How One Costco Shopper Ended Up Doing 20 Minutes In 'Costco Jail'
On December 30, 2024, Ethan Pearl ended up in "Costco jail" with the security staff due to a receipt discrepancy. Pearl publicized the experience in the exact way you would expect people to nowadays when they feel wronged: with a viral TikTok post. In the video, Pearl states via captions, "Currently traumatized because the Costco cashier at self checkout scanned all my items for me and missed one and I was locked in Costco jail with security for 20 minutes..." During that period, Pearl watched as the staff checked the cameras, along with the TikToker's wallet and cards.
@ethanpearl_
Viewers of Pearl's video were generally sympathetic toward the shopper, and a number of them felt that Costco has become too strict lately. In recent years, some locations have reportedly tightened efforts to monitor and assist customers in the checkout lanes. Perhaps one way for wary customers to improve their Costco shopping experience and avoid landing in "jail" would be to do some extra receipt checking of their own.
Double-checking your receipt before exiting Costco may help you avoid 'jail'
Not double-checking your own receipt before leaving the store could be a real mistake when shopping at Costco (or any other retailer for that matter). Granted, it could be difficult to do effectively if you have a long list of items or made many unplanned purchases. However, it wouldn't hurt to plan ahead when possible. Those who frequent the store should already know that every shopper must show their receipt before exiting the warehouse. As Costco explains on its website, "We do this to double-check that the items purchased have been correctly processed by our cashiers. It's our most effective method of maintaining accuracy in inventory control."
Checking your own receipt could save you from being charged for too many items. If you notice an incorrect bill, before exiting the warehouse, you should head to the returns counter with your receipt. A team member will help you correct the issue. But if security discovers a receipt discrepancy in the other direction, could you end up in "Costco jail" like Ethan Pearl? Some TikTok users suggest you can. As, one person shared in response to Pearl's video, "They did this to my dad, they make the situation so awkward too. Writing a report down and everything!"
If you ever find yourself in Costco jail, just breathe and cooperate with the security staff. Along with remembering to check your receipts, be sure to check out one of our best Costco food court hacks before your next visit to the warehouse.