Are daily deals the answer Sam's Club has been searching for in its efforts to gain a competitive advantage over Costco? Probably not, but Sam's Shocking Values program provides at least one point of difference in the head-to-head competition between the warehouse club rivals.
Shocking Values, which was launched last month, makes Sam's the first warehouse club to offer an online daily deal program. Sam's Club members can find limited-time discounts as high as 60 percent off regular retail prices on popular consumer brands.
"Our members consider each visit to their neighborhood club and SamsClub.com a treasure hunt for unexpected savings, and Shocking Values is a new extension of that experience," Jamie Iannone, president and CEO of Samsclub.com, said in a statement last month. "These daily deals increase the value of a Sam's Club membership and provide savings that members won't find anywhere else."
Source: www.samsclub.com/shockingvalues
According to a report by The City Wire, Sam's management is focused on delivering "newness" in its 650 clubs. The launch of the Shocking Values program comes on the heels of Club Pickup, which enables Sam's members to place orders online and then pick them up at their local club. Neither Costco nor BJ's Wholesale Club offer similar services.
"It will take time for the awareness of these changes to take hold, particularly with shoppers for whom Sam's isn't top-of-mind, but Sam's deserves credit for driving continuous improvement," Carol Spieckerman, CEO of newmarketbuilders, told The City Wire.
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