Costco

@david cardenas: You have my empathy. The employee who said you had to cash in your gift card is completely ignorant of company policy. You didn't mention, but did she have a nasty attitude accompanying her words? If so, she is certainly out of line and her berhaviour should be reported. I hope there will be changes at your Costco. These horrible experiences can really ruin one's day. (I fumed over mine for a week).

@SURFOP80: You seem confused in your anger. David's response to your comment pretty much summed up what I wanted to say, but here is my reply anyway. Broken down for your convenience.

1. Do you think cash card users enjoy holding up the line? I would like to avoid the checkout hassle myself, but rules are rules.
3. I am not discriminating the store. I am complaining about two employees' discriminatory actions toward me. If Costco is "fed up" writing passes, the choice is clear: Change the rules or just let nonmembers flash their gift cards. I don't know whose policy you are writing about when you mentioned nonmembers are limited to two visits - Costco certainly has no such law.
4./5. My friend paid for the cash card and thusly paid for me using their services. I may not have been the one paying, but I am entitled to their services - in accordance with their website, that is.
6. Perhaps you should revisit Costco's website?

It is lovely that every cent you paid for your membership was worthwhile, but this might not be the case for everyone. Instead of roaring madly and accusing every nonmember, don't you think it would be much more productive to direct your unsatisfaction towards Costco?

@TheLoveFist II: There is nothing wrong with that phrase. You are going off on a tangent.

@Teeo: Exactly. Costco should just change their rules.

@I'mintheirshoes: Nonsense. I doubt anyone would "need" a Costco membership to survive. Yes, I would like to use my cash card without having to sign up for membership; I made no attempt to hide that fact - call it "abuse" or "cheat" as you will. Your analysis of why I posted my complaint is irrelevant, but I'll indulge you. It would have been nice to have seen some more empathy or sympathy, but I did not come here fully expecting it. I was curious to hear other's opinions on this issue. I have heard your hope, and here is mine in return: It is rare for business to refuse service without a valid reason (although I'm sure they are entitled to, with or without one). I certainly hope the business world is not filled witih unsound individuals such as yourself.

@TheLoveFistII: Absence of rules and regulations, terms and conditions, would only give birth to unrestrained chaos. If my "sort of attitude" has helped create a lawful world, then you are welcome. Or shall I say "Welcome to a [censored] world"?

@srchng4care: Ah, that reminds me. Another thing Costco could do is to have a limit on number of cash cards a member could purchase or reload. That could help ease some of the tensions.

@Mellen67: I agree. Had that clerk been more professional, I would not have raised any complaints.

@molliewollie: I agree. Cash cards and membership are two separate things. And nope, my kitchen cabinets are not full of smuggled sugar. I don't dabble in thievery.

@pobarjenkins: I understand Costco makes money from their memberships. But if their cash cards intentions were as you say, then I think it would be best to place 'explicit' limitations. Leaving it open-ended causes many problems for both members and nonmembers. I am confused as to why some commenters are being hostile towards me and not using that energy in asking Costco to change their policies. Also, to answer your question, I do not go to Costco often, nor do I buy a lot from them. Membership costs $50, but I don't think I can even save $25 from their membership discounts.

@Stealth-Pilot: Instead of receiving bursts of undeserved attitude, I would much rather they strip away cash card privileges after, say, having spent X amount of money each year or after having Y amounts of visits. At least this way, I would know my violation of the rules warranted their rudeness.

@molliewollie: Your sugar packet analogy is quite nice. But the difference is that the cash cards are paid for. In a restaurant, a customer who has paid for his or her drink is entitled to using X number of sugar packets IN their drink; their drink fee covers the cost of flavouring. Taking sugar packets home is another thing and may even border on the line of theft. Likewise, my friend has paid for my cash card; I am thusly entitled to their products.

@molliewollie: You are right. It is not fair to paying members. But since Costco permits it, the discriminatory attitude is all the more wrong. Also, I would like to direct your attention to the fallacy "two wrongs do not make a right".

@srchng4care: Thank goodness someone else agrees it is incorrect to pin everything on the shopper! I was getting dismal from comments that said I should be expelled or that I shouldn't shop there to begin with.

Contrary to some of the other commenters' beliefs, I do understand why members would be frustrated and angry; they are the ones providing Costco money for their services. But this does not mean cash card nonmembers deserve to be insulted, accused, or mistreated. So long as Costco itself allows it, nonrulebreakers should not be ostracized nor stigmatized.

@12321: You are begging the question. I am complaining about having received horrible treatment when I have not broken any 'written/official' rules. And yet your argument is: "If what you were doing was 100% legit, you wouldn't have received the treatment you did. " ...

And while we're on the topic of fallacies, the don't forget the aforementioned 'two wrongs don't make a right'. I think you would concede that even 'if' my actions were wrong, it still doesn't negate the clerk's unprofessionalism.

And no, no, I admit it. It is glaringly obvious that I want to use my cash card at Costco without being a member. After all, that was the point of my complaint. I certainly am not trying to be "sneaky" about it.

Haha, I can be quite bullheaded at times. Unless definite, unrefutable proof is presented to me, I don't think I can back down from my position on this one. At the very least, I think we can agree to disagree, yes?

@TheLoveFist II: I don't know. But I think the following quote from Costco.ca is quite clear too: "Members can buy Costco Cash cards for non-members".

@123321: As big a company as Costco, they should really just state their policies clearly, if their cash card intentions are as you say. However, I cannot regard their cash cards as some sort of a "free trial". My friend has paid - and I stress 'paid' - for their services beforehand; it would logically follow that they would (and should) fulfill their end of the contract and not deny me. I am not "reusing a free trial"; there never was anything free about it to begin with.

I do not know the rules and regulations of Sam's Club, so I do not have anything to that aspect. If there are Costco members who are unhappy with cash cards, I do not think it is proper nor sane to place the responsibility/hostility on nonmembers. (And certainly not to exile us, as both you and JKDE had written). Asking Costco to adopt a new policy or place limitations on cash cards would go much further.

In the end, whether this was my first time or not, I do not believe I deserved the treatment I got. The woman was clearly discriminatory, as I doubt she knew the exact numbers of my visits. I am just surprised to discover that some people would place the blame on me. Two wrongs do not necessarily make a right - and in this case, I hardly think my actions were incriminating.

@Karl123: Making instantaneous good comebacks have never been my strongsuit, althought I certainly admire those with such a skill!

@JKDE: No, no, I'm not "sneaking in" at all. Costco does not prohibit nonmembers with cash cards. Of course I understand paying members are entitled to Costco's services. What I don't understand is why they are entitling nonmembers and then discriminating against them (see last paragraph of my complaint). I wouldn't have anything to protest if they restricted cash cards to members only.