I let my college kids use my account, but it is charged to my credit card that is on file and they pay me back. I’ve never tried it with someone else using a different credit card.
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I buy things for the kids who live at different addresses for delivery, but I use my card and my name. In other words, I am buying things for them.
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Yeah I thought that might be the case. (Works for points, too.)
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Even in store they’ve never stopped us from using credit cards that don’t match the membership card name. When they started taking Visa, my mother could use my card (with me there) and pay herself. We did this because my card was the second card on my brother’s business account and my mother was a third membership and the points were better using the 2nd membership. We all do have the same last name but honestly, I don’t think they checked. They even let her buy eyeglasses on my membership.
Our store is very restrictive about this. If you are all on the same account (ie. your brother’s), it is okay. If not, they won’t let you use someone else’s membership.
We ran into this with my MIL. She wanted hearing aids and I needed to add her onto my account in order for her to be able to make an appointment.
I think the one exception might be the pharmacy. @garland, did you need to become a member to use the pharmacy?
You do not need to be a Costco member to use the pharmacy.
Most of the stores are using a scanner at the entrance to verify membership and photo on the card, so unless you are with someone that is a member, most likely going to be hard to use someone else’s card.
My (at the time) teen son went to Costco with my card. At check out, they saw it was not his card, and confiscated the card from him. I do not remember if he was allowed to make the purchase or not. I had to go and retrieve my card at a later date.
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Yes I know about the pharmacy. I chose to move my med and myself there :).
As far as card, yeah, I would never send someone in with my card. There’s a photo on it! That’s why my question was about online. 
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Costco offers a free secondary membership with card, which can be used to shop both in store and online. The secondary member is supposed to reside at same address, and documentation states address will be checked when issuing card. However, my girlfriend never had a problem as my secondary member, even though she had a different address.
Regarding aharing online account with non secondary member, this is officially restricted, but I doubt that Costco would issue any penalties, if attempted. Alternatively other persons can create their own online account without membership and purchase most items. Many items will have have a non-member surcharge.
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When I got the card, they did say I could list a non-household family member as secondary. I considered that, but my H, who otherwise is not likely to show up at the actual store, needs hearing aids, so he needs to be the other member on the card.
This is all pretty academic. I’m more likely to bring the family member with me and pay for their purchases with later remittance, if they decide they’d like to go. Thanks, all!
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I was in line once, and the couple in front of me was trying to use his aunt’s membership card and it was denied. I asked the cashier if they could use my membership card and he said sure. It was nice the cashier allowed it.
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One of my sons orders things for delivery to himself using my log-in, but pays with his own non-Costco CC.
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I often go to Costco with others who are not members. Usually they will let us do two separate transactions, but when they don’t, I ask them to make a subtotal on the receipt after my friend’s stuff so we don’t have to do the arithmetic later.
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As much as I appreciate the reasons many folks would prefer to take their business to Costco over Sams, I have to say Sam’s scan and go app sidesteps the recent issues people have brought up regarding Costco - waiting in line time and authorizing someone else to make purchases (as long as you trust them enough to give them your login credentials for the app).
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S allowed D to be his secondary member. He lives in NYC and she’s in LA. So far, no issues in a decade and counting. I know our Costco does check to be sure CC matches member name and they even look at photo. I only use my CC to purchase online but send stuff all over.
We do this all the time with no problem. H and I are the members on the account, but D will log-in using my account online and have things shipped to her address in another state, paying with her own credit card.
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My son has been the second user of my Costco account for probably a decade (he would go in college, when we had the same address). He lost his card years ago. He now works very close to Costco, and asked if he could still use my membership. I told him since he now has a license from another state, they likely would make him get his own.
NOPE, he showed him his ID, and they gave him a card attached to my membership. He uses his own credit card to pay.
I assume he could get his own online account too, but I usually just order for him if he wants something from online.
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For what it’s worth, Sam’s Club doesn’t have that problem. There’s no picture, and they don’t card you coming in. All they care about is that a valid card is scanned at checkout. Seriously, the exact same goal is accomplished but they treat members like grown-ups.
I don’t see it that way at all. I pay a membership fee to shop at Costco and get the perks. If you want the perks, pay for the membership. I don’t see why it’s a controversy.
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Or be a grown up and if it’s gonna be a regular thing, buy your win own membership.
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