Sam’s Club members are vowing to cancel their memberships unless the retailer reverses a major change to its membership perks (stock image) Getty Some Sam’s Club shoppers are considering canceling their memberships in favor of the retailer’s parent company, Walmart’s Walmart+ membership (stock image) Getty
“I thought Sam’s was cheaper than Walmart,” one disgruntled shopper shared on Reddit .
“Not only am l a Walmart+ member but [I’m] also a preferred member with Sam’s Club,” the user continued.
Walmart is the parent company of Sam’s Club, which was named after Walmart founder Sam Walton .
“I just ordered from Sam’s Club and [was] charged a delivery fee of $8.00 whereas with Walmart+ it’s always free,” the user added.
Over the last few weeks, Sam’s Club has begun to introduce its new store and membership policies at stores nationwide.
Sam’s Club offers two unique membership tiers, including the Club and Plus levels.
The Club membership will set shoppers back $50 annually, while the Plus tier costs $110 per year.
The retailer, which previously offered free shipping for Plus members, is now requiring customers to make a minimum purchase of $50 to take advantage of the offer.
If the minimum order amount isn’t reached, customers will have to shell out a flat rate fee of $8 per shipping order.
“By adding a cart minimum, we are increasing access to different ways of shopping for our members,” Sam’s Club said on its website .
“This will make it easier for you to get the products you want, the way and at the time you want,” the retailer added.
Members are also being charged for same-day delivery orders depending on their membership tier.
Club members pay $12 for same-day delivery orders, while Plus members are charged $8 for the same-day delivery service.
Notably, despite the hefty fees, and unlike shipping orders, there is no minimum purchase requirement for delivery orders.
Sam's Club membership tiers
Sam's Club shoppers can pick between two membership levels.
Club Membership:
$50 per year
Bonus offers
Same-day delivery
Instant savings
Sam’s Club Mastercard
Members-only fuel savings
Tire and battery center
Plus Membership:
$110 per year
All benefits of Club membership plus Sam’s Cash
Free shipping on eligible orders, $50 minimum order
The chain, which plans to roll out the new fees and membership perks — or lack thereof — across all store locations by August 19, is also facing mounting criticism for changes to its curbside pickup service.
Club members will no longer receive free curbside pickup on all orders as part of their membership tier.
Instead, if a Club member spends less than $50 on any eligible orders, they’ll incur a $4 flat fee on top of their order amount.
Sam’s Club’s parent company, Walmart, offers free delivery – including free same-day grocery delivery – with its Walmart+ subscription.
However, shoppers also have to reach an order minimum of $35 – $15 less than Sam’s Club’s requirement – to receive the service.
A Walmart+ membership costs $12.95 per month, or customers can save a few dollars by signing up for an annual membership for $98 per year.
“We actually carry all three memberships right now (BJ’s, Sam’s, and Costco), but we’re probably not going to renew Sam’s because I hardly ever step foot into a store, and shipping was how we took advantage of that membership,” one user shared after learning about the price increase.
“If you have a Sam’s Club plus membership delivery should be free. Otherwise, yes it costs more,” one shopper quipped.
“Sam’s Club is cheaper for bulk items, [and] I have a family of 5 so it works for us to buy items we use a lot in bulk,” they added.
Still, the perks don’t seem to compensate for the new fees and restrictions for smaller households.
“We just let our Sam’s membership lapse. I feel like buying in bulk is not something we need anymore as empty nesters,” another user shared.
One Reddit user even suggested canceling the disgruntled shopper’s Sam’s Club membership in favor of Walmart+.
“If you’re by yourself though or have a small family, there’s no reason to buy the majority of your things in bulk,” one user explained.
“I’d drop Sam’s and keep Walmart+ if I were you,” they advised.
How to sign up to Walmart+
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Remember to cancel before the 30 days are up, or pay $12.95 per month (which you can cancel at any time) or $98 for the annual plan if you want to keep it.
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