DISCUSSION
Will free, same-day pickup give Sam’s Club the edge it has been looking for over Costco?
Written by George Anderson
Photo: Sam's Club
Sam’s Club, the perennial runner-up against Costco in the competition for warehouse club members and sales, earlier this week announced the chainwide launch of a free, same-day online order pickup program that management believes will bring added convenience to the lives (private and business) of its members. Will this move finally give Sam’s the leg up it has sought over Costco for years?
The new pickup program allows members to place orders through SamsClub.com or through the retailer’s mobile app. There is no minimum order, although Sam’s is capping the number of items in individual orders at 15. Members can order products from a wide variety of categories, including alcohol, consumer electronics, fresh produce, meat, paper goods and more.
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Photo: Sam's Club[/caption]
Some clubs offer members the option of picking up orders at designated curbside locations or drive-through lanes. Orders can typically be picked up in four hours or less after 10:00 a.m. on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. on weekends. The club’s Plus members have an early pickup option: between 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Monday-Friday.
“Same Day Pickup is just one of the many ways we are making shopping at Sam’s Club more convenient for our members,” said Dani Adnan, sr. business and product manager, Sam’s Club Pickup, in a statement. “We began testing Same Day Club Pickup last summer and received great feedback from our members, so we are excited to be able to rollout this service to members across the country.”
With its new option, Sam’s now offers members across all its clubs the option of picking up online orders or having them delivered to their homes and/or businesses. The chain rolled out Instacart delivery across its nearly 600 U.S. clubs last month. Alcohol delivery is available in select states.
Photo: Sam's Club[/caption]
Some clubs offer members the option of picking up orders at designated curbside locations or drive-through lanes. Orders can typically be picked up in four hours or less after 10:00 a.m. on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. on weekends. The club’s Plus members have an early pickup option: between 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Monday-Friday.
“Same Day Pickup is just one of the many ways we are making shopping at Sam’s Club more convenient for our members,” said Dani Adnan, sr. business and product manager, Sam’s Club Pickup, in a statement. “We began testing Same Day Club Pickup last summer and received great feedback from our members, so we are excited to be able to rollout this service to members across the country.”
With its new option, Sam’s now offers members across all its clubs the option of picking up online orders or having them delivered to their homes and/or businesses. The chain rolled out Instacart delivery across its nearly 600 U.S. clubs last month. Alcohol delivery is available in select states.
