Costco Implements Exclusive Shopping Hours for Executive Members Starting September 1

WASHINGTON — Starting Tuesday, September 2, Costco will enforce new shopping hours exclusively for its Executive Members. This policy change, announced earlier this year, allows Executive Members a one-hour head start for shopping during weekdays and Sundays.

Executive Members can shop from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. local time on weekdays and Sundays, and from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays. In contrast, Gold Star and Business Members must wait until after 10 a.m. to enter the store. The change comes after a grace period that lasted through July and August.

The enforcement coincides with Labor Day, a day when Costco will be closed. The new policy allows customers with Executive Memberships to shop during times when stores typically open at 9 a.m., although some locations already catered to this earlier opening.

Gold Star Memberships cost $65 annually, while Executive Memberships are priced at $130. Executive Members benefit from a 2% annual reward and a $10 monthly credit for orders through Costco’s SameDay service or Instacart. Despite making up less than half of Costco’s 79.6 million memberships, Executive Members account for a significant 73% of the retailer’s sales.

The policy has received mixed reactions from customers, with some expressing concerns that it advantages higher-paying members at the expense of others. Costco representatives have stated that the intention of the policy is to reward the loyalty of Executive Members.

The move follows a previous increase in membership fees last year, marking the first increase since 2017. The basic membership fee rose from $60 to $65, while the Executive Membership went up from $120 to $130.

Costco has not commented extensively on customer reactions but noted that the purpose of the new shopping hours is to recognize the importance of its Executive Members.