Costco is seizing the final moments of 2025 to attract fresh members through an uncommon promotional initiative, bundling one-year memberships with digital gift cards in partnership with discount platform Groupon.
The offer, which carries strict eligibility requirements and expires at midnight on Dec. 31, represents one of the few instances when the membership-focused retailer has stepped outside its traditional pricing structure.
Under the current promotion, prospective members choosing the Gold Star membership tier receive a $40 Digital Costco Shop Card, while those opting for the Executive membership level unlock a $60 Digital Costco Shop Card. Both packages include two membership cards—one for the primary cardholder and one for another household member aged 18 or older.
"Become a new Costco member, unlock exclusive savings on groceries, electronics, gas, and more — and get rewarded with a $40 or $60 Digital Costco Shop Card to spend online or in-store," the promotion reads on Groupon.
The Executive tier membership includes an annual 2 percent reward program on qualified Costco and Costco Travel purchases, capped at $1,250 annually, in addition to more savings on select Costco services and expanded store hours.
The gift cards arrive via email within 14 days of enrollment and are valid both in physical warehouses and on Costco.com, though they cannot be applied toward food court purchases or converted to cash outside state legal requirements.
The warehouse chain has layered multiple restrictions around who qualifies for the promotion. The offer extends only to individuals who have never held a Costco membership or whose previous memberships—whether primary, household, or affiliate accounts—have remained inactive for a minimum of 18 months.
Current members seeking to renew or upgrade their existing accounts are not eligible. Additionally, the promotion remains ineligible for combination with other discount codes or special offers.
Participants must be at least 18 years old to purchase the Groupon voucher, and the company limits each person to a single voucher. Costco employees are excluded from participating. The promotion is only valid within the United States.
To activate the membership, customers must bring a valid photo ID and a printed or digital copy of their Groupon confirmation email to their nearest Costco location.
The promotional push comes as Costco experiences sustained growth in its membership base and premium tier adoption. During its first-quarter 2026 earnings call on Dec. 11, Costco Chief Financial Officer Gary Millerchip detailed the company’s membership performance in the last quarter.
The company reported membership fee income reaching $1.329 billion during the period, representing a $163 million or 14 percent increase year-over-year when adjusted for foreign exchange fluctuations. Millerchip attributed approximately half of this growth to price increases implemented in September, when Costco elevated its Gold Star membership from $60 to $65 and its Executive tier from $120 to $130 yearly rates.
The United States and Canadian renewal rate stood at 92.2 percent, while the worldwide figure reached 89.7 percent, both declining by 10 basis points from the previous quarter.
During the same quarter, net sales climbed 8.2 percent, reaching $65.98 billion compared to $60.99 billion during the same time last year.
The retailer currently maintains 923 warehouse locations globally, encompassing 633 locations throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, along with international presence spanning Canada, Mexico, Japan, the United Kingdom, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, China, Spain, France, Sweden, Iceland, and New Zealand. The company simultaneously operates e-commerce platforms across multiple nations including the United States, Canada, the UK, Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Australia.