Costco Implements New Shopping Hours for Executive Members

Costco has rolled out new shopping hours for its executive members starting Monday.

This change allows executive members to shop in the mornings ahead of regular members, including those with business memberships.

Under the “Executive Member Shopping Hours,” those who pay the $130 annual fee can access Costco from 9 am to 9:30 am on weekdays and Sundays, and 9 am to 9:30 am on Saturdays. Other members can enter at the usual times: 10 am on weekdays and Sundays, and 9:30 am on Saturdays.

The company first announced these extended hours for executive members via social media and also sent out emails detailing the new benefits.

However, Costco’s various departments, like food courts, optical centers, and pharmacies, will be closed during these exclusive hours on Sundays.

As of the end of the third quarter, Costco had approximately 37.6 million paid executive memberships.

This isn’t the only change in operating hours that Costco has made in recent months. Earlier this year, the company also extended the operating times for its North American gas stations.

CEO Lombacchilis mentioned in May that the combination of new gas station openings and low prices has led to two of the best weeks for gas sales in the U.S. recently. He added that Costco is exploring ways to enhance the member experience, including testing new technology to speed up checkout processes.

Costco has been developing its “Costco Scan & Go” feature in several locations to make shopping easier, allowing members with store cards to take advantage of the often buzzing atmosphere within its warehouses.

In terms of revenue, Costco generated about $3.6 billion from membership fees in the first three quarters of this year, compared to a total of $4.8 billion from last year.