What is "COSTCO" on my bank statement?
COSTCO is usually a legitimate charge from Costco Wholesale for warehouse purchases or membership fees.
Merchant: Costco | Category: Retail
What Is This Charge?
A charge from Costco represents a purchase at a Costco Wholesale warehouse, Costco.com, or a Costco service such as the gas station, pharmacy, food court, or optical department. Costco is a membership-based warehouse club with over 590 locations in the United States. Charges may also reflect your annual membership renewal fee.
Why Does This Charge Appear on My Statement?
Costco charges appear when you use a credit or debit card at any Costco location or online. Because Costco only accepts Visa credit cards in-warehouse (along with debit cards, cash, and Costco Shop Cards), a credit card charge from Costco will always be on a Visa. Online purchases at Costco.com accept Visa and Mastercard. Membership auto-renewals are charged annually to the card on file.
Typical Charge Amounts
Warehouse shopping trips typically range from $100 to $400. Costco membership costs $65/year for Gold Star or $130/year for Executive membership. Gas station purchases vary but are typically $30 to $90. Food court items range from $1.50 to $10. Costco Travel bookings can be several thousand dollars.
Common Variations
Charges may appear as COSTCO WHSE, COSTCO WHOLESALE, COSTCO.COM, COSTCO GAS, COSTCO PHARMACY, or COSTCO TRAVEL. Warehouse purchases include a store number (e.g., COSTCO WHSE #1234). Online orders show as COSTCO.COM or COSTCO ONLINE.
Is This Charge Legitimate?
Log into your Costco.com account and check your order history for online purchases. For in-warehouse purchases, receipts are checked at the exit door — if you kept your receipt, match the date and total. The Costco app also stores your recent warehouse purchase history if you scanned your membership card. Membership renewal charges occur on the anniversary of your sign-up date.
How to Dispute or Cancel
Costco has one of the most generous return policies in retail — most items can be returned at any time with no time limit, though electronics have a 90-day window. Bring the item to the Returns counter at any Costco warehouse. For online orders, initiate a return at Costco.com. To cancel your membership, visit the Membership counter at any warehouse or call 1-800-774-2678. Memberships are fully refundable at any time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was I charged for a Costco membership renewal I didn't authorize?
Costco auto-renews memberships annually using the payment method on file. You would have agreed to auto-renewal when you signed up or last renewed. To stop auto-renewal, contact Costco Member Services at 1-800-774-2678 or visit the Membership counter at your local warehouse before your renewal date. If already charged, Costco will refund the membership fee at any time if you choose to cancel.
Why does my Costco gas station charge show as $1 initially?
Costco gas stations place a $1 pre-authorization hold on your card to verify it's valid before you pump. The actual fuel amount replaces this hold within 1-3 business days. Some banks may show both the $1 hold and the final charge temporarily, but only the actual purchase amount will post.
Can I use Mastercard at Costco?
In Costco warehouses, only Visa credit cards are accepted (plus all debit cards, cash, checks, EBT, and Costco Shop Cards). However, Costco.com accepts both Visa and Mastercard credit cards for online purchases. If you see a Costco charge on a Mastercard, it was likely an online order.
How long does a Costco.com refund take to process?
Once Costco receives your returned item, refunds typically process within 5-7 business days back to your original payment method. For items returned to a warehouse location, refunds to debit cards process immediately, while credit card refunds may take 3-5 business days to appear on your statement.
What is the difference between Costco Gold Star and Executive membership charges?
Gold Star membership is $65/year and provides basic warehouse and online access. Executive membership is $130/year and includes a 2% annual reward on qualified Costco purchases (up to $1,250 back per year), plus additional benefits on Costco services. If you see a $130 charge, you have Executive membership. You can downgrade at any time and receive a prorated refund of the difference.
Similar Charges
- COSTCO WHSE #1234
- COSTCO WHOLESALE
- COSTCO.COM
- COSTCO GAS #5678
- COSTCO PHARMACY