All articles tagged with #membership
Costco has set three new records in its first quarter, driven by steady membership growth, increased sales, and a favorable economic environment that encourages more households to join and shop at the retailer, despite some slight declines in renewal rates. The company's membership-based model and focus on value continue to underpin its success, even amid economic challenges.
Ukrainian President Zelensky insists Ukraine must be treated as a full EU member and not a second-tier state, emphasizing the country's commitment to reforms and support for its EU bid despite ongoing war. The EU recognizes Ukraine's progress but urges further anti-corruption efforts, with Zelensky aiming for Ukraine to join the EU before 2030. Zelensky also dismisses concessions to Hungary and highlights support from U.S. President Trump.
The article announces changes to Slipped Disc, a news site, encouraging readers to become members for $79/£59 annually to support free access and receive benefits like a daily digest and exclusive offers.
Sam's Club is extending its store hours nationwide starting October 12, with most locations open from 8am to 8pm daily, including Sundays, to attract more last-minute holiday shoppers. The change includes earlier Sunday hours and reduced early access for top-tier members. These adjustments aim to compete with rivals like Costco, which has also recently expanded its hours, and are part of broader efforts to boost sales during the holiday season.
Costco exceeded analyst expectations in its fiscal fourth quarter with higher earnings, revenue, and a notable increase in membership income and e-commerce sales, driven by attracting younger shoppers and offering value, despite some deceleration in same-store sales and recent market underperformance.
Amazon is ending its Prime Invitee program on October 1, which allowed Prime members to share benefits outside their household, requiring affected customers to sign up for their own Prime membership for free shipping. The company suggests switching to Amazon Family for household sharing, but the change may impact those who relied on the previous program. Amazon's Prime program has an estimated 197 million US subscribers, with a monthly cost of $14.99 or $139 annually.
Amazon will end its Prime Invitee Program on October 1, which allowed sharing free shipping benefits with non-household members, encouraging users to either get their own Prime memberships or use Amazon Family, with new membership costs set at $14.99/month or $139/year.
Amazon is ending its Prime Invitee program, which allowed Prime members to share free, fast shipping with someone outside their household, effective October 1, just before the holiday shopping season.
Amazon is ending its Prime Invitee Program that allowed sharing free shipping with non-household members, replacing it with the Amazon Family program that requires sharing the same residential address, as part of efforts to tighten membership policies amid reported declines in Prime signups.
Costco is extending exclusive early shopping hours to its Executive Members, allowing them to shop an hour before regular hours, starting September 2nd, as part of a move to compete with Sam's Club and boost membership upgrades. This benefit also includes early access to food courts, optical centers, and pharmacies, and is aimed at encouraging lower-tier members to upgrade. The change is part of Costco's broader efforts to enhance customer experience and increase revenue from memberships, which generated nearly $3.6 billion in the first three quarters of 2025.
Costco's new shopping policy, which prioritizes Executive Members by allowing them early access from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., officially begins on September 2nd, after a grace period, causing some customer dissatisfaction due to perceived favoritism towards higher-paying members.
Costco is set to do something it rarely does—close its stores on a specific day—specifically Labor Day, as part of its commitment to balancing customer service with employee well-being, with the store closing only seven times a year for major holidays.
Costco is implementing new early shopping hours for executive members starting June 30, 2025, with warehouses opening at 9am exclusively for them, while general members will open at 10am. The change aims to add value to the top-tier membership, which already accounts for a significant portion of sales, and includes additional benefits like monthly credits and enhanced services. The update follows a recent increase in membership fees and extended gas station hours, with some locations offering a grace period for regular members until August 31.
A total of 534 distinguished artists and industry professionals, including recent Oscar winners and nominees like Kieran Culkin, Mikey Madison, Ariana Grande, and others from diverse backgrounds and countries, have been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which aims to enhance its global and inclusive representation. Acceptance will increase the Academy's total membership to over 11,000, with a focus on diversity, inclusion, and international representation.
Costco is expanding into the gasoline business by building its first stand-alone fuel-only station in Mission Viejo, California, featuring 40 pumps exclusively for members, with construction starting in fall 2025 and opening planned for spring 2026. The company is also increasing fuel station hours and offering early shopping privileges to executive members.