Contents
The Offer
Costco.com is selling Uber/UberEATS e-gift cards and Instacart e-gift cards at a 20% discount:
- $100 Instacart e-gift card for $80. Limit 2.
- Two $50 Uber/UberEATS e-gift cards for $79.99. Limit 2.
Our Verdict
Nice discount here for Costco members. Tangentially, there’s a great deal for new members to buy Costco membership via Groupon, details can be found in this blogpost.
Like several people it seems, I joined costco, they bounced me trying to buy GCs and after going back and forth for hours they said they security froze my account and I need to come in and take pics. I said “Fair enough, no hard feelings, refund my membership though because the terms say ‘available for use immediately’ – I get it from an anti-fraud perspective but terms not met” and they immediately refunded it all once I said that. They did note it gets trickier once the Shop card lands to get that part refunded if you’re on a groupon deal.
The shop card also still landed in my case, lol.
Unless you never ride with Uber and only use Uber eat, do not buy Uber gift cards. Once you load Uber gift cards, they start to charge you higher rate (in my case 20-50% higher) for the rides even if you use your own credit card to pay for the rides (they do not allow Uber cash for prescheduled rides, or teenager rides etc). I verified this multiple times by comparing rates with different phones with/without uber cash for identical routes and time.
I’m not going to say this is untrue, nobody knows, but I will say there are very mixed datapoints at this point of people swearing they proved both directions so it’s possible it’s not the GC itself.
Yeah, I’m also not seeing that GC effect. I always compare with Lyft and I am getting about the same rates with both; both outrageously overpriced, especially compared to what they actually pay to the drivers. Maybe there is an effect in specific cities or during peak hours.
Was your previous transaction history exactly the same for the two accounts? I think it’s hard to tell if the gift card balance is what makes the difference. Though, maybe if you had 2 new accounts that haven’t had any transactions yet, one with gift card balance and one without.
Intacart anounced fee increase in March 2025, so be cautious stocking Intacart ecards
It sounds like Uber may charge more if your payment method is gift card (Uber cash). I’m not sure if it makes sense to buy Uber gift cards anymore.
Just fyi, buying these GCs is a wash. I bought several but then noticed that Uber charged me higher rates when I had these in my balance.
This isnt true. I click reorder from when I was using SavorOne without gift cards and its the same exact cost. Coincidence likely.
This is true for Uber rides (not Uber eat). I experienced this first hand and I have many data points. I even compared using different phones with/without Uber cash for identical routes and found in my cases they quoted 20-50% higher.
I’ve compared several times with my wife and friends and did not experience this, so I think it’s reasonable for people to just say YMMV.
I use mine on Uber Eats pick-up orders. The price, in my area, is exactly the same as in-store for some of my frequent go-to stores (eg, Chipotle).
Seems illegal but I wouldn’t put it past Uber. View from the wing has a post on it
what card do people use to maximize this while buying online?
Does Amex/MC work for gc?
Unfortunately, they don’t accept Paypal either so can’t use the Chase Freedom’s 5% cash back for that this quarter. I’ve personally been using the Ink unlimited 1.5% cash back card. Obviously, if you churn credit cards, use that card (they accept all cards but Amex online; in store, Visa only). Costco has their own credit card too which gives 2% back.
BoA custom cash will give you 3% back on all Costco purchases if you select Online Shopping as your category. Until recently I would buy a couple of these on the BoA CC and do pickup and get the 5% credit back.
They sent out an email yesterday or the day before saying that they’re not longer doing the 5% credit back for pickups effective immediately.
Oh I used to use the 5% on pickup/late delivery when they ran some offers. It never occurred to me I could have done the same on GC orders, duh!
Thanks for the card suggestions.
Also Chase used to regularly target me with 10% off on Instacart, do check that, if not BoFA it is. Tx!
Venmo CC is 3%, both in store and online. Otherwise, best bet is BoA Custom Cash at the 3-5.25% for online shopping.
I use the visa GCs I buy from the Office Depot deal with chase offer at Costco when it works out that way.
I’m new to Costco.. just siogned up through the Groupon deal.
How come when I add the Uber cards to cart.. nothing happens and it shows cart is empty? I’ve tried a dozen times.. is the deal only available ceertain days?
Keep refreshing
it has to do with some verification thing.. after wasting 1 hour on the phone and verifying everything (like opening a bank account).. they said you have to step into a branch.. well I don’t live near a Costco so fuck that.. I’m now just disputing the membership with my credit card
If you’re blunt with them they’ll cancel for you. If it’s through groupon, make sure you ask Costco. They’re far more helpful.
It’s important you do it before the Shop card hits.
Unless you only use Uber eat and never use Uber ride, be careful with Uber gift cards. Once you load them, Uber will charge you more for the rides.
that sounds illegal.. Uber can have two-tier pricing for gift card rides? what a piece of shit company
The stated limit on Instacart is not enforced (resets every week or so), Uber limit however seems to be strictly enforced.
every 2 weeks for the IC cards and then it resets.
Wish the visa e-giftcards.com offer worked here and was not limited to 2.
Haven’t tried the e-gc.com one yet, but visa and mc GCs from Office Depot have worked for me purchasing Uber gift cards.
I’m waiting for $74.99 sale again