Sam's Club Is Removing a Beloved Free Perk and Members Are Not Happy: 'No Benefits for the Cost'

Costco's rival, Sam's Club, is taking away a long-beloved free perk — and members are taking to social media to share how they feel about it.

The wholesale retailer emailed club members ahead of the holiday weekend and revealed that starting August 19, free shipping would no longer apply to Plus members' orders, just orders over $50 or more.

Related: Sam's Club to Use AI Cart Photos, Stop Receipt Door Checks

So instead of having their goods delivered for free, members who make purchases under $50 will have to pay an $8 flat rate. Some category exclusions still apply, the company said.

Members took to X to complain about the new changes, with some even threatening to take their business to rival Costco instead.

Sam's Club did not immediately respond to Entrepreneur 's request for comment but told FOX Business in a statement that the retailer is "continuously working on providing an easier and more convenient shopping experience for our members."

Sam's Club is owned by parent company Walmart, which had a strong fiscal Q1 of 2025 with $161.5 billion in revenue, a 6% increase from the same period last year.

Sam's Club specifically saw net sales reach $21.4 billion in the quarter, a 4.6% increase from Q1 2024, and a 13.3% increase in membership income. The retailer ended the quarter with the highest total membership number in history.

Related: How to Claim Cash: Costco's $2 Million Class Action Lawsuit

"We're focused on saving our customers both money and time," Walmart Inc. CEO Doug McMillon said in a company release , at the time. "We're people-led and tech-powered, and that combination is propelling our business."

Walmart Inc. was up over 34% year-over-year as of Monday morning.