I’m just curious about the whole “making sure you have a membership card at the door deal”

I have a Costco membership. I shop online mostly, however I needed to go to the physical store the other day so I loaded up my 2 kiddos a 3 year old and a newborn in a rainstorm and went to Costco. My card is in my wallet, I also have the app on my phone, both of which I had with me. I was trying to get out of the wind and rain with my babies so as I’m walking in the greeter woman says do you have your card, I said yes I do it’s right here and I held up my wallet. She started screaming at me that she needed to see it. I wasn’t about to be treated like that so I kept walking.

At checkout I used my card. Paid my money and left. I don’t see what the big deal is?? If I don’t have a card, I can’t checkout. It’s not like they’re checking my ID against my card or even my picture against my face until checkout. If they truly don’t want non-members to even see their product they wouldn’t allow cash cards for purchases or have an online store. They would also scan cards at the door rather than wait for you to get all the way through the checkout line.

On a previous occasion I was with my mom, she had a membership, I did not. She had had back surgery and I went with her to push her cart and load the groceries. They allowed her into the store but when I said I was with her, they wouldn’t allow me in. I wasn’t buying anything. So since she needed me we left.

How does that make sense? Sam’s club also required a membership but they aren’t crazy about it. My husband is not on my membership and he will often run in for me while I’m in the car with the kids. They don’t care. I drive past several Costco’s just to shop at Sam’s club because I think their door policy is ridiculous. I would honestly understand if they were checking it against your ID, but otherwise you literally can’t leave the store with anything without it. So why do they do it? Can anyone explain it to me?

Edited to add: the Costco I stopped at is at the mouth of a canyon and the doors face the canyon. The wind and rain drive right inside under the alcove. I ran out of pull-ups for my 3 year old or I wouldn’t have gone out at all, but he was literally wearing his last one. I was pulling to the side so I could pull my card out when she asked and I held up my wallet. But when she started screaming I was like oh heck no.

I get not wanting people to get to the register, but how is asking if I have my card different than seeing it? They’re not checking the picture even. My husbands card doesn’t even have a picture on it and no one has ever even questioned him,