As one of the largest retailers in the world, Costco Wholesale Corporation boasts an impressive array of merchandise, from groceries to electronics. The company has been in business since 1976 and has since grown to operate over 700 warehouses across the globe. Costco is known for its low prices and bulk purchasing options, which allow members to save money on everyday items.
One thing that Costco is not known for, however, is accepting Mastercard as a form of payment. While Visa is accepted at all Costco locations, Mastercard is only accepted at Costco warehouses in the United States, and even then, only certain Mastercard products are accepted. So why doesn’t Costco accept Mastercard?
The answer lies in the fees that credit card companies charge retailers for processing payments. Visa and Mastercard charge different rates for their services, with Visa’s rates being significantly lower than Mastercard’s.
For a company like Costco that operates on slim profit margins, every little bit counts. By accepting only Visa cards, Costco is able to save millions of dollars each year on credit card processing fees.
There are other reasons why Costco might prefer Visa over Mastercard as well. Visa is a more widely-accepted form of payment than Mastercard, meaning that more customers would be able to use their cards at Costco if the retailer accepted Visa. Additionally, Visa offers more comprehensive fraud protection than Mastercard, which could be another factor that contributes to Costco’s decision to not accept Mastercard.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to money. By not accepting Mastercard, Costco is able to save millions of dollars each year on credit card processing fees. For a company that operates on such slim profit margins, every little bit counts.
