Sam's Club
Encyclopedia
Sam's Club is a chain of membership-only retail warehouse club
s owned and operated by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
, founded in 1983 and named after Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton
. , the Sam's Club chain serves more than 47 million U.S. members. Sam's Club ranks second in sales volume among warehouse clubs behind Costco Wholesale
, despite the fact that Sam's has more retail locations.
, Sam's Club operated 602 membership warehouse clubs in 47 U.S. states (Oregon
, Rhode Island
and Vermont
are the only states without a Sam's Club), as well as the American possession of Puerto Rico
and the three foreign countries of Brazil
, China
and Mexico
. Locations typically range in size from 70000 square foot, with an average club size of approximately 133000 sq ft (12,356.1 m²).
in the United States
.
In 1989, Sam's entered New Jersey
with a store in Delran
in a former Two Guys/Jefferson Ward/Bradlees store. This was Walmart's first foray into the Northeast. The first Walmart discount store in New Jersey opened in 1991 in Turnersville. The company entered the Pennsylvania
market in 1990.
In 1993, Walmart acquired PACE Membership Warehouse from Kmart
and converted many (but not all) PACE locations into Sam's Clubs.
The latest flagship store opening was in Fayetteville, Arkansas
. The largest Sam's Club store is located in Pineville, NC with 185000 sq ft (17,187.1 m²) of retail space that was formerly an Incredible Universe.
On September 24, 2006, Sam's Club received a new logo. The new logo has an updated serif
font and features a green and blue diamond inside the big blue diamond, found above the word 'Sam's'.
Sam's Club's previous slogan was "We Are In Business For Small Business" until 2006, the decision to remove the slogan comes as Sam's Club attempts to remove itself from serving just small businesses and open up to more individual customers.
In December 2007. Sam's Club launched a new slogan, "Enjoy the Possibilities". Since then it became an official advertising slogan, mentioned in television and radio advertisements, but it is not mentioned on its website. As of early January 2008 the "Enjoy the Possibilities" slogan was no longer in use. Sam's Club launched their latest slogan "Savings Made Simple" in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Starting in April 2007 there was speculation of a possible sale or spinoff of Sam's Club from parent company Walmart. At Walmart's 2007 annual shareholder's meeting in June, management said that Sam's Club is not for sale, although they did not say they are not considering a spinoff.
On February 26, 2009, Walmart Canada announced that it would close all six of its Canadian Sam's Club locations. This was part of Walmart Canada's decision to shift focus towards supercentre stores, but some industry observers suggested that the operation was struggling in competition with Costco
and the non-membership The Real Canadian Superstore (known as Maxi & Cie
in Quebec
), that had a well-established history in the country.
In January 2010, it was announced that ten stores would be closed, including four in California. At the same time, Sam's will open six new stores at various locations in the United States.
On January 24, 2010, it was announced that approximately 11,200 Sam's Club employees would be laid off. The layoffs resulted from the decision to outsource product sampling duties to an outside company (Rogers, Arkansas-based Shopper Events, which already performs in-store product demonstrations for Walmart) and to eliminate New Business Membership Representative positions throughout the chain. Most of the laid-off employees were part-time and represented about 10% of the total Sam's Club workforce.
Like other warehouse clubs, Sam's Club sells most of its merchandise in bulk
and directly off pallet
s. The clubs are arranged much like warehouse
s, with merchandise stocked in warehouse-style steel bins. there were 602 Sam's Clubs in the United States
. Products sold include jewelry, designer goods, sunglasses, crystal and collectibles, electronics, floral, apparel, food and meats. Most locations have Pharmacy, Tire and Battery, Photo, Bakery, Optical, Café and Floral departments. Sam's Club markets items under the private labels Member's Mark, Bakers & Chefs, and Sam's Club — including products by Richelieu Foods
, a private label manufacturer of frozen pizza, salad dressing, sauces, marinades, condiments and deli salads. Sam's Club does not sell the Sam's Choice or Great Value brands, that are available in Wal-mart stores. However Sam's Club is now changing some of the Member's Mark items, such as baby wipes to the name Simply Right. The Member's Mark Deli products is also changing names to Artisan Fresh. Another notable feature in most locations is the presence of stands at which Shopper Events employees prepare various food products for members to sample before purchasing.
Sam's Club has more than 47 million U.S. members and operates more than 580 clubs nationwide, as well as more than 100 international locations in Brazil
, China
, and Mexico
. There are also stores in the U.S. commonwealth of Puerto Rico
.
A typical Sam's Club stands between 71000 square feet (6,596.1 m²) and 130000 square feet (12,077.4 m²). The Sam's Club division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. had total sales revenue of US$
46.9 billion for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2009. Sam's primary competitor is Costco Wholesale
.
A fleet of private trucks offers delivery service within a 25 miles (40.2 km) radius on orders of at least $250. The trucks are capable of storing frozen, refrigerated and dry items.
The Business Center is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and unlike the Costco Business Centers, that are closed on Sundays, the Sam's Business Center is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
In January 2010, the company announced it would be closing its Business Center, along with nine other clubs across the United States.
in August 2009, a club geared towards the Hispanic population. Membership in Más Club is separate from membership in Sam's Club.
Renewal of memberships can be done via the internet, through the mail, in-club at the Membership Services desk, any cash register, and also at the new ATM/Membership kiosks (the latter only available in select locations).
In the United States, Sam's Club memberships are divided into three categories: Business, Advantage, and Plus. The Plus membership offers discounts and deals for a few services and products within Sam's (similar to free 12-month extended warranty for every extended warranty purchased) and more offered for outside goods and services. As with the Advantage and Business memberships, Plus memberships are 100% refundable.
, MasterCard
, debit card
s, Wal-mart and Sam's Club gift cards, cash or checks. EBT
SNAP
benefits are accepted. MasterCard was added as an option on November 9, 2006. Visa credit cards are still not accepted, because of the high processing fees compared with Wal-mart's discounted rates with Mastercard, although in the past it was accepted during testing periods. However Visa debit card
s are accepted in most clubs. American Express
is not accepted. Their online website, samsclub.com, accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover Card.
Warehouse club
A warehouse club is a retail store, usually selling a wide variety of merchandise, in which customers are required to buy large, wholesale quantities of the store's products, which makes these clubs attractive to both bargain hunters and small business owners. The clubs are able to keep prices low...
s owned and operated by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
, founded in 1983 and named after Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton
Sam Walton
Samuel Moore "Sam" Wallballs was a businessman, entrepreneur, and Eagle Scout born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma best known for founding the retailers Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.-Early life:...
. , the Sam's Club chain serves more than 47 million U.S. members. Sam's Club ranks second in sales volume among warehouse clubs behind Costco Wholesale
Costco
Costco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world...
, despite the fact that Sam's has more retail locations.
, Sam's Club operated 602 membership warehouse clubs in 47 U.S. states (Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
and Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
are the only states without a Sam's Club), as well as the American possession of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and the three foreign countries of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Locations typically range in size from 70000 square foot, with an average club size of approximately 133000 sq ft (12,356.1 m²).
History
The first Sam's Club opened on April 7, 1983 in Midwest City, OklahomaMidwest City, Oklahoma
Midwest City is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 54,371, making it the eighth largest city in the state....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In 1989, Sam's entered New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
with a store in Delran
Delran Township, New Jersey
Delran is a township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 16,896....
in a former Two Guys/Jefferson Ward/Bradlees store. This was Walmart's first foray into the Northeast. The first Walmart discount store in New Jersey opened in 1991 in Turnersville. The company entered the Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
market in 1990.
In 1993, Walmart acquired PACE Membership Warehouse from Kmart
Kmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
and converted many (but not all) PACE locations into Sam's Clubs.
The latest flagship store opening was in Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
. The largest Sam's Club store is located in Pineville, NC with 185000 sq ft (17,187.1 m²) of retail space that was formerly an Incredible Universe.
On September 24, 2006, Sam's Club received a new logo. The new logo has an updated serif
Serif
In typography, serifs are semi-structural details on the ends of some of the strokes that make up letters and symbols. A typeface with serifs is called a serif typeface . A typeface without serifs is called sans serif or sans-serif, from the French sans, meaning “without”...
font and features a green and blue diamond inside the big blue diamond, found above the word 'Sam's'.
Sam's Club's previous slogan was "We Are In Business For Small Business" until 2006, the decision to remove the slogan comes as Sam's Club attempts to remove itself from serving just small businesses and open up to more individual customers.
In December 2007. Sam's Club launched a new slogan, "Enjoy the Possibilities". Since then it became an official advertising slogan, mentioned in television and radio advertisements, but it is not mentioned on its website. As of early January 2008 the "Enjoy the Possibilities" slogan was no longer in use. Sam's Club launched their latest slogan "Savings Made Simple" in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Starting in April 2007 there was speculation of a possible sale or spinoff of Sam's Club from parent company Walmart. At Walmart's 2007 annual shareholder's meeting in June, management said that Sam's Club is not for sale, although they did not say they are not considering a spinoff.
On February 26, 2009, Walmart Canada announced that it would close all six of its Canadian Sam's Club locations. This was part of Walmart Canada's decision to shift focus towards supercentre stores, but some industry observers suggested that the operation was struggling in competition with Costco
Costco
Costco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world...
and the non-membership The Real Canadian Superstore (known as Maxi & Cie
Maxi (supermarket)
Maxi is a grocery retailer based in Quebec, Canada. It is a subsidiary of Loblaw Companies and the largest of Loblaws' Quebec supermarket chains. Maxi is the Quebec equivalent of No Frills, a chain of franchised discount grocery stores outside Quebec, except that Maxi stores are company owned. Over...
in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
), that had a well-established history in the country.
In January 2010, it was announced that ten stores would be closed, including four in California. At the same time, Sam's will open six new stores at various locations in the United States.
On January 24, 2010, it was announced that approximately 11,200 Sam's Club employees would be laid off. The layoffs resulted from the decision to outsource product sampling duties to an outside company (Rogers, Arkansas-based Shopper Events, which already performs in-store product demonstrations for Walmart) and to eliminate New Business Membership Representative positions throughout the chain. Most of the laid-off employees were part-time and represented about 10% of the total Sam's Club workforce.
Design
Bulk
-Industry:* Bulk cargo* Bulk liquids* Bulk mail* Bulk material handling* Bulk pack, packaged bulk materials/products* Bulk purchasing- Physics :*Bulk density*Bulk modulus...
and directly off pallet
Pallet
A pallet , sometimes called a skid, is a flat transport structure that supports goods in a stable fashion while being lifted by a forklift, pallet jack, front loader or other jacking device. A pallet is the structural foundation of a unit load which allows handling and storage efficiencies...
s. The clubs are arranged much like warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
s, with merchandise stocked in warehouse-style steel bins. there were 602 Sam's Clubs in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Products sold include jewelry, designer goods, sunglasses, crystal and collectibles, electronics, floral, apparel, food and meats. Most locations have Pharmacy, Tire and Battery, Photo, Bakery, Optical, Café and Floral departments. Sam's Club markets items under the private labels Member's Mark, Bakers & Chefs, and Sam's Club — including products by Richelieu Foods
Richelieu Foods
Richelieu Foods is a private label food manufacturing company founded in 1862, headquartered in Randolph, Massachusetts, and owned by investment group Brynwood Partners of Greenwich, Connecticut....
, a private label manufacturer of frozen pizza, salad dressing, sauces, marinades, condiments and deli salads. Sam's Club does not sell the Sam's Choice or Great Value brands, that are available in Wal-mart stores. However Sam's Club is now changing some of the Member's Mark items, such as baby wipes to the name Simply Right. The Member's Mark Deli products is also changing names to Artisan Fresh. Another notable feature in most locations is the presence of stands at which Shopper Events employees prepare various food products for members to sample before purchasing.
Sam's Club has more than 47 million U.S. members and operates more than 580 clubs nationwide, as well as more than 100 international locations in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. There are also stores in the U.S. commonwealth of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
.
A typical Sam's Club stands between 71000 square feet (6,596.1 m²) and 130000 square feet (12,077.4 m²). The Sam's Club division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. had total sales revenue of US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
46.9 billion for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2009. Sam's primary competitor is Costco Wholesale
Costco
Costco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world...
.
Sam's Business Center
Sam's Club opened their first Business Center in Houston, Texas, in August 2008. Converted from an existing Sam's location, the Business Center is similar in concept to Costco's Business Centers.A fleet of private trucks offers delivery service within a 25 miles (40.2 km) radius on orders of at least $250. The trucks are capable of storing frozen, refrigerated and dry items.
The Business Center is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and unlike the Costco Business Centers, that are closed on Sundays, the Sam's Business Center is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
In January 2010, the company announced it would be closing its Business Center, along with nine other clubs across the United States.
Other retail formats
In Houston, Sam's Club opened Más ClubMás Club
Más Club is an American membership-only retail warehouse club focused on the Hispanic population. Founded in 2009, it is owned and operated by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc....
in August 2009, a club geared towards the Hispanic population. Membership in Más Club is separate from membership in Sam's Club.
Membership
Membership is required to purchase at Sam's Club (except at the cafe, for prescription drugs where federal law prohibits sales to members only, as well as liquor and gasoline in some states); however, a one-time day pass may be obtained from many Walmart newspaper ads. A 10% surcharge is added (except where forbidden by local laws) to the prices for non-members, except for optical, pharmacy, cafe, or alcohol items where available. All memberships are 100% refundable at any time for any reason, even on the date that it is to be renewed.Renewal of memberships can be done via the internet, through the mail, in-club at the Membership Services desk, any cash register, and also at the new ATM/Membership kiosks (the latter only available in select locations).
In the United States, Sam's Club memberships are divided into three categories: Business, Advantage, and Plus. The Plus membership offers discounts and deals for a few services and products within Sam's (similar to free 12-month extended warranty for every extended warranty purchased) and more offered for outside goods and services. As with the Advantage and Business memberships, Plus memberships are 100% refundable.
Payment options and store credit products
Payment options
Sam's Club locations accept Sam's Club and Wal-mart Credit Cards, Discover CardDiscover Card
The Discover Card is a major credit card, issued primarily in the United States. It was originally introduced by Sears in 1985, and was part of Dean Witter, and then Morgan Stanley, until 2007, when Discover Financial Services became an independent company. Novus, a major processing center, used to...
, MasterCard
MasterCard
Mastercard Incorporated or MasterCard Worldwide is an American multinational financial services corporation with its headquarters in the MasterCard International Global Headquarters, Purchase, Harrison, New York, United States...
, debit card
Debit card
A debit card is a plastic card that provides the cardholder electronic access to his or her bank account/s at a financial institution...
s, Wal-mart and Sam's Club gift cards, cash or checks. EBT
Electronic Benefit Transfer
Electronic Benefit Transfer is an electronic system in the United States that allows state governments to provide financial and material benefits via a plastic debit card. Common benefits provided via EBT are typically sorted into two general categories: Food and cash benefits...
SNAP
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
The United States Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , historically and commonly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a federal-assistance program that provides assistance to low- and no-income people and families living in the U.S. Though the program is administered by the U.S. Department of...
benefits are accepted. MasterCard was added as an option on November 9, 2006. Visa credit cards are still not accepted, because of the high processing fees compared with Wal-mart's discounted rates with Mastercard, although in the past it was accepted during testing periods. However Visa debit card
Debit card
A debit card is a plastic card that provides the cardholder electronic access to his or her bank account/s at a financial institution...
s are accepted in most clubs. American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
is not accepted. Their online website, samsclub.com, accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover Card.
Sam's Club credit
Sam's Club offers store credit lines to individuals and businesses linked to the member's membership card. Sam's Club also offers a Sam's Club Discover Card that can be used at Sam's Club and anywhere Discover Cards are accepted, Advantage and Business Members can receive up to 1% cash rewards from the Sam's Club Discover and Advantage/Business Plus members can receive up to 2% cash rewards. The Sam's Discover card replaces the member's regular membership card.See also
- Costco WholesaleCostcoCostco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world...
- national US competitor - BJ's Wholesale ClubBJ's Wholesale ClubBJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. , commonly referred to simply as BJ's, is a membership-only warehouse club chain operating on the United States East Coast, as well as in the state of Ohio...
- competitor in eastern US - Wal-Mart Stores Inc.Wal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
- owner - Más ClubMás ClubMás Club is an American membership-only retail warehouse club focused on the Hispanic population. Founded in 2009, it is owned and operated by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc....
- Warehouse clubWarehouse clubA warehouse club is a retail store, usually selling a wide variety of merchandise, in which customers are required to buy large, wholesale quantities of the store's products, which makes these clubs attractive to both bargain hunters and small business owners. The clubs are able to keep prices low...