Costco Taiwan Follows US Lead: Black Diamond Members to Get One-Hour Early Entry

(Central News Agency reporter He Hsiu-Ling, Taipei, 11th) Costco Taiwan today announced that it will follow the measures of Costco US, allowing Black Diamond members to enter stores an hour earlier, at 9 AM, for shopping starting May 25, compared to the general opening hours. This makes it one of the few retailers in Taiwan to provide exclusive entry times for high-level members; Gold Star members and Business members will continue to enter at 10 AM. Costco stated that the Black Diamond card is the highest-tier membership, with an annual fee of NT$3000. Previously, its main incentive was a 2% annual spending rebate. This new early entry privilege further expands the tiered membership service offerings. Regarding other Costco membership fees, Costco Taiwan's Gold Star membership costs NT$1500, and Business membership also costs NT$1500. Costco pointed out that Costco US began implementing the one-hour early entry measure for its Executive Members (Black Diamond card in Costco Taiwan) in September last year. The implementation of early entry in Taiwan is expected to help disperse peak hour crowds and shorten checkout waiting times during certain periods. Industry insiders indicate that Costco Taiwan's adoption of this measure reflects the retail industry's recent trend of continuously strengthening tiered membership management. Liu Heng-Chia, Marketing and Planning Manager of Costco Taiwan, stated that the early entry measure for Black Diamond members not only provides exclusive services to members but also helps to manage crowd flow during peak hours. (Edited by Yang Kai-Hsiang) 1150511