Sam's Club is very similar to Costco, with a twist of Walmart. I maintain memberships with both Sam's and Costco because they often have very different inventory. Their prices are usually the same on most items, but sometimes one or the other will be cheaper for certain things.
Like Costco, Sam's selection tends to be extremely limited. They don't accept manufacturers coupons and unlike Costco, they don't mail out coupons to their members, however Plus members will receive automatic discounts on certain items when they make their purchase.
Sam's generally has fresher produce than Costco.
They have a gas station out front which usually has competitive prices, though Costco is usually a bit cheaper. Unlike Costco, Sam's gas allows you to use other credit cards.
This particular location has a pharmacy, one-hour photo, bakery, optical department, tire center and a food court.
Membership is required to shop at Sam's Club, which costs $35 per year for business or $40 for a personal membership. There's also a "Plus" membership for $100 a year. Unlike Costco's Executive Membership, which offers a 2% rebate on purchases, Sam's Plus membership doesn't offer as much for the money. Sam's offers their own credit card through Discover. Business and personal members get up to 1% cash back, Plus members get 2% back. Note that you only get these rebate levels if you spend more than a certain amount of money per year; rebate levels start at 1/4%. They also offer a Sam's Club credit card which can only be used at Sam's or Walmart.
Sam's Club does NOT accept Visa or American Express. They accept Discover, Mastercard, PIN-based debit cards, Sam's Club and Walmart credit cards, Sam's Club gift cards, food stamps, cash and checks. Checks are only accepted from the membership holder.
Sam's return policy appears to be just as liberal as Costco's. If you're ever dissatisfied with a purchase, you can return it at any time, except televisions, computers, projectors, MP3 players, cameras and camcorders, which have a 90 day limit, and cellphones which have a 30 day limit. Sam's has a 200% guarantee on fresh meat, bakery goods and produce.
Unlike Costco's web site, which is separate from their in-store inventory, Sam's Club's web site lists both in-store and web-only inventory, so you can check to see if they have items in stock before heading out. You can also purchase items online and they will pull and hold them for pickup so you can get in and out in a jiffy.
This particular location also has a covered loading area, which is great for when it's raining outside. Unfortunately, there's no roof between the exit and the loading zone, so you're still going to get a little wet. read more