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where can i buy costco gift cards

You can only reliably buy official Costco gift cards (called Costco Shop Cards) directly from Costco, either in-store or on Costco’s website, and you generally need a Costco membership to purchase them. Non‑members can still use these gift cards, but usually cannot buy them themselves.

Main ways to buy Costco gift cards

1. In a Costco warehouse (physical cards)

  • Go to any Costco warehouse during normal store hours.
  • Head to:
    • The membership/customer service desk, or
    • The gift card racks near the front registers (varies by location).
  • You’ll need an active Costco membership to buy the card. The card can then be gifted to anyone, member or not.

Typical details:

  • Load amounts usually start around 25–50 USD and go up to a few hundred or more.
  • You pay at the register like any other item (cash, card, etc., depending on your local Costco’s rules).

2. Online at Costco.com (physical or e‑gift)

  • Go to Costco.com and sign in with a member account.
  • Search for “Costco Shop Card.”
  • Choose:
    • Physical gift card (mailed to you).
    • Digital e‑gift card (emailed to you or the recipient).
  • Pick a denomination (commonly 25, 50, 100, 250, 500 USD) and check out with a valid payment method.

Online notes:

  • Membership is required to buy the card online, but not to redeem it.
  • Physical cards generally arrive in a few business days; e‑cards are usually delivered the same day.

Can you buy them at other stores?

Many blogs and forum posts emphasize that Costco only officially sells its own gift cards through its warehouses and Costco.com , and not through competitors like Walmart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, etc.

Some people report seeing Costco gift cards on:

  • Resale or auction sites (e.g., eBay).
  • Gift card exchange marketplaces (where people resell unwanted cards).

However, these are second‑hand sources, not official Costco channels, so you should be cautious about:

  • Possible scams or invalid cards.
  • Paying more than face value.
  • No guarantee Costco will help if the card has issues.

For safety and to be sure the card will work, buy directly from Costco if possible.

Extra tips and “how they work”

  • Non‑members can shop at Costco using a Costco Shop Card; the card works as a kind of “day pass” as long as it has balance.
  • Cards usually have no expiration date and can be used:
    • In warehouses,
    • At Costco.com,
    • At Costco gas stations and often the food court in many regions.
  • Members can reload a card at Costco if they want to keep using the same one.

Quick recap:
If you’re asking “where can I buy Costco gift cards,” the straightforward answer is inside a Costco warehouse or on Costco.com with a membership; everywhere else is resale and higher‑risk.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.