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Costco is turning up its expansion rate in Australia. Picture: Lachie Millard<\/p>\n
As Costco\u2019s expansion plans across Australia gather pace, more and more shoppers are being exposed to the US retail giant\u2019s unique rules \u2013 and being caught out by them.<\/p>\n
The US chain currently has 15 stores operating across Australia but recently revealed its plans to open an additional 20 in the next five years<\/a>.<\/p>\n Two new warehouses will open next year in Victoria and Western Australia, with a focused search underway for additional sites in North and South Sydney, Perth, and Adelaide.<\/p>\n Significantly, Costco is also planning its inaugural stores in Tasmania and Geelong, marking a strategic push into new markets.<\/p>\n This accelerated expansion is driven by strong financial performance, with Costco\u2019s $0.5 billion profit last financial year surpassing Aldi\u2019s $499.2 million.<\/p>\n But more stores means more new shoppers grappling with some of the strict Costco rules that sets the business apart from other traditional supermarkets in Australia.<\/p>\n Seasoned Costco shopper and Channel 9 journalist Jo Abi revealed recently even she was still being caught out by Costco\u2019s rules.<\/p>\n Abi said recent changes to Costco\u2019s membership cards meant she was turned away from her local Costco in Sydney\u2019s Marsden Park earlier this year.<\/p>\n MORE: Costco\u2019s huge $110m plan for Aussie store<\/a><\/p>\n Jo Abi recently learned the hard way how to set up her digital Costco membership. Picture: Nine<\/p>\n MORE: Aus giant\u2019s new trolleys about to change everything <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWhen I attempted yet another \u2018pop in\u2019 I learned a very hard lesson about how strict Costco is when it comes to their membership rules,\u201d Abi wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI decided not to bring my handbag with me for my trip to Costco; in fact, I\u2019ve been leaving my handbag behind for most shopping trips because these days everything I need is on my phone.<\/p>\n \u201cExcept, my Costco membership card was in my purse that was in my handbag, and I hadn\u2019t yet set up my digital Costco membership card on the app.\u201d<\/p>\n Costco issues membership cards that start at $65 per year and customers can\u2019t enter without it.<\/p>\n Abi said her belief she could simply set up her digital membership card on the spot was quickly dispelled.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d already downloaded the Costco app, so I thought it would be really easy to sign in and access my digital membership card. I expected it would be a digital version of the card I already had, as this had been my experience with other digital membership cards,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cExcept Costco does things differently, and I was given a reminder of just how strict Costco membership rules can be while standing in the carpark trying to set up my digital membership card.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter signing into the app, I had to take a new photo which uploaded directly into the Costco app. Once that was uploaded, it said my digital membership card was \u201cpending\u201d and I\u2019d have to go to the membership desk to \u201cverify\u201d it.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/capi_409f972a1f85a4839b4d711c7d85b765_75540ccdc838d858aa4d45ebbf6eca26.jpeg\")
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