Does Costco Have A One Day Pass? (Try This Instead…)

Costco has established itself as one of the most affordable retail chains in the U.S., owing greatly to its membership model that only permits members to shop at its warehouse locations for a small yearly fee.

So if you want to purchase a few items in bulk from Costco but don’t want to pay the full membership fee, you may be wondering – does Costco have a one-day pass? Here is what I’ve found out about this!

Does Costco Have A One-Day Pass?

Unfortunately, Costco does not offer one-day passes. Alternatively, as a non-member, there are other ways to shop at Costco such as visiting Costo.com (paying a 5% surcharge) or acquiring a Costco shop card that can be used to purchase up to $10,000 worth of goods per day.

If you want to know more about other ways to shop at Costco without paying any membership fees, how to use a Costco shop card, and much more, keep on reading!

How Can You Buy Items From Costco Without A Membership?

Even though Costco does not provide an official one-day pass, there are several ways you can purchase goods from Costco without having a full membership.

These routes will allow you to purchase discounted goods from warehouse locations and Costco.com, as well as to fill your car with fuel from Costco’s gas stations.

1) Buy From Costco.com

Shopping online at Costco.com is the most direct way for non-members to access exclusive items, but there are a few restrictions that you must keep in mind:

  • Non-members have to pay an additional 5% surcharge on the original cost of each item in their cart, with only prescription drugs excluded from this fee.
  • Many popular items sold at Costco warehouses (such as groceries) are unavailable for online purchase.
  • Non-members cannot apply Costco’s famous discounts as these are for ‘Members Only’.

2) Use A Costco Shop Card

Costco shop cards (which work in the same way as regular gift cards) can be loaded with quantities of $2,000 to purchase items up to a limit of $10,000 per day.

These can only be purchased by members but can be used by anyone in-store or on Costco.com.

To acquire a Costco shop card, consider asking a family member or friend who is a Costco member to purchase one with your money.

Alternatively, you can buy one from third-party websites such as eBay or Amazon, but be cautious as the card may not hold the correct funds (it will still get you access to a Costco warehouse).

Non-members can use a loaded shop card at Costco Wholesale in America, Canada, and Puerto Rico, as well as online at Costco.com and Costco.ca.

Additionally, you can also purchase Kirkland Signature gas from a Costco fuel station using these shop cards.

Note that the card does not have an expiry date so you can ask a member to reload it whenever you’re running low on balance (which you can check both in-store or online).

However, if you find yourself frequently topping it up, you may save more by buying a membership since it will give you access to incredible discount deals year-round.

3) Return A Gift Bought From Costco

Return A Gift From Costco

Visitors receive a temporary membership when they return a gift purchased by a Costco member, with the value of the item refunded to a Costco shop card that can be used right away.

To receive a refund on a gift, you must have the original receipt dated within the relevant time frame or the gift giver’s membership number and details.

4) Refund An Existing Membership

Under Costco’s risk-free 100% satisfaction guarantee, you can purchase a regular membership and cancel it at any time to get the full membership fee refunded.

Using this method, you can allow yourself a short trial run to see if a Costco membership would benefit you, and keep the membership intact if Costco’s discount deals start saving you a lot of money.

5) Receive A Health Screening

Costco opens its doors to non-members who wish to receive a health screening for several concerns such as cardiac assessment, diabetes, and osteoporosis.

Additionally, selected Costco locations also allow non-members to collect prescription drugs from Costco’s pharmacy.

All health screenings are available for free and occur at most warehouse locations (find the Costco closest to you using the online store finder).

You can check whether there are any available appointments near you through the website or inquire about them at your local store.

6) Shop With A Costco Member

Another simple way to shop at Costco without a membership is by going with a member.

Anyone with a membership card can bring up to 2 other adults, however, it’s worth remembering that only Costco members can complete purchases.

So if you plan on making a purchase, consider giving the member you are visiting the cash amount you’re likely to spend in advance.

7) Alcohol Is Available For Non-Members

In some states, Costco must, by law, open the sale of alcohol to everyone, including non-members.

So if you live in the following states, you can purchase alcohol from Costco regardless of whether you have a membership or not:

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Hawaii
  • Indiana
  • Kentucky
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • New York
  • Texas
  • Vermont

How Much Does A Costco Membership Cost?

There are three membership options available at Costco to suit different types of shoppers.

The Executive Membership is available for an annual fee of $120 and consists of a free household card for every worldwide location.

This membership also includes an annual 2% reward on selected Costco purchases, additional savings benefits, and special travel offers.

In the Business Membership package, you’ll pay $60 annually and receive a free household card valid at all Costco locations worldwide and the ability to purchase goods for resale.

Additionally, you can also add affiliate cardholders for $60 each as part of this membership.

For basic perks such as the card and entry into every Costco globally, you can buy the $60 Gold Star membership.

If you are looking to learn more about shopping at Costco, you can see our related posts on the best time to shop at Costco and whether Costco membership auto-renews.

Conclusion

Costco does not offer a one-day pass at any of its locations. However, non-members can freely shop online with a 5% surcharge on each item. However, if you use a Costco shop card, you can enter any store and claim the benefits. Additionally, you do not need a membership to purchase alcohol in selected states.

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Marques Thomas

Marques Thomas graduated with a MBA in 2011. Since then, Marques has worked in the retail and consumer service industry as a manager, advisor, and marketer. Marques is also the head writer and founder of QuerySprout.com.

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