Costco Gift Card Hack Goes Viral, Prompting Discussions on Loopholes and Drawbacks

Recent data from Google Trends reveals a surge in searches related to Costco gift cards, leading to a spike in interest and inquiries about the possibility of shopping at Costco without a membership. The online search volume tool indicates that searches for Costco gift cards peaked at various points between January and May, triggering breakout searches for phrases such as “can you shop at Costco with a gift card” and “Costco gift card trick.”

The catalyst for this increased attention came on May 10, when Amin Shaykho, the Seattle-based founder and CEO of tutoring website and app Kadama, shared a video on his Instagram and TikTok accounts, where he often shares shopping and personal finance tips. In the 11-second video, Shaykho unveiled what he called the “Costco gift card hack.”

“Do not get a Costco membership until you know this secret,” Shaykho urged in the video. “Costco will let you shop at their store if you have a gift card.”

He went on to explain, “You can literally get a $10 gift card – as long as it’s not expired – you can come in and shop whenever you want.”

Shaykho’s video quickly went viral, garnering over 3.7 million views on Instagram and more than 6.5 million views on TikTok. FOX Business reached out to Shaykho for further comment on the matter.

As news of the gift card hack spread across social media platforms, users and commenters expressed mixed reactions. Some highlighted potential drawbacks to the non-member loophole. A TikTok user claiming to be a current Costco employee pointed out that while the hack is “technically” true, non-members using gift cards aren’t eligible for returns and can only spend up to the amount on the gift card. Additionally, non-members typically need to pay in cash at most Costco locations.

Social media discussions have also highlighted inconveniences that may arise from employing this hack. Some users noted that using a Costco Shop Card as a non-member can create extra work for cashiers and potentially cause delays at checkout. Several commenters expressed the sentiment that constantly relying on friends and family to purchase Costco Shop Cards could become burdensome.

While Costco Wholesale has remained silent on the matter, concerns have been raised that the gift card policy may change in the future to restrict its use to paying members.

As the viral video continues to circulate, it remains to be seen how Costco will respond to this newfound attention and whether any adjustments to their gift card policy will be made in light of the discussions surrounding the gift card hack.