We are lifetime members and just received our second set of cards which include the Swipe and Save barcode on the back. It took about 8 weeks for us to get them.
Many businesses "offer" you the opportunity to renew months prior to the expiration date. CostCo was one of the best at it. Problem was/is if you 'renew' several months 'early' your membership "expiration" date changed to the renewed date. So in your case, if you renew in March, your expiration date changed from August to March. Before you renew ANY membership, CostCo, Sam's, Good Sam's etc. ensure you're getting the full term from your renewal. I used CostCo as an example because I have first hand knowledge that they did that to me. They also wouldn't change after I brought it to their attention which is why I no longer shop there......Dennis