Costco App for iOS Now Supports Digital Membership Cards, Allowing for Wallet-Free Shopping Trips

[dona83]

I feel like I should take credit for this, I posted a review of the Costco app on the App Store asking for digital membership cards just a week prior.

But still need physical card for gas pumps?

If you show the attendant your card, they'll scan it for you. That's what I did with temporary paper memberships before and I imagine they'll do the same with digital membership cards.

 

[Westside guy]

When using the Costco visa, do you still need to scan the membership card first, or is the tap good enough to register that you're a member? I was thinking about applying for this for this reason alone, but I guess point is moot now with this app.

No, the card doesn't need to get scanned at all - at least at my local Costco. They're just looking at the picture now, so I'll be surprised if they actually scan the QR code (the purpose of which I did misunderstand until your previous post)

However one thing I forgot is the cashier also looks at the Costco card to verify you're a member. That means now I'll have to pull my phone out twice - when I walk in, and when I check out. But since I'm already doing with the physical card, it's not changing the level of inconvenience.

Bottom line: Now I can carry one less physical card. Unless I also need gas.

 

[cerote]

No as Costco does not accept MasterCards in any form. Even a debit MasterCard won't work in Apple Pay because Apple Pay at Costco runs everything as credit.

Well thats still a bummer then.

 

[Unity451]

Trash. You can’t add it to the Wallet app. No Scan & Go features. Dated app.

It's a step in the right direction. Frankly, any app that lets me eliminate a card from my physical wallet is a win!

 

[konqerror]

If you have seen how Panera implements this then you know it can be done, and Panera even has it setup that it automatically pulls up the rewards card when you go to pay. This should be forced on developers when submitting these category apps.

Walgreens does it via contactless too. One issue is that it's through the NFC VAS standard, which uses public key encryption to verify both sides. That's good, but it requires quite complex processing and backend systems, versus a barcode of an ID number.

 

[jasheeky]

Lousiana has them. I don't live there, but if you know anyone who does, have them download the app "LAWallet" it has been officially issued by the state, and valid anywhere that accepts a valid LA ID, including police. And to quash fears, police don't touch your phone, they just scan it with a device.
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For now, they have the QR code scanners, and the NFC readers needed for both the Costco Card app, and the Apple Pay cards.

So you have to keep your unlocked phone within snatching distance of a police officer? No thanks.

 

[Westside guy]

If they accept ApplePay does that mean I can add my compatible MasterCard to ApplePay and use it or is there still sort of restriction on using MasterCard cards?

The only credit card you can use at Costco is specifically the Costco Visa. Other than that, you're limited to debit cards.

Back when the Costco card was affiliated with American Express, I was able to use both Visa and Mastercard branded debit cards (my bank switched from one to the other)... so I'd expect that to still be true. But nowadays I just use the Costco Visa and just make sure I pay it off every month, since their interest rates are stupidly high.

 

[dontwalkhand]

So you have to keep your unlocked phone within snatching distance of a police officer? No thanks.

Every time I handed a police officer my iPhone for my car insurance, they looked at it and handed it back to me. The ID would theoretically be better, as it is scanned, rather than them touching the phone. Even if you're weary of this, keep the physical ID in your car for this, and use the digital ID in stores and bars.
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The only credit card you can use at Costco is specifically the Costco Visa. Other than that, you're limited to debit cards.

Back when the Costco card was affiliated with American Express, I was able to use both Visa and Mastercard branded debit cards (my bank switched from one to the other)... so I'd expect that to still be true. But nowadays I just use the Costco Visa and just make sure I pay it off every month, since their interest rates are stupidly high.

This.

Though Costco accepts MasterCard branded debit cards, a Mastercard debit card inside of Apple Pay will still not work, as Apple Pay forces everything through as "credit" which the card reader picks it up as a MasterCard credit card, and declines it. A visa debit will work just fine however.

 

[cannono]

The only credit card you can use at Costco is specifically the Costco Visa. Other than that, you're limited to debit cards.

Back when the Costco card was affiliated with American Express, I was able to use both Visa and Mastercard branded debit cards (my bank switched from one to the other)... so I'd expect that to still be true. But nowadays I just use the Costco Visa and just make sure I pay it off every month, since their interest rates are stupidly high.

I’m confused by what you mean in the first sentence. I don’t have the Costco Visa and I use credit cards at Costco all the time.

 

[MrZippyUK]

Doesn’t Costco accept Apple Pay?

I was travelling in the US last November and purchased an Apple Watch for $244 and paid by Apple Pay.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Doesn’t Costco accept Apple Pay?

I was travelling in the US last November and purchased an Apple Watch for $244 and paid by Apple Pay.

Yes they do. This is for the membership card itself, not for payment. You would still pay for your stuff with Apple Pay.
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I’m confused by what you mean in the first sentence. I don’t have the Costco Visa and I use credit cards at Costco all the time.

They accept Visa credit cards. No MasterCards, no American Express, no Discover.

Part of the reason you also can't use Apple Pay Cash at Costco, is its a Discover Card. And the whole non visa debit through Apple Pay not working thing as I have said above.

 

[MrZippyUK]

Yes they do. This is for the membership card itself, not for payment. You would still pay for your stuff with Apple Pay
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They accept Visa credit cards. No MasterCards, no American Express, no Discover.

Part of the reason you also can't use Apple Pay Cash at Costco, is its a Discover Card. And the whole non visa debit through Apple Pay not working thing as I have said above.

Ah sorry think I misread!

 

[Böhme417]

The only credit card you can use at Costco is specifically the Costco Visa. Other than that, you're limited to debit cards.

Back when the Costco card was affiliated with American Express, I was able to use both Visa and Mastercard branded debit cards (my bank switched from one to the other)... so I'd expect that to still be true. But nowadays I just use the Costco Visa and just make sure I pay it off every month, since their interest rates are stupidly high.

This is not true. US stores take any Visa card or any debit card by PIN when inserting.

 

[cannono]

Yes they do. This is for the membership card itself, not for payment. You would still pay for your stuff with Apple Pay.
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They accept Visa credit cards. No MasterCards, no American Express, no Discover.

Part of the reason you also can't use Apple Pay Cash at Costco, is its a Discover Card. And the whole non visa debit through Apple Pay not working thing as I have said above.

The guy above said something about only using the Costco Visa, which is wrong. See below. This is correct in my experience:

This is not true. US stores take any Visa card or any debit card by PIN when inserting.

 

[Westside guy]

I’m confused by what you mean in the first sentence. I don’t have the Costco Visa and I use credit cards at Costco all the time.

It appears I was wrong - Costco does accept all Visa cards.

I could swear, though, at the time they switched from American Express they said the Citi Visa was going to be the only one they'd accept. But I may have misinterpreted it, or the verbiage may have been intentionally written in an attempt to promote the Citi Visa over other brands.

 

[lartola]

They do have scan & go, but it would be much nicer with Apple Pay. I don't understand why they don't at Sam's Club. It can't be about tracking purchases here, because you're required to have a membership! It can't be about Walmart Pay because they don't have Walmart Pay at Sam's! Come on! Apple Pay!

Sam's Club is also owned an operated by Walmart, Inc. and even if Walmart Pay isn't being accepted at Sam's Club stores, it seems to be a company-wide policy for Walmart stores and all other Walmart affiliates not to accept any kind of contactless payment (because, I'll have Americans reading here know, by turning off the NFC readers they're not just blocking Apple Pay, but also all other forms of contactless payment except for Samsung Pay, such as Google Pay, Fitbit Pay, Garmin pay and even contactless cards). I doubt Walmart, Kroger, HEB, Publix, Home Depot and any other holdout will ever accept contactless payment unless some regulation is put in place by their payment provider bank or the government requiring them to do so. Likewise with sit down restaurants in the US: they couldn't care less about customer security and will continue to take away the customers' cards for payment unless a regulation is put in place that requires them to bring payment to the table instead, as was the case for restaurants everywhere else.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Sam's Club is also owned an operated by Walmart, Inc. and even if Walmart Pay isn't being accepted at Sam's Club stores, it seems to be a company-wide policy for Walmart stores and all other Walmart affiliates not to accept any kind of contactless payment (because, I'll have Americans reading here know, by turning off the NFC readers they're not just blocking Apple Pay, but also all other forms of contactless payment except for Samsung Pay, such as Google Pay, Fitbit Pay, Garmin pay and even contactless cards). I doubt Walmart, Kroger, HEB, Publix, Home Depot and any other holdout will ever accept contactless payment unless some regulation is put in place by their payment provider bank or the government requiring them to do so. Likewise with sit down restaurants in the US: they couldn't care less about customer security and will continue to take away the customers' cards for payment unless a regulation is put in place that requires them to bring payment to the table instead, as was the case for restaurants everywhere else.

Home Depot is rumored to have it turned on soon (EMV CTLS certs). I can't speak for the rest of them.

 

[konqerror]

Every time I handed a police officer my iPhone for my car insurance, they looked at it and handed it back to me.

The proof of insurance thing is just an excuse to write another ticket anyway. All modern police departments punch your license plate into their mobile data terminal before they get out of the car and it checks DMV records right then. It also tells them if the car is associated with a wanted murderer or child abduction. Some even have ANPR cameras that do it completely automatically. Same thing with scanning your driver's license, any warrants will pop up.

I remember about 10 years ago, the local cops had to do all this over voice radio, so it was up to them to decide whether it was worth running your plate and license or not.

 

[dontwalkhand]

It’s about time, but it’s still a disappointing implementation. As noted, there is no wallet support. Their app is basically a frame for the website that makes you constantly log in. They definitely need to put more effort into it.
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They scan the barcode on the back of the card for the membership part.

The membership tab is actually more like your car insurance cards, it lives on the phone itself.

 

[lartola]

Question sort of releated to the last part.

If they accept ApplePay does that mean I can add my compatible MasterCard to ApplePay and use it or is there still sort of restriction on using MasterCard cards? Using ApplePay should mean using a different processing company wouldn't it so it should accept MasterCards without pin?

Apple Pay is just a new alternate means to submit a credit or debit card payment to the store's terminal with added security measures, it is not a payment network. Because of that, Apple Pay payments are still submitted using the existing payment networks and since Costco only takes Visa cards at their stores they will also only accept Apple Pay if the card selected from Wallet is a Visa.

 

[Samurai]

They key is being able to add these cards to the Wallet app. Sheetz and others are the same way, I can scan a code in the Sheetz app and then pay with Apple Pay, but I still need my phone, because of this...I’d rather have it all on my watch, so I can carry less.

If you have seen how Panera implements this then you know it can be done, and Panera even has it setup that it automatically pulls up the rewards card when you go to pay. This should be forced on developers when submitting these category apps.

Huh, I use the Panera app with Apple Pay about once a month and have never seems this. I’ll try it next time.

At Walgreens when at the register I just get the Wallgreen reward card always in my Apple wallet, use it like Apple Pay to register my rewards number, they use Apple Pay to make the charge. It’s two actions but I can decide if I want to use my regards number and give them my personal information.

 

[AZhappyjack]

Meh. Verification on my account fails every time. As usual with Costo, the "customer service" is useless. #massiveFail
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Apple Pay is just a new alternate more secure means to submit a credit or debit card payment to the store's terminal, it is not a payment network. Because of that, Apple Pay payments are still submitted using the existing payment networks and since Costco only takes Visa cards at their stores they will also only accept Apple Pay if the card selected from Wallet is a Visa.

This is more accurate now.

 

[tmiw]

No as Costco does not accept MasterCards in any form. Even a debit MasterCard won't work in Apple Pay because Apple Pay at Costco runs everything as credit.

Last time I tried a debit MC there (albeit with Google Pay), the error the cashier saw on his end was "invalid PIN", which makes me think it tried to run as debit. Of course, PIN wasn't prompted for, which makes me think they either forgot to do something to make it work or purposely only support Visa contactless (and neglected to have a more friendly error message explaining such).

Home Depot is rumored to have it turned on soon (EMV CTLS certs). I can't speak for the rest of them.

IIRC, only in Canada. I haven't heard anything about US locations and I wouldn't be surprised if they keep it disabled for those (they're one of the merchants who's fighting Visa and MC over interchange).

 

[FrEdwin]

Trash. You can’t add it to the Wallet app. No Scan & Go features. Dated app.

The updated Costco app has the member's ID as an electronic ID Card. Costco also accepts ApplePay, so no need to utilize the wallet.

 

[MisterSavage]

I was worried about bringing up my membership QR code because my cellular connectivity is horrible inside my Costco but it appears that I can bring up my photo and membership code even when I'm in airplane mode. I would have much preferred to be able to put my membership in my Apple Wallet so I could do everything with my watch but I still prefer doing everything with my phone than getting two cards out of my wallet.