Getting kicked out of Costco isn’t just about losing access to bulk toilet paper and $1.50 hot dogs. When the warehouse giant decides to cancel your membership, they’re essentially banning you from one of America’s most popular shopping destinations. With over 132 million cardholders nationwide, Costco takes its membership rules seriously, and breaking them can result in permanent consequences that affect your entire household.
Returning too many items raises red flags
Costco’s return policy seems almost too good to be true – return anything, anytime, for almost any reason. Many shoppers take this as an invitation to treat the store like a rental service, but that’s a dangerous game. The company tracks every single return tied to your membership number, and when the pattern becomes excessive, managers start paying attention. What counts as excessive isn’t officially defined, leaving the decision up to individual store managers who evaluate each case separately.
The line between reasonable and abusive returns often comes down to common sense. Returning a shirt that doesn’t fit or food that spoiled quickly makes perfect sense. However, bringing back a six-year-old sweatshirt with holes or returning expensive electronics right after major events like the Super Bowl suggests you’re gaming the system. Former customers have reported losing their memberships specifically for this behavior, so think twice before making that questionable return.
Sharing your membership card breaks the rules
Costco memberships aren’t Netflix passwords – you can’t just hand them out to friends and family members outside your household. The company has cracked down hard on membership sharing, implementing new policies that require card scanning at store entrances and photo ID checks. Each membership comes with one free household card, but that’s where the sharing stops. Your college roommate, your neighbor, or your coworker can’t use your card to shop, even if you trust them completely.
The new enforcement measures make sharing memberships much riskier than before. Store employees now actively monitor who’s using cards and can flag suspicious activity immediately. If someone else gets caught using your membership, both of you could face consequences. The only legitimate way for non-members to shop is when accompanied by you as the cardholder, and even then, you must be the one making all purchases at checkout.
Skipping the receipt check creates problems
That person checking receipts at the exit isn’t just going through the motions – they’re performing a required membership condition that you agreed to when signing up. Some shoppers get frustrated with the process, especially during busy periods, and try to walk past without stopping. This seemingly minor act of rebellion can actually put your membership at risk because Costco considers receipt checking essential for preventing theft and ensuring accuracy.
Refusing to participate in the receipt check process violates store policies that members must follow. The company views this as a breach of the membership agreement, not just a minor inconvenience you can ignore. While one instance might result in a warning, repeatedly refusing to show your receipt demonstrates a pattern of non-compliance that managers take seriously. The few seconds saved aren’t worth risking your entire membership over.
Bringing unauthorized guests exceeds limits
Costco shopping trips aren’t group outings, and there are specific limits on how many people can accompany you. Members can bring their children plus up to two guests per visit, but exceeding this limit violates membership terms. Some shoppers don’t realize that bringing extended family gatherings or friend groups into the store creates problems, especially when multiple unauthorized guests start wandering around independently or attempting to make purchases.
The guest policy exists for practical reasons – too many people create crowding issues and complicate the checkout process. When groups exceed the allowed size, store employees have to intervene, which can escalate into policy violations. Consistently bringing too many people signals that you don’t respect membership rules, and managers may decide to revoke your privileges rather than deal with ongoing compliance issues. Planning ahead and limiting your shopping party prevents these problems entirely.
Theft results in immediate membership termination
Getting caught stealing at Costco doesn’t just mean legal trouble – it guarantees the immediate cancellation of your membership with no chance for appeal. The company has zero tolerance for theft, whether it’s intentionally concealing items, eating food samples excessively, or “forgetting” items in your cart. Security cameras throughout the store monitor everything, and loss prevention staff are trained to spot suspicious behavior quickly.
Even minor theft incidents result in permanent bans because Costco considers any stealing a serious violation of trust. The membership model depends on maintaining low prices through minimal shrinkage, so the company protects its bottom line aggressively. Once you’re caught stealing, your membership gets canceled immediately, your information goes into their system permanently, and you can never rejoin. The consequences extend far beyond the value of whatever you attempted to take.
Disruptive behavior gets you banned quickly
Costco stores can be stressful places with long lines, crowded aisles, and limited parking, but taking out your frustration on employees or other shoppers crosses a line that leads to membership cancellation. Harassment, aggressive behavior, or creating disturbances disrupts the shopping experience for everyone and violates the respectful environment Costco tries to maintain. Store managers have broad authority to remove disruptive members permanently.
What constitutes disruptive behavior includes more than just obvious incidents like yelling or physical confrontations. Repeatedly arguing with staff, making unreasonable demands, or treating employees poorly can accumulate into a pattern that justifies membership termination. The company prioritizes creating a positive environment for both customers and workers, so they won’t hesitate to remove members who consistently cause problems. Maintaining basic courtesy and patience protects your membership and makes shopping better for everyone.
Ignoring store safety policies causes issues
Safety violations might seem minor, but Costco takes them seriously enough to cancel memberships over repeated infractions. Bringing weapons into the store, ignoring posted safety signs, or allowing children to behave dangerously puts other shoppers at risk and creates liability issues. The company maintains strict safety standards to protect everyone, and members who consistently ignore these rules face consequences.
Even bringing unauthorized animals into the store counts as a policy violation that can lead to membership issues. Service animals are welcome, but pets are not allowed inside for health and safety reasons. Other safety-related problems include blocking emergency exits with carts, misusing equipment, or creating hazards that could cause accidents. While one incident might result in a warning, establishing a pattern of ignoring safety rules demonstrates the kind of disregard that leads to membership termination.
Using fraudulent payment methods ends memberships
Payment fraud doesn’t just mean using stolen credit cards – it includes any deceptive payment practices that cost Costco money or create administrative headaches. Using cards that repeatedly get declined, disputing legitimate charges through your bank, or attempting to manipulate payment systems all constitute fraud that can result in immediate membership cancellation. The company tracks payment patterns carefully and flags suspicious activity quickly.
Even attempting to game cashback systems or exploiting payment processing errors falls into the fraud category. Costco’s payment processing systems detect unusual patterns, and their accounting department investigates discrepancies thoroughly. Once they determine fraudulent intent, membership cancellation follows immediately. The financial damage from payment fraud often exceeds the membership fees involved, making this one of the fastest ways to lose your Costco privileges permanently.
Costco reserves the right to cancel anytime
The most important thing to understand about Costco memberships is that they’re privileges, not rights. The company explicitly states that it can refuse, decline, or cancel any membership at any time for any reason. This broad authority means that even borderline behavior or accumulating minor infractions can result in termination if managers decide you’re more trouble than you’re worth as a customer.
This policy gives Costco maximum flexibility to protect their business model and maintain the shopping environment they want. While most cancellations happen for clear policy violations, the company doesn’t need to justify their decisions or provide appeals processes. Understanding this helps put all the other rules into perspective – Costco holds all the cards, and maintaining your membership means consistently following their terms without pushing boundaries or testing their patience.
Protecting your Costco membership comes down to following basic rules and treating the privilege with respect. The benefits of bulk shopping and exclusive deals are worth maintaining, but only if you avoid the behaviors that put memberships at risk. Remember that Costco’s business model depends on satisfied, rule-following members, so staying in their good graces ensures continued access to everything the warehouse has to offer.
