With almost 600 locations across the U.S., Sam's Club offers its members low prices bulk items, including groceries and household goods. Their online store started all the way back in 1996 and continues to offer members access to convenient shopping from home or other remote locations. The savings and convenience come at a cost, however. That cost comes in the form of an annual membership fee, so shoppers naturally would like to know whether the potential savings at Sam's Club are worth the trouble. Read on to find out the benefits of membership at Sam's Club, and see if joining is the right move for you.
Top Deals at Sam's Club
Gift Cards at Sam's Club: Up to 25% off for members
Sam's Club 1-Year Membership for $14
Sam's Club Tire Doorbusters: Up to $140 off a set of 4 for members
$250 Southwest Airlines Gift Card: $229 for members
Sam's Club Clearance Savings: Up to 60% off
Sam's Club Grocery and Household Savings: Up to 40% off for members
Sam's Club Instant Savings Deals from $5 for members
LG UQ70 Series 65UQ7050ZUD 65" 4K HDR LED UHD Smart TV: $379 for members
DwarfLab Dwarf II Smart Digital Telescope: $398 for members
Sam's Club 1-Year Plus Membership for $50
Samsung Galaxy Book Go Qualcomm 7c 14" Laptop w/ 128GB SSD: $200 for members
Wonderful Pistachios, Roasted Lightly Salted 48-oz. Pack: $13 for members
What types of products Sam's Club carries
Sam's Club is a warehouse membership club that offers limited items for exceptional value. Instead of stocking every item in all of the brands, Sam's Club stocks select products in large quantities in order pass savings onto customers.
Sam's Club carries:
- groceries in bulk
- meat
- produce
- household items in bulk
- computers and electronics
- select furniture
- prescription medication
- gasoline
- tires
Sam's Club does NOT carry:
- every item in every available brand
- smaller quantities of items as you would find in regular grocery stores
What's the benefit of shopping at Sam's Club?
The benefits of shopping at Sam's Club can depend on the type of membership. Club Membership (normally $50/year) offers members-only pricing, bonus offers, curbside pickup, Scan and Go, fuel savings, tires, and car batteries. Plus Membership (normally $110/year) offers everything at the Club level plus free shipping, Sam's Cash, and pharmacy and optical savings.
Membership grants access to all of the retailer's items in stores and online. Items include produce, meat, traceable seafood, Sashimi-grade salmon, USDA Prime Beef, homemade meal solutions, baked goods, and more.
What is unique about Sam's Club?
Sam's Club maintains a simple shopping environment in order to keep costs low. Plus Members enjoy a variety of benefits, including free shipping, Sam's Cash, early shopping, and extra savings on medications in addition to Club membership benefits. All members benefit from Sam's Club Credit, Instant Savings, free health screenings, daily "Tastes and Tips" sampling demonstrations, and members-only savings on fuel.
Is Sam's cheaper than Walmart?
The short answer is yes. Sam's Club prices are lower on nearly all identical or similar products offered at Walmart. Exceptions may include coupons, which Walmart accepts while Sam's does not.
Is Sam's Club worth it for a single person?
Single shoppers can benefit from purchasing bulk items if they have enough storage space to store things like household cleaning essentials, toiletries, frozen food, and anything with a long shelf life. Gas and gift cards are other discounted items at Costco that may be of interest single shoppers.
If you don't live near a club, if your home doesn't have much storage space, or if you don't eat frozen foods, a club membership may not be right for you. Perishable items may spoil too quickly, so buying these items in large quantities may not work out with fewer people around to consume them before expiration.
What is the best day to shop at Sam's Club?
Weekends can be very busy at Sam's Club, so if you prefer to stay away from crowds, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are probably your best option. Fresh meat and and produce shipments come in during the week, so you're most likely to find the best stuff well before the weekend. You'll also find markdowns on goods that are close to their sell-by date during the week.
FAQs
- How Much Does a Sam's Club Membership Cost?
A Base Club Membership costs $50 annually. The Plus Membership annual cost is $110. The Plus membership includes free shipping on most online items, free curbside pickup, extra pharmacy and optical discounts, 2% back on qualifying purchases with Plus Rewards, and early shopping hours.
Base membership includes access to Instant Savings and Scan and Go, but you'll pay for shipping and curbside pickup. Base members also miss out on pharmacy and optical discounts, as well as early shopping hours and Plus Rewards.
- How to Earn Cash Back with a Sam's Club Membership
Sam's Cash is available to all Sam's Club members. Log in to your account to see your current Sam's Cash balance in the Sam's Club Dashboard.
Plus members earn 2% Sam's Cash on purchases made in clubs (not online). You can earn up to $500 annually on qualifying purchases. Exclusions apply.
Sam's Club Mastercard holders can earn up to $5,000 in Sam's Cash per year. You get 2% with the Plus membership, and another 3% with the Sam's Club Mastercard (1% for Base Club members).
- What Makes a Sam's Club Membership Worth It?
Sam's Club members save on gas, and they have access to online shopping at the same prices as in the store. Free curbside pickup is available to Plus members, and this service costs $4 for base club members. Scan and Go allows shoppers to scan items in the Sam's Club app while shopping and pay without going to a register. There are also exclusive Scan and Go offers throughout the store. Sam's Club also stocks many national name brands, which many shoppers appreciate.
- What If You Live in a Smaller Household?
Smaller households can still benefit from buying in bulk if they have the necessary storage space to store pantry ingredients, frozen foods, and other items that keep for long periods of time. Even infrequent trips to Sam's Club can result in significant savings on flat tire repairs, fuel savings, pharmacy and optical deals, and low prices on large items like appliances with savings in one transaction that amount to more than the price of a year of membership.
- Can You Shop at Sam's Club Without a Membership?
Online shoppers can create a guest membership as they check out online, but there's a 10% surcharge. Members may bring guests to the store, but only the member can purchase items.
- How does shopping compare in-store vs online?
Prices are the same at Samsclub.com and in stores, but you may find a bigger selection of items online. It's also possible to make online purchases without a membership, provided you're willing to pay a 10% surcharge. (Purchasing a membership is completely worth it if that surcharge is more than the price of membership, however.) You'll also avoid crowds by shopping online, and if you live far away, you'll save time and gas money if you shop from the comfort of your home.
- How to save the most at Sam's Club
Take advantage of the Scan and Go feature through the app for exclusive deals. Maximize your Sam's Cash with a Plus membership, and by using the Sam's Club Mastercard. Shop sales, including the Instant Savings offers. Finally, compare Sam's Club prices to other stores before you buy to ensure you're getting the best price. Not everything you see at Sam's Club will be the lowest around, but many items are. Shop strategically to save as much as you can.
Sam's Club offers members a range of benefits and access to low prices on essential groceries and household items that shoppers love. Their two tiers of membership give you options suitable to your own needs and shopping habits. Be sure to stay informed of the best current Sam's Club deals, including discounts on membership, by frequently checking our Sam's Club section, and by signing up for our newsletter and alerts.
Andy Frank
Editor
Andy has been with DealNews for 9 years, in which time he has witnessed the rise and fall of online retail empires. In fact, he remembers going to a physical Sears location to pick up a purchase. Don't get him started on the current state of shopping malls and how it compares to the good old days. He lives in Henderson, Nevada, which is not Las Vegas.
DealNews may be compensated by companies mentioned in this article. Please note that, although prices sometimes fluctuate or expire unexpectedly, all products and deals mentioned in this feature were available at the lowest total price we could find at the time of publication (unless otherwise specified).
