There are few things as embarrassing as having your card declined in public when you’re trying to pay for something. In addition to the embarrassment, having a card declined for a transaction, even if you almost have enough and are willing to pay the rest in cash, can cause a hassle for the employee checking you out as well as the people waiting in line behind you.
Reviewing how to check a Costco Shop Card balance will help you avoid this situation and help you plan your trips accordingly.
How Costco Cards Work
You can purchase a plastic or digital Costco Shop Card at Costco locations or online. In the latter case, the digital Costco cash card is usually sent via email and you can print a physical copy for use. And their values start from $25 and go all the way up to $2,000.
You can give Costco cards as gifts or use them to buy gas at a Costco gas station, purchase food, beverages and other items at Costco warehouses or shop online on the Costco.ca and Costco.com platforms. As of October 2022, you could only reload both digital and physical Costco cards in one of their stores, not online, according to the Costco FAQ page.
It is worth noting that Costco cash cards work less like credit cards and more like debit cards – you present the card and can make purchases up to the amount that you have in your account. You can choose to receive a plastic card or a digital card so that you can redeem with your smartphone when you’re ready to check out in-person or online.
You can also use plastic cards to make purchases online or use the electronic cards for the same purposes. And both types of cards may offer cash back for some purchases.
How to Check the Balance on Your Costco Cash Card
Below are several strategies you can use to check the balance on your Costco cash card.
Check Your Latest Receipt
One quick way to check your Costco cash card balance is to look at your latest receipt. Each time you use your cash card, Costco will update your balance and print it at the bottom of your receipt. Keep it in your wallet or purse and you’ll be up to date with your card.
Check the Balance Online
You can also check a Costco gift card balance online. You’ll need your gift card number and personal identification number (PIN). The latter is a four-digit number. When doing a gift card balance check, you can use your computer or your phone if you’ve accessed the web from your smartphone or you’ve downloaded the Costco app.
Your card number will be on the back of your plastic card. It will be on the receipt you received if you ordered or were gifted a digital card.
Try to memorize your PIN so you don’t have to keep it in your wallet or purse with your card. Don’t use something someone can easily guess, like your birthdate or street address.
If the Costco website is down for some reason, try a third-party gift card website like GiftCardGranny.com to check the remaining balance, locate a Costco store and even find the available deals.
Call Costco on the Phone
As a card holder, you can also call and find out your card balance. Dial 1-866-921-7925 and press option 1. Also check the back of your card to see if it has another toll-free phone number for you to call.
As of October 2022, Shop Card Customer Service is open 7 a.m. through 7 p.m. (PT) on business days and 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. (PT) on Saturdays. You can check the Costco website for updates.
