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Should retailers charge for curbside pickup?

Written by Tom Ryan

Photo: Stop & Shop

Sam's Club will start charging most members a $4 curbside-pickup fee after June 28. Free curbside pickup was traditionally reserved for Plus members, but the fee was waived “for a limited time” for Standard members in June 2020 in light of the pandemic. Plus membership ($100 annually) includes free shipping, a higher cash-back rate and other perks over Standard membership ($45 annually). A Sam's Club spokesperson told Business Insider, "Throughout the pandemic, we extended the limited time offer as a courtesy to our Club members. We are now expiring free Curbside Pickup for Club members and moving forward as planned with the $4 fee for Club members." Walmart and Target stand out for offering free curbside pickup with no minimum purchase, although some items aren’t included. Most grocers charge a fee or require a minimum order requirement. Some of the offerings are supported by Instacart or other third-party delivery services. Some allow customers to make specific instructions for personal shoppers, such as how ripe they like their bananas. Among the policies at other retailers:
  • Wegmans offers free curbside pickup with a minimum order of $10.
  • Whole Foods offers free curbside pickup for Amazon Prime members with a minimum purchase order of $35.
  • Sprouts’ curbside pickup fees are $1.99 for orders over $35 and $3.99 for orders under $35. 
  • Kroger and its banners offer free pickup for orders totaling $35 or more. 
  • Publix’s pickup is supported by Instacart. Fees may apply and items purchased through curbside pickup may be higher than in-store.
  • Stop & Shop applies a $2.95 fee for curbside pickup with minimum order size of $30.
  • H-E-B offers free curbside pickup on orders over $35, although online prices may vary from prices at inside stores.
  • Hy-Vee offers curbside pickup for free with a minimum $24.95 purchase. A "Get it Faster" option for $9.95 offers pickup within two hours. 
  • Costco at most locations offers locker pickup for more expensive items such as jewelry and electronics. Since 2021, Costco has been piloting curbside pickup for grocery items at its three New Mexico stores that cost $10 with a minimum order of $100.

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