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Does Costco have a Scan and Go?

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  • 3 min read

Costco is a US-based wholesale company that has become one of the world’s largest retailers selling everything from garden supplies to health and beauty as well as groceries among a variety of choices. With many stores and restaurants shifting to digital payment methods which include Scan and Go, one does wonder if Costco is adapting.

In this article, we will be checking if Costco allows customers to use the Scan and Go method to pay for items.


Scan and Go: Accepted or Not?

The Scan and Go option allows customers to open the app of the store that they are shopping at and scan the products that they want to buy. After they are done scanning everything on their list, they can pay on the app itself. This helps customers save time by avoiding waiting in long queues. Retailers like Walmart, 7-Eleven, and Amazon’s Go Stores provide this facility. However, Costco does not.

Costco does not provide the Scan and Go option.

Costco believes in customer interaction and the option of Scan and Go acts as a hindrance to their quality customer service. Even the chances of fraud increase and sales can be hurt as customers might not buy all items from one single wholesale store. Small glitches that usually appear on apps can hurt Costco’s sales if exploited.

Another reason why Costco does not accept Scan and Go is because they tend to provide quick in-store checkout. Costco also tries to sell their gold membership to customers at the checkout counters which is a more effective strategy for selling than being informed by an app.

Also read: Top 7 QR Code scanner apps for iPhone


Other checkout methods

Costco does provide other faster means of checkout if you want to avoid standing in a long queue. Some methods have been underlined below:

Self-checkout method

This method involves self-checkout machines where you can pay for your order. The self-checkout queue usually moves very fast and there is an employee present to help you when confused. All you have to do is follow the prompts given on the screen and pay for your items, then take the receipt and head out. However you cannot pay using cash or checks at the self-checkout counter.


The shopping app

You can use the Costco app while shopping at the wholesaler’s and add items online. Then at the checkout register you can pay for the items in your cart, making the whole experience convenient and time-saving.

Costco currently accepts digital payment methods like GPay, Samsung Pay, and Apple Pay, which do help in making the checkout process smoother and quicker. However, it does not seem likely that Costco will be bringing back Scan and Pay anytime soon. They are also very strict about their membership card use, which does not allow for other non-member consumers to use a member’s Costco card.

Also read: Does KFC take Apple Pay?

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Sania Usmani

Always curious, calm, and a little crazy, you can find me daydreaming or studying. An avid reader, traveler, and graduate of Aviation Science, I love gaining new experiences in life and star gazing. You can contact her here: [email protected]

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