Costco CASH card cash out

[monkeydawn]

I purchased a cruise through Costco in June of this year. Completed the cruise in September and received my CASH card a coue of weeks ago. I tried to cash it out at my local Costco (in NC) yesterday and was refused. I know there was a change recently that now you receive a SHOP card, which is only good for in store purchases. I was under the impression that the CASH cards could be cashed out. Did my local store mis understand the memo about the new SHOP cards or was I mistaken about being able to cash out the CASH cards? I am traveling in the near future so I could try my luck elsewhere if it is a local comprehension issue (they've also told me other things are impossible which other locations had no issue with so my local Costco may just be bad).

The store kept saying that we werent in the right state to cash it out. I do know that some states have more lenient GC cash out laws but I though CA was the most lenient at a $10 max cash out, which certainly wouldnt help with my travel earned CASH card since it is well over $10. In any case if there are states that would allow a $310 or more GC cash out, please lmk in case I am going there in the near future. Many thanks for any advise that can be provided.

 

[michelleandbrett]

My husband works for Costco and said this is a very recent change they did corporate wide unfortunately.

 

[wombat_5606]

I purchased a cruise through Costco in June of this year. Completed the cruise in September and received my CASH card a coue of weeks ago. I tried to cash it out at my local Costco (in NC) yesterday and was refused. I know there was a change recently that now you receive a SHOP card, which is only good for in store purchases. I was under the impression that the CASH cards could be cashed out. Did my local store mis understand the memo about the new SHOP cards or was I mistaken about being able to cash out the CASH cards? I am traveling in the near future so I could try my luck elsewhere if it is a local comprehension issue (they've also told me other things are impossible which other locations had no issue with so my local Costco may just be bad).

The store kept saying that we werent in the right state to cash it out. I do know that some states have more lenient GC cash out laws but I though CA was the most lenient at a $10 max cash out, which certainly wouldnt help with my travel earned CASH card since it is well over $10. In any case if there are states that would allow a $310 or more GC cash out, please lmk in case I am going there in the near future. Many thanks for any advise that can be provided.

I was told by my local Costco personnel that the change has occurred because criminals have learned how to use the cards for money laundering.

 

[monkeydawn]

My husband works for Costco and said this is a very recent change they did corporate wide unfortunately.

Meaning they are no longer honoring old CASH cards as cashable?

 

[SamFaniam]

I have never been able to cash out the Costco cards we received after the cruise. We just spend them at Costco.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Cash cards weren't ever supposed to be cashable. It was a brand name for the gift card, not an indicator that it could be traded for cash.

From a corporate perspective, cashing them out costs Costco more than making them be spent.

 

[cvjw]

We have never been allowed to cash out a Costco cash card. I just use them for my normal monthly purchases and pocket the “cash” I would have used for monthly expenses. Works the same for us, unless we overspend since the cash card is free money

The yearly Costco rewards and the yearly citi reward always gets cash back.

 

[monkeydawn]

Thank you guys for the additional input. With the uproar about the switch I guess a lot of people were allowed to convert to cash, even though it wasnt a hard rule. I may still try on my travels if I end up at a Costco rather than spend on goods because $10 is $10 and Id rather have it in my poscket than hand it over to Costco.

 

[MillauFr]

Are the cards good for Costco Travel purchases? Just use them to book another cruise.

 

[FigmentSpark]

The problem is that when you book a cruise, you pay DCL (or whomever), not Costco. They are acting as agents for the cruiselines, not the retailers. So, you can use a Disney gift card to book your cruise through Costco, but not a Costco gift card.

 

[monkeydawn]

Oops. Wrong reply.

 

[monkeydawn]

Are the cards good for Costco Travel purchases? Just use them to book another cruise.

The problem is that when you book a cruise, you pay DCL (or whomever), not Costco. They are acting as agents for the cruiselines, not the retailers. So, you can use a Disney gift card to book your cruise through Costco, but not a Costco gift card.

Actually *my* problem is that if I cant cash out the card, as I was under the impression I could do, then I lose the extra % back I get on Costco purchases since I am paying with my Gift Card and not my Visa. That's what I was hoping to avoid. I can spend $300 at Costco without breaking a sweat. LOL

 

[cvjw]

Actually *my* problem is that if I cant cash out the card, as I was under the impression I could do, then I lose the extra % back I get on Costco purchases since I am paying with my Gift Card and not my Visa. That's what I was hoping to avoid. I can spend $300 at Costco without breaking a sweat. LOL

$300 x 2% is only $6. I wouldn’t sweat it. Just use your cash card for your normal purchases and then save the regular cash you would’ve spent anyway!

 

[monkeydawn]

$300 x 2% is only $6. I wouldn’t sweat it. Just use your cash card for your normal purchases and then save the regular cash you would’ve spent anyway!

I get that it isnt a huge amount but Id rather it be mine than Costcos if you KWIM. I think its probably a deeper issue for me overall, our Costco is just bad. To the point where I'd rather do a 2 hour road trip to the next nearest Costco some days.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Yeah I hear those who say they would like the cash so they get a percentage back when they use a Visa or what not, but it's such a small amount ... I can save $6-10 at Costco just by shopping a clearance item. I think really people liked the flexibility of having the cash, but Costco is making it clear they want money funneled back into Costco. Very wise on their part, IMO.

 

[Thumper99]

Personally from a Travel Industry perspective what Costco does is actually unfair trade to the Travel Agencies out there. A travel agency like Dreams Unlimited is able to give out On Board Credit to you for your cruise and they are able to do it best because they have a large customer base (and therefore making a good commission) Its a win for you and the TA! But Costco says they'll give you money back (in cash in previously if you knew to cash it out, or in store credit). TA's can't do that as they don't have a store. Many TA's lose bookings to Costco for this reason and personally I don't think its fair to the TA trying to make a living. I think if Costco wants to give you cash for your booking they should be made to give you OBC and not give you money for you to shop at their store. I'm sure this won't be popular opinion because we all want to get the most kickback for spending a lot of money but it still give Costco an unfair trade advantage and I think I read somewhere that the TA industry is upset by it. They should give you credit towards OBC or another cruise I suppose as its possible a TA could give that out? Not sure what the rules are about that in the industry. Does anyone know if the TA's at Costco actually get a cut of their commission. Lets say Costco gets 16% commission on a booking. They give you back 8% but are they paying the actual TA's answering your phone call commission or do they work for a salary. Just curious.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Personally from a Travel Industry perspective what Costco does is actually unfair trade to the Travel Agencies out there.

Please place the blame where it belongs. Disney has authorized them to be an agent. Costco has no responsibility to other agents. Disney has responsibility for its affiliate agent network and what they do or do not allow.

The Costco phone team is salary, FWIW, and incentives aren't on bookings but on typical call center metrics.

 

[Thumper99]

Very True. Though I suspect that Disney gladly will take anyone that will book volume as long as they aren’t discounting the cruises and Disney’s cut. I would guess that DU and Costco get the same commission from Disney.

 

[lanejudy]

Personally from a Travel Industry perspective what Costco does is actually unfair trade to the Travel Agencies out there.

Well, take that logic and look at it from another perspective. There are plenty of small TAs who are unable to provide the big OBC amounts that other large agencies give. Should Dreams be told to stop giving OBC because it's unfair to the smaller personal TAs who can't afford to do that? Travel agencies are a business. What one TA offers as a "perk" is simply that - what they can afford to give away; another TA may offer something different. That "perk" is a business expense and as long as the business is making a profit they can give something away (whether a gift basket, photo package, OBC, gift card, etc.).

I'm not surprised if Costco has made a more solid rule about cashing out the "Cash Card." Some locations have restricted that all along. And I think social media has lead to many expecting it everywhere.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[doublesided]

We used our costco card from the cruise to splurge on a couple of things we wouldn't have bought and then stocked up on snacks for back to school. Just go on a shopping spree! We just booked another cruise and going through costco again for this benefit.