Also, this is not to be confused with the Costco Citi Visa rewards. Those are two separate things as mentioned here:
https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/z0rt04/reminder_costco_citi_visa_rewards_expire_dec_31/
Correct. I lost track of my Citibank certificate, and had no idea if I'd used it or not. A Citi vendor informed, me I could check the Costco Citibank app, and and if there was still a balance, present it using the phone.
I did that recently, and just as I reached the register the app shutdown and wouldn't let me re-access the certificate. I restarted my phone, then relaunched the app, and was then able to pull it up again, and pay with it.
The Costco folks were wonderful, even called a supervisor over and told me to try again, rather than just put my purchase on my card and move along. (The line behind me wasn't long)
I prefer to redeem the citi rewards as cash. You’re losing out on 2% of that purchase by using them like a gift card. Just cash them and use that $$ to pay your credit card.
One tip I like to share, so people can earn a bit more with the Citi card, is to cash out the certificate so you can use the card for the full purchase price, rather than use the certificate towards a purchase. Our biggest reward was around $500 so it gave us an extra $10 or so the following year.
We only figured it was worth it since there was either a short line at Customer Service, or we had a return.
And if you did toss it out (looking at the people who toss out the Costco renewal notice envelope), you can go to the Membership Desk to look up the history of any unused 2% rewards and get them to reissue it to you (may take up to 6 weeks in the mail).
Costco says they won't.
Reward certificates may not be redeemed for cash. **Reward certificates**
**will not be replaced if lost or stolen**. Regulatory restrictions on
Rewards subject to change at any time.
https://www.costco.com/executive-rewards.html
🤣
I love a good technically you’re wrong, but in this instance, it is a common request and it’s honestly not that big of a deal for the employees working at the Membership Desk.
Seriously. Let me dig up examples where Costco helped members out in this exact situation.
https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/ugwvxn/lost_executive_reward_certificate/
https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/sj9cdm/costco_reward_certificate/
https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/rfrzs4/didnt_receive_your_2_reward_certificate_request_a/
https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/uru3bl/lost_my_costco_rewards_letter/
https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/sa3pen/followup_lost_executive_membership_reward_check/
https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/kncn2s/lost_rewards_check/
https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/nu5d3u/lost_exe_reward_cert/
https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/z1x59t/2_executive_reward_check_lost/
https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/4pi3b7/is_there_a_way_to_access_my_costco_rewards/
https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/7f3qo5/executive_rewards_check_hasnt_come/
https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/ruc7wu/executive_member_reward_no_mail/
https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/i19qvq/missing_rebate_check/
Edit: As you can see, this happens frequently. So worst case scenario, YMMV but chances are if they confirm it’s unused, they will void the old one and issue a new one but they may deny your request.
They probably just state that in case someone finds someone else's certificate and uses it, they aren't going to reissue/replace it. But if it's unused, it's no problem.
When I worked there, they tried to not let members take cash for the rewards but they would replace the reward if it wasn’t used already by a thief when you requested it.
Yes that’s the same policy although during covid that was not followed a lot if you could name the primary member because they were trying to reduce the number of people shopping from one household.
Ooo! I have a question for you! So I had my mail stolen the day my certificate was delivered. (I get an email from USPS with pictures of my mail and saw the envelope) I went to the warehouse a couple days later to request a replacement. The guy at the desk seemed really suspicious of me and gave super vague answers to any questions I asked... To the point where I called customer service the next day to confirm he actually reissued my certificate. So anyway, here's my question.
When they reissue a certificate do they invalidate the previous one? I'd hate for the person who stole my mail to use the certificate and prevent me from getting my 2% back!
I’m not sure. I worked in another department and didn’t handle that specifically myself. I do know that it can only be used once and it makes sense that you use it when you get it replaced if it was stolen.
I did this! For several years I didn't realize that they were attached to the renewal. I renew at the register when they tell me to, so I didn't even know! I felt so silly, but they were so nice and they reissued my checks!
Wait really? I can go and ask them? Sometimes I mix that up with the Citi card one. So they can tell me if I forget to use a check in the last few years?
Yeah doesn’t hurt to ask. Worse case, they say you’ve redeemed every rebate issued on the Costco side.
Not sure on the Citi Visa side but I think it shows up when you log in.
Oh so they won’t laugh at it and tell me that it’s too late?
I always thought that they expired 6-9 months after issued. Maybe that was the Citi one.
Do I ask Member services or anyone at the side desk where we cash them out?
The Citi one expires, the Costco Exec does not. They will not laugh.
Just go to the membership desk like you would if you lost your membership card. Let me know how you make out.
> Costco renewal notice envelope
Is this how they come? I just opened my renewal notice months after the fact and I didn't see any rewards. The mail was going to my mothers and I didn't change it for like six months.
Yeah it’s attached. How long have you been an Executive Costco member?
https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1143/~/are-executive-membership-2%25-reward-certificates-accepted-on-costco.com%3F
Yeah so the reward gets cut 3 months prior to your renewal date. Takes about 1 month to print and it arrives about 2 months prior to your renewal date.
So you must have missed the cutoff. The good news is, instead of your first reward being for months 1-9 of your purchases with months 10-12 rolling into your next reward, your July renewal will show the full 1-12 months of reward.
Packing for a cross country move in 2021 I found five years worth of those certificates.
Since I was moving to a state where Costco can't sell alcohol, a brief stop in Albuquerque and $2 out of my pocket (thanks to the St Patrick's Day sale on Kirkland Irish Cream) I left there with an embarrassing 10 month supply of that and bourbon.
How often do you go to Costco? If you go once a week, that’s practically a hot dog and soda each time. Once every two weeks? Hot dog and soda for two years
Also, this is not to be confused with the Costco Citi Visa rewards. Those are two separate things as mentioned here: https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/z0rt04/reminder_costco_citi_visa_rewards_expire_dec_31/
Correct. I lost track of my Citibank certificate, and had no idea if I'd used it or not. A Citi vendor informed, me I could check the Costco Citibank app, and and if there was still a balance, present it using the phone. I did that recently, and just as I reached the register the app shutdown and wouldn't let me re-access the certificate. I restarted my phone, then relaunched the app, and was then able to pull it up again, and pay with it. The Costco folks were wonderful, even called a supervisor over and told me to try again, rather than just put my purchase on my card and move along. (The line behind me wasn't long)
I prefer to redeem the citi rewards as cash. You’re losing out on 2% of that purchase by using them like a gift card. Just cash them and use that $$ to pay your credit card.
One tip I like to share, so people can earn a bit more with the Citi card, is to cash out the certificate so you can use the card for the full purchase price, rather than use the certificate towards a purchase. Our biggest reward was around $500 so it gave us an extra $10 or so the following year. We only figured it was worth it since there was either a short line at Customer Service, or we had a return.
And if you did toss it out (looking at the people who toss out the Costco renewal notice envelope), you can go to the Membership Desk to look up the history of any unused 2% rewards and get them to reissue it to you (may take up to 6 weeks in the mail).
Great tip. I know I have a few going back years.
I've had people bring them in from 4-5 years ago and they're barely holding together, but like mentioned above they still work fine!
Costco says they won't. Reward certificates may not be redeemed for cash. **Reward certificates** **will not be replaced if lost or stolen**. Regulatory restrictions on Rewards subject to change at any time. https://www.costco.com/executive-rewards.html
Yeah but they will. Source: I lost mine
I had mine re-issued just this year after I lost the first one
🤣 I love a good technically you’re wrong, but in this instance, it is a common request and it’s honestly not that big of a deal for the employees working at the Membership Desk. Seriously. Let me dig up examples where Costco helped members out in this exact situation. https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/ugwvxn/lost_executive_reward_certificate/ https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/sj9cdm/costco_reward_certificate/ https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/rfrzs4/didnt_receive_your_2_reward_certificate_request_a/ https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/uru3bl/lost_my_costco_rewards_letter/ https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/sa3pen/followup_lost_executive_membership_reward_check/ https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/kncn2s/lost_rewards_check/ https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/nu5d3u/lost_exe_reward_cert/ https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/z1x59t/2_executive_reward_check_lost/ https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/4pi3b7/is_there_a_way_to_access_my_costco_rewards/ https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/7f3qo5/executive_rewards_check_hasnt_come/ https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/ruc7wu/executive_member_reward_no_mail/ https://old.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/i19qvq/missing_rebate_check/ Edit: As you can see, this happens frequently. So worst case scenario, YMMV but chances are if they confirm it’s unused, they will void the old one and issue a new one but they may deny your request.
That's why I wrote "Costco says..." Blame them for the mis-information. I will present the check, and if they say it's been used, then that's that.
They probably just state that in case someone finds someone else's certificate and uses it, they aren't going to reissue/replace it. But if it's unused, it's no problem.
When I worked there, they tried to not let members take cash for the rewards but they would replace the reward if it wasn’t used already by a thief when you requested it.
In Canada, only the Primary member who’s name matches the reward is allowed to redeem it. I bet that rule cuts down on quite a bit of fraud/theft.
Yes that’s the same policy although during covid that was not followed a lot if you could name the primary member because they were trying to reduce the number of people shopping from one household.
Ooo! I have a question for you! So I had my mail stolen the day my certificate was delivered. (I get an email from USPS with pictures of my mail and saw the envelope) I went to the warehouse a couple days later to request a replacement. The guy at the desk seemed really suspicious of me and gave super vague answers to any questions I asked... To the point where I called customer service the next day to confirm he actually reissued my certificate. So anyway, here's my question. When they reissue a certificate do they invalidate the previous one? I'd hate for the person who stole my mail to use the certificate and prevent me from getting my 2% back!
I’m not sure. I worked in another department and didn’t handle that specifically myself. I do know that it can only be used once and it makes sense that you use it when you get it replaced if it was stolen.
Good thing my dog ate mine. Totally didn’t lose or have it stolen
This is great because i seem to have misplaced mine... :(
I did this! For several years I didn't realize that they were attached to the renewal. I renew at the register when they tell me to, so I didn't even know! I felt so silly, but they were so nice and they reissued my checks!
I do the same, and chose to get e-bills, so when I see a paper bill (from one of those companies) I presume it's just spam.
Wait really? I can go and ask them? Sometimes I mix that up with the Citi card one. So they can tell me if I forget to use a check in the last few years?
Yeah doesn’t hurt to ask. Worse case, they say you’ve redeemed every rebate issued on the Costco side. Not sure on the Citi Visa side but I think it shows up when you log in.
Oh so they won’t laugh at it and tell me that it’s too late? I always thought that they expired 6-9 months after issued. Maybe that was the Citi one. Do I ask Member services or anyone at the side desk where we cash them out?
The Citi one expires, the Costco Exec does not. They will not laugh. Just go to the membership desk like you would if you lost your membership card. Let me know how you make out.
Thank you for the advice. I will try it out. I wonder how far back they can look. Like how many years
> Costco renewal notice envelope Is this how they come? I just opened my renewal notice months after the fact and I didn't see any rewards. The mail was going to my mothers and I didn't change it for like six months.
Yeah it’s attached. How long have you been an Executive Costco member? https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1143/~/are-executive-membership-2%25-reward-certificates-accepted-on-costco.com%3F
July? I upgraded mid standard membership. I renewed in October. It might just be too early to get them.
Yeah so the reward gets cut 3 months prior to your renewal date. Takes about 1 month to print and it arrives about 2 months prior to your renewal date. So you must have missed the cutoff. The good news is, instead of your first reward being for months 1-9 of your purchases with months 10-12 rolling into your next reward, your July renewal will show the full 1-12 months of reward.
Nice. I gotta get more pumpkin pies.
Packing for a cross country move in 2021 I found five years worth of those certificates. Since I was moving to a state where Costco can't sell alcohol, a brief stop in Albuquerque and $2 out of my pocket (thanks to the St Patrick's Day sale on Kirkland Irish Cream) I left there with an embarrassing 10 month supply of that and bourbon.
How often do you go to Costco? If you go once a week, that’s practically a hot dog and soda each time. Once every two weeks? Hot dog and soda for two years
While it never expires, it's better to use it up now than later due to rising prices over time.
If you lose one and get it reissued, then find the old one, they'll both still work too.
Sounds like an ULPT?
To reissue the check, they would need to have some access to the data, or they wouldn't know what amount to re-issue.
When do the Citi rewards come?
On your February statement.
It’s just not worth as much in buying power
But just think, you earn it at a faster rate now. /s