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Costco UK membership requirements

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Edited

In the UK at least.
Having read so many posts here re Costco and the seemingly wonderful Kirkland Signature hearing aids and Costco audiologists, I decided to investigate further. Bearing in mind that most all of the posts here related to Costco USA.

Here in the UK, it’s a different kettle of fish.
To become a Costco Individual member (£33.60 a year) you first need to prove that you currently work for or are now retired from one of a select number of professions, including, police, fire/rescue, education, government etc. Individual Members are able to shop from 12 noon Monday to Friday but not Bank Holidays.
OR
To become a Trade Member (£26.40 per year) you need to prove you are self-employed by providing one of the many acceptable forms of business evidence.
OR
If you know someone who has a Costco Individual or Trade Membership, you could ask if you could be added to his or her membership. Trade Members can offer up to an additional 6 membership cards at £14 per year each however, Individual Members can only have one extra complimentary card and one extra purchased card (£14 per year) it’s “supposed” to be for someone who lives at the same address as the registered Individual Member however.
OR
Anyone can become a member of Costco for £15 per year – but you can ONLY shop online, you cannot go to any of their warehouses nor can you attend any of their hearing centres.

I emailed Costco Customer Care and Membership Benefits Support to check all this.
So that leaves me out then. I don’t qualify for either Individual or Trade memberships nor do I know anyone to leech a card from. Sure, I could join for online shopping but I still can’t buy hearing aids.

SUCKS!

13 people in this conversation8 min readJump to latest

I have a recollection that someone here posted that Costco does not have hearing centers in the UK. I did a quick check of several stores on line and none listed Hearing. Optical, but no Hearing.

I find it hard to believe that they would not sell you a membership. Having known some who worked at Costco, they always have a big push on to get new members. Currently in Canada, I would get a $25 gift card to refer a new member.

@JeffBowser said:

but I don’t see how it makes them “suck”.

Cuz they make it so hard if not impossible for anyone in the UK to join.
Whilst I knew there were membership requirements in the US too, I thought pretty much anyone could join. Far easier than us in the UK anyway.

I just went through the first half dozen or so that came up when you do a warehouse search. Perhaps there is the odd one. I thought it was about a health service regulation that did not allow them to do it. It is just a memory, and we know how reliable that is…

I suspect if you actually went to one and dreamed up some former employer that was remotely close to what they ask for, they would sell you a membership. I recall something like that when we joined a few decades ago.

I switched to Costco when I learned that the $6000 aid my audiologist recommended were $2000 at costco. The technician you get is the luck of the draw. But that is no different than shopping around for a Good audiologist.

OK. It seems they have a hearing centre UK page10, that lists 4 locations.

On membership qualifications, they seem to list a range of employer types, and also make reference to so called Gold Companies. Perhaps if you ask if your specific company qualifies, they will designate them as a Gold Company!

One thing to add is that if you are added to someone’s account for £15, after one year, you become eligible to join as a main account holder.

I’ve been a Costco member in the UK since 2007. Had to take a payslip from an eligible employer. Once you’re a member, you don’t have to prove eligibility again.

Stop at a store. I suspect they will be very helpful in finding you a way to join. They are not trying to keep people out.

In reply to @JeffBowser

Oh yes, Costco has some very strict requirements for membership here in the USA. You must have a picture ID and you must have the cash or credit card for the membership fee!

Are you SERIOUS??? What requirements, there really are none. The picture ID can be virtually any ID with your picture on it … a business ID card, a driver’s license, a State issued ID card. Where did you hear that there are requirements? My wife and I walked in, filled out a membership application, they took our pictures, and we walked out in 10 minutes with a Costco card. Now buying the hearing aids at $2,800 I figured I’d pay with Discover. They said they only take VISA. They took me to Customer Service a few steps away from the hearing center and 5 minutes later I had a temporary Citi Bank Costco VISA Card. 2 weeks later I had the real card in the mail. 3% back for paying with a Costco card I have a $58 refund next year. Also get 4% rebate on Costco gasoline which is already cheaper than anywhere else and is a Top Tier gasoline.

We don’t use Costco for anything else as it is mostly bulk buying and we are in a small condo, no extra storage for cases of toilet paper, tissues, etc. They are good for drugs and drugstore items like vitamins and the like as they are cheaper than elsewhere. As for the , I ran into a totally crappy one in the Irvine store and the best one ever in the Yorba Linda store, 10 minutes from home.

Edited

You missed my point. The US had NO restrictions I walked in off the street, showed my driver’s license for picture proof of who I am, laid my $60 or whatever it was on the counter and was a member 10 minutes later. Knew no one, no referral, just cash and picture ID showing I was me.

My reply was directed to Jeff Bowser who is showing the US flag though as he said there are requirements in the US. Other than breathing … I didn’t really run into any when I got my membership card a few years back.

I regularly use Costco Hayes UK where the hearing center manageress is Vicki. The service and ongoing care are fantastic and the enormous savings on the hearing aids they market far more than outwiegh the relatively small costs of membership.

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