Costco vs Sam's Club vs ?

[thestrangebrew1]

I'd never been to a Sam's Club until last night. Went with a buddy who needed to run some errands so decided to check it out. He swears the meat is better, that Costco's meat has declined in quality and the prices are better at Sam's. I didn't need anything so I wasn't really shopping, but I did notice a few things, at least at this particular Sam's. 1. The store didn't feel as "clean" as Costco. IMO the whole Walmart demographic thing still applied, although to a lesser extent. 2. I felt like there was just no rhyme or reason as to where some things were placed e.g the bottled water was on the opposite end of the store where the sodas were. Not necessarily a knock because when Costco switches shit up it's like my whole equilibrium is out of whack lol. 3. I believe they had their own brand of items: "Members Mark" or something like that, similar to Costco's Kirkland brand. The quality of the items seemed really cheap compared to Kirkland though. 4. Prices seemed to be equivalent to Costco. 5 dz eggs were around $18 which is around what I recall paying last week.

Anyways, I guess if I needed something in a pinch and there wasn't a Costco around and I was with someone who had a membership, I'd hit Sam's up. But for being twice the distance as a Costco, I don't think I'd go out of my way to shop at a Sam's Club.

 

[spacejamz]

Sam's for the simple fact they have their Scan and Go app.

You scan your items as you shop, check out from their app which generates a QR code and you then walk to the exit. No more waiting in the checkout lines. Some Sams's clubs have an enhanced scanner so that you don't even have to show the QR code to the person who looks at the receipt before you leave. They just waive you through.

Still surprised at how many people still wait in the checkout lines with this available.

 

[dank69]

Sam's shines on things like paper towels and TP for your bunghole. I haven't looked at price differences recently there but if you catch the sales you can probably save in excess of 20% on Bounty or Charmin. Even without sale prices you will save a decent amount. Toothpaste, deodorant, all that shit is better bang for buck at Sam's

Food is where the stores deviate heavily. If you want quality or have special dietary needs, you go to Costco and you spend more money. If you want to buy in bulk with an actual significant discount, you go to Sam's. If you want to buy the same cheap shit as Sam's but at higher prices, you go to BJs like me because Sam's fucking closed. Brand name items that are sold at all 3 stores will typically be less expensive when you buy at Sam's or at worst they will be equivalent price. After all they are an extension of Walmart, and Walmart gets everyone to lower their prices in exchange for knowing they'll sell significant volume.

The Sam's near me closed years ago but I still keep their plus level membership going just for the savings and free shipping on non-perishable items, and their 5% cash back on gas CC that I use to buy gas that is already discounted at BJs

 

[dullard]

Places like that are really hit and miss. Some items are great at a great price, especially things where the quality is the same wherever you shop (like allergy medications). Many other times, they charge almost double what the grocery stores charge (like Coke, Pepsi, and toilet paper).

But, the big thing is that many people who join end up spending MORE per month and eating MORE calories per month afterwards. Join if you want to eat a lot of food and pay more for that privilege. Here are three separate studies:

Study: Warehouse clubs are making us fatter - Atlanta Magazine

What makes Americans obese? We can point pudgy fingers at giant restaurant portions or weigh the effect of sedentary Netflix binges, but here’s another hefty culprit: supercenters and warehouse clubs like Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s Wholesale, and Walmart.

www.atlantamagazine.com

Big Carts, Big Calories

Club stores like Costco and Sam’s Club offer low prices and large packages. But beware the extra calories, fat, and sugar that come along for the ride, says Tuck marketing professor Kusum Ailawadi.

www.tuck.dartmouth.edu

Study: Club store shopping could be bad for consumers' health and their bottom line

A new Dartmouth College report finds people who shop at members-only chains spend 5% more on packaged food per person and consume 3,500 more calories.

www.grocerydive.com

 

[thestrangebrew1]

Scan & Go: Yea my buddy was telling me about it but he's tech illiterate and his wife hasn't set it up on his phone yet so we had to wait in line. Took forever lol but yea, I can definitely see the convenience in that. Wonder why Costco hasn't implemented something like that.

@dank69 that sucks it closed. Costco is 30 miles from me, Sam's is about double that distance. But it's in a bigger city so there's more to do and we could make it a day trip I guess if it's worth it.

@dullard Interesting. Hadn't thought about shopping like that. We don't buy a lot of bulk food items when we shop at Costco. It's usually just bottled water and paper products (plates, towels, TP etc.). We do buy bulk shredded cheese and the 5lb ground beef chucks. We've also bought all our TVs from Costco as well.

 

[nakedfrog]

Places like that are really hit and miss. Some items are great at a great price, especially things where the quality is the same wherever you shop (like allergy medications). Many other times, they charge almost double what the grocery stores charge (like Coke, Pepsi, and toilet paper).

But, the big thing is that many people who join end up spending MORE per month and eating MORE calories per month afterwards. Join if you want to eat a lot of food and pay more for that privilege. Here are three separate studies:

Study: Warehouse clubs are making us fatter - Atlanta Magazine

What makes Americans obese? We can point pudgy fingers at giant restaurant portions or weigh the effect of sedentary Netflix binges, but here’s another hefty culprit: supercenters and warehouse clubs like Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s Wholesale, and Walmart.

www.atlantamagazine.com

Big Carts, Big Calories

Club stores like Costco and Sam’s Club offer low prices and large packages. But beware the extra calories, fat, and sugar that come along for the ride, says Tuck marketing professor Kusum Ailawadi.

www.tuck.dartmouth.edu

Study: Club store shopping could be bad for consumers' health and their bottom line

A new Dartmouth College report finds people who shop at members-only chains spend 5% more on packaged food per person and consume 3,500 more calories.

www.grocerydive.com

Well, here's an interesting passage from the Atlanta Magazine article.

Do the stores affect all shoppers? The effects are concentrated among people already at risk for being obese or those over the threshold for being overweight. The stores are harmless for most, but for some people, they trigger self-control issues.

I wasn't overweight when I got my Costco membership, and nearly 4 years later, I weigh about the same (1.4 pounds heavier as of this morning, not exactly conclusive as that's not outside my range of typical weight fluctuation and I've also increased my physical training over that time and some amount of that could be muscle)

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Scan&Go is the killer app for me. We only have one Costco in the whole county and it is always chock-a-block. Member's Mark; like all in house brands it is hit or miss. Our store is clean and organized. The robot janitor does good work on the floors. They improved the walk-in coolers and more products including produce are in them now. $5 rotisserie chickens are giant. They do the $1.50 1/4lb hot dog and drink. I don't shop there for anything but groceries and sundries like air conditioner filters and cleaners.

 

[dullard]

I wasn't overweight when I got my Costco membership, and nearly 4 years later, I weigh about the same (1.4 pounds heavier as of this morning, not exactly conclusive as that's not outside my range of typical weight fluctuation and I've also increased my physical training over that time and some amount of that could be muscle)

Sounds great for you. No study on human health or behavior applies to everyone. In my experience, it is the people with these attitudes that I've seen balloon up after joining the club stores: "this will go to waste if I don't eat it" or "we have to make room for another large run to Costco" or "we have an unlimited supply of chips in the cupboard".

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Sounds great for you. No study on human health or behavior applies to everyone. In my experience, it is the people with these attitudes that I've seen balloon up after joining the club stores: "this will go to waste if I don't eat it" or "we have to make room for another large run to Costco" or "we have an unlimited supply of chips in the cupboard".

Another piece to the puzzle for certain. Fits right in with hyper-palatability, bliss point engineering, sedentary lifestyle, and ultra-processed foods.

 

[nakedfrog]

Sounds great for you. No study on human health or behavior applies to everyone. In my experience, it is the people with these attitudes that I've seen balloon up after joining the club stores: "this will go to waste if I don't eat it" or "we have to make room for another large run to Costco" or "we have an unlimited supply of chips in the cupboard".

Well, that's why I specifically called out the section that I quoted.

 

[nakedfrog]

Another piece to the puzzle for certain. Fits right in with hyper-palatability, bliss point engineering, sedentary lifestyle, and ultra-processed foods.

The studies seem to say that having a sedentary lifestyle wasn't a factor in people that gained weight from shopping at these stores.

 

[MrSquished]

I have not been to a Sam's club in ages, but I did go to a BJ's last year as it was super convenient to the office. They let me in for free to just check it out. Honestly it felt kind of trashier to me, and just overall had a much lower quality presentation vibe. I did like they had more produce and in smaller quantities but that's it. I just didn't see or feel the quality overall. Costco is so damn organized, clean, and high quality - I didn't get that at this BJ's. I've been to a number of Costco's in NJ, and they are consistent in just being well-run and high quality.

And as I have said before, supporting Costco, which, as far as retailers go, is one of the most ethical in this entire country, is a huge win everytime I shop there and don't spend money at other stores like that. Scan and go app is meaningless to me compared to that benefit.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

The studies seem to say that having a sedentary lifestyle wasn't a factor in people that gained weight from shopping at these stores.

Interesting stuff.

Rising gas prices were linked to declining obesity, presumably because they prompted people to walk or take transit.

Bold presumption. Perhaps is is even more likely that spending more at the pump left less for food in the budget, resulting in eating out less or spending less at the club.

The stores are harmless for most, but for some people, they trigger self-control issues.

Much of a muchness, and exactly what I expected.

The club store effect was slightly reduced for people who spend more than average on health and personal care products

My hot take is these would be the people more likely to be active.

The club store effect is substantial. Club store shoppers are, per capita, taking home about 3,500 more calories per month—a 7 to 10 percent increase—than if they didn’t shop at that format. Ailawadi can’t prove that households are actually eating all of this food, since she can only observe purchases, but her prior research has shown that when people bring more food into their house, they also consume more food.

It does seem likely that if they are bringing more home they are eating more.

On top of an already low-price image, this could also help convey the warehouse clubs’ interest in promoting healthy eating, as well. It also could draw the interest of millennials, who are largely interested in healthy and organic food offers, and are migrating to warehouse clubs for the low prices and fun in-store experiences.

Millennials makes things interesting. If more of them are shopping at clubs that is an important data point. As they are at the ages when people generally start to gain weight.

 

[manly]

Scan & Go: Yea my buddy was telling me about it but he's tech illiterate and his wife hasn't set it up on his phone yet so we had to wait in line. Took forever lol but yea, I can definitely see the convenience in that. Wonder why Costco hasn't implemented something like that.

Scan & Go is great for the shopper looking to save time, but I don't think it would add much for Costco's business. Ultimately they want large transaction sizes, and the self checkout model doesn't really support that well. (Many retailers have discovered it leads to higher levels of "shrinkage.")

 

[thestrangebrew1]

Scan & Go is great for the shopper looking to save time, but I don't think it would add much for Costco's business. Ultimately they want large transaction sizes, and the self checkout model doesn't really support that well. (Many retailers have discovered it leads to higher levels of "shrinkage.")

I can see that. The Costco here requires us to load the bottled water onto their scales, which discourages me from using self-checkout. A scan gun would be handy in that instance.

 

[Kaido]

I use both. We buy in bulk & vac-seal to freeze. HUGE cost-savings!

Most Kirkland-brand stuff is A+ (NOT the butter!)

Sam's Club Scan & Go is A+++

 

[I'dluv2]

Just read today that Sam's is getting rid of all the checkers from the club. Either it's scan and go or self check now.

 

[KLin]

Smart and Final FTW

 

[MrSquished]

Costco is Disneyland for preppers

‘It’s Disneyland for preppers’: why apocalypse-minded shoppers go to Costco

A doomsday meal bucket drew attention to something end-timers have known forever: the bulk store is the perfect place for stockpiling

www.theguardian.com