Costco Wholesale — Local services in Mooresville

Hey Kevin (Supervisor on duty on 7/14 12pm), I asked you to remember our conversation the next time this opportunity finds you.

And Steven (Checkout attendant on duty 7/14 12pm), OF COURSE the customer is going to get defensive when they feel incorrectly targeted - the checkout line is not the time/place to decide to enforce a photo ID verification.

Dear reader,

Today I drove to Costco, and like every visit, I went to the gas line first. Did they ask to verify my photo on the membership card then? No.

Afterward, I walked through the front door and Did they ask to verify my photo on the membership card? No.

I spent over an hour shopping and had a cart that amounted to close to $200.

I passed my card over to the assistant and held out the the membership, as I always did, for the cashier to scan.

Then, Steven took a close look at the photo (we all know how small and grainy they are) and asked "is that you?"

I thought he was making small talk, so I said "No that's my partner." He then proceeded to educate me:

"Oh I can't check you out. We can't allow this unless you're on the account."

I said "I've been doing this for years and I've never had this issue"

Steven "I understand, during COVID, Costco was lax on the membership ID"

"I've been shopping for our household since 2018."

He then called for a supervisor. (Enters Kevin)

Kevin took my card and walked away. During this time, Steven proceeded to tell me that he was from San Francisco and a 49er fan and thanked me for understanding why he had to call a supervisor.

Kevin came back and asked me the name on the card, and I said my partner's name "D* J*."

Kevin: "If she's not here, we cannot let you pay for the merchandise. During COVID, Costco was lax on the membership ID. Right now we are running a special, $60 membership.."

I sympathized with his role, but I proposed logic too.

"Kevin, I spent almost 2 hours shopping, I have been doing this since 2018, I hear you, but the PROPER thing to do is let me pay for my items and let me decide when to enroll. I was under the impression of 'the same household, same membership'"

Kevin: "You must have gotten away with it"

I pleaded with him to let me leave with my items.

His last words were "I would have to take your word for it" when I reiterated how I purchased here many times. I had finally said " I can show you my bank statements" but he walked away.

I have been the primary shopper of our household since 2018, when my partner and I first started living together, including shopping for the primary ID holder, her mom. Not once have I ever been subjected to this enforcement.

Here's the thing: I understand. I sell for a living and I sell for a large corporation. There are rules in place to ensure profit.

Here's the caveat: Kevin had the audacity to sell me a $60 membership, when I had close to $200 in my cart? I was not prepared to pay for that additional cost, but I would have in the near future.

Here's the principle: You have a person who has spent at least $10,000 during their lifetime as a paying customer, but you chose 7/14/24 to -not only- educate policy and enforce policy, but also embarrass them..

Because this was done at the checkout line.

Did they care if it was my face on the membership card when I spent $1500 on a couch earlier this year?

Or how about at the gas pump an hour before?

Or when I walked through the doors?

All I can say to the readers is - If this is you, if you are a potential fit for this treatment, save yourself the harassment.

Yes, I am visibly a queer POC.

Member ID:...

COSTCO Tire Quick summary: if you’re even suspecting quick or uneven wear, start documenting now. Get an alignment check and get a mechanic to say there are no mechanical issues. Costco is a little cheaper on tires but it isn’t worth the long term cost. PLUS - most places will price match. So, you get the Costco price and the convenience of a shop. Costco doesn’t stand behind their product and they don’t provide wear and repair recommendations like a true mechanic would. The techs are quick to admit that they are not mechanics. Find a mechanic you trust that offers the same free rotation and balancing that Costco does. I can assure you it will save you time, hassle, and money in the long run.

More detail: Same experience as Viren on the Costco Tire link (you have to specifically search for the tire department to see their reviews on Google, they are separate from the store). I have lifetime alignment through Firestone. Get it done religiously. Replace struts and shocks every 75-85k. Have all maintenance documentation from the day my car rolled off the lot. Tires purchased here have 55k warranty but terrible reviews for wear online (bought them when they were a new line so didn’t have the benefit of that at time of purchase). After about 12 months and 13k miles, Costco stated they would no longer rotate due to too much wear. But you can’t claim the tire wear until they get to 3/32. Come back at 18 months (when three of the tires were at 3 or less). Now Costco says I can’t claim because of uneven wear due to (what they claim) is a mechanical issue. The two front tires were approx 2 and 3. The two rears were 3 and 5. There is no mechanical issue that would cause the rear tires (which couldn’t be rotated) to wear that unevenly with no cupping or grooving. The tires wore unevenly because they refused to rotate after 1/5th of their expected life but wouldn’t allow a mileage claim until 3 - essentially they created a problem they knew they wouldn’t warranty. I’m not blaming them for quickly worn tires- that’s a manufacturer problem. But they make no effort to help you with the claim and even hinder your claim by accelerating uneven wear - but they are very quick to use it as a selling point for new tires. Said they would call before putting the new tires on to discuss options. Luckily for them they didn’t because I would have refused to do business with them. Will not bring any of my three vehicles back again and cancelled my Costco membership effective next month (tires were a big selling point for the membership for me since I have 3 cars). Would have been satisfied with a $200 credit (1/5 the cost of the tires) but instead they lost thousands in business.

For those that are first timers to Costco, they only offer Tires, mounting and balancing. No alignment even. So you’ll have to go somewhere else for your alignments, annual inspections, etc. I found Firestone was only slightly more expensive on tires (about $180 more out the door for my passenger car). But, in less than a year, if you’re good about maintenance schedules like me, you’ll find that $180 is more than made up in the hassle of multiple appointments at different places. Plus, every time I go to Firestone, even for a free alignment check only, they check my whole car, top up my fluids, etc. Once you add the membership fee to Costco, you’re losing money on the deal anyways. In theory, Costco has to be more competitive in customer service to make up for the numbers. This was true when I first started using them but it just isn’t true anymore. Save yourself the time and hassle. Find a good shop that will do it...

Subject: Formal Complaint Regarding Racial Profiling and Discrimination at Costco Mooresville Location

Dear Costco Corporate Team,

I am writing to formally address an incident of racial profiling and discrimination I experienced while checking out on October 29, 2024, at your Mooresville, NC location (329 Talbert Rd, Mooresville, NC 28117) around 3:46 PM. My receipt number is 21133300802252410291446, through terminal 8, transaction number 225, operator 257.

During this visit, I presented my Costco membership card via the Costco app on my phone to an employee named @lex (OPT: 247), a male. Rather than simply scanning my membership, @lex scrutinized my photo and then questioned me in a manner I found intrusive and inappropriate, asking if I had “lost a bunch of weight” or “had surgery.” @lex then demanded that I provide a physical card or a government-issued photo ID, even though two white customers in front of me were not asked for further verification or questioned about their appearance.

When I inquired if I was being questioned due to my race, @lex stated that this was “Costco policy” because my membership “did not look like” me. When I expressed my concerns, @lex warned that I could be banned from Costco if I didn’t provide additional identification, which I then did to complete my transaction. The interaction left me feeling humiliated, ostracized, and unfairly profiled.

I spoke with two managers, one named @nt0nio, at the Mooresville location immediately afterward, and was initially told they would address the incident, though I did not feel reassured. When I researched Costco’s membership policy upon returning home, I found that my app membership display, which included my name, photo, and membership number, meets Costco's criteria per its membership terms and conditions. Nothing in the policy supported the level of scrutiny I experienced.

On October 30, 2024, Alex called to issue an “apology” around 2:26 PM from 980-447-9757. His apology felt insincere and dismissive, as he began with, “If you felt offended, I apologize,” followed by laughter and a statement that he “didn’t want to make it racial.” This response only reinforced my belief that the incident was not being treated with the seriousness it deserves. A follow-up call with the manager at 2:45 PM did little to address my concerns beyond promising to reinforce Costco’s policy.

As a regular Costco shopper, I find this experience unacceptable. Being racially profiled, humiliated in public, and receiving no substantial response from management left me deeply disappointed and emotionally distressed to the degree that I experienced racial trauma. This interaction not only impacted my perception of your company but also questioned the inclusivity and respect that Costco should extend to all members.

I request that Costco Corporate investigate this incident thoroughly and respond with an appropriate resolution. I hope this serves as an opportunity for Costco to train its employees to handle such situations with greater awareness, sensitivity, and...