If you are a Sam’s Club or BJs member, No.

Rarely will you find an unhappy Costco Member.

After the store opens I'd like to take a look around to see if I like it before buying a membership. Would that be possible?

I am sure they will allow you to walk around. Also, if the pharmacy is located in the store, you can always say that you are going there because you do not need a membership to buy prescription drugs. That is a state law.

Sam’s app lets me buy as I go with items in cart…never a line to exit…closest thing to a convenience store and to my knowledge COSTCO doesn’t offer.

Actually you don't need a membership.......................Have a member buy you a Costco gift card, you can shop these without a membership. Decide yourself.

Automatically renewed every year
 

Keep in mind that one of the terms of getting the Costco card is that it automatically renews for you every year.

That is correct, but you can turn off the auto-renew feature at any time.

I have a Sams membership and the scan as you go app is fantastic. Saves a lot of time. Costco don't have scan and go?

Sorry. Costco does not have scan and go.

They are apparently testing it now and presumably will start slowly rolling it out in the future. Stay tuned ....

That's good news. My Sams Club membership will expire in November and I'm considering switching to Costco. I'd just like to walk around inside Costco to check it out first.

Mine does not auto renew - don't think it ever has. Either I'm reminded it's close to expiring when I'm checking out or I receive an invoice in the mail. Paying it or not is my choice, exactly the same way AAA membership works.

When you log in to their website, there is an auto-renew option. You can turn it on or off. But, when you sign up, the default is "on". You just need to remember to turn it off or they will automatically charge your credit card.

I can only imagine what Costco is going to look like on opening day. The parking lot will fill up by 8am. Traffic will be very heavy. If I do join Costco, I won't go the first week.

My thoughts exactly

oh, I see. Well, I joined Costco years before there was a thing called "Internet" and well before companies had things called "web sites." I joined in 1990 or so when it was still Price Club (Long Beach, CA), and the World Wide Web wasn't really a thing (still in growing pains) until about 1995 or so when Netscape Navigator turned the Internet from an academic text-based exercise into a WYSIWYG visual based adventure. Oh, for acronym-phobic NJRRGuy, it stands for What You See Is What You Get.

Appreciate the update on the Costco site though, thanks.

My card says "awareness code" then a 5 digit number after that. I think they are requiring that number.

We have received through email $40 for signing up for the Executive membership and $50 emailed for signing up for the Costco Citi Visa. If you're going to get something it will be emailed to you after signing up.