I wanted to buy. Nor was it much cheaper if at all, and you had to buy in bulk which means you have to store tons of the stuff. Unless you live nearby, the cost of driving to one is more than you'll save these days anyway, and as a shopping experience it is pretty unpleasant too.

Aldi and Lidl are much better bets, and you can buy as much or as as little as you want without financial penalty.