Costco vs Sams Club

[Utterman]

Well Costco is coming to Indianapolis next month for the first time. Sams club has been the only warehouse type supermarket Indy has had. So I was wondering what is your personal pick as to which on is better??

 

[amnesiac]

Each carries a few items the other doesn't. That keeps them about equal.

 

[IGBT]

I've been a costco member for aprox.10 years and the overall variety and quality of products offered has noticeably slipped. Many of the canned goods I looked forward to purchasing are no longer stocked. And there is a noticable lack of variety in there overall product line. I still shop there for books and DVD's and some tools and just to look around but things have changed and not for the best. Never been to a Sams Club.

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: amnesiac 2.0
Each carries a few items the other doesn't. That keeps them about equal.

Yep.

costco has more electronics though....

 

[Nefrodite]

i think costco shrunk its kewl hotdogs

 

[Peacekeeper100]

I personally feel that Costco has higher quality products. Not to mention the fact they will take anything back if you aren't happy with it, I don't know what the software policy is. I returned a Maxtor HD without a problem just because it was to loud.

 

[styrafoam]

A costco membership is pretty expensive(dont remember the exact amount, I think like $60), a sams club membership is around $30 but I thnk you can get a single membership for $15. That said, I havent been to Costco, but I have had a Sams membership for about 4 years and it has always paid for itself in a couple weeks after renewing when compared to grocery store prices.

 

[deftron]

You forgot BJ's

but they suck

 

[benliong]

Originally posted by: Peacekeeper100
I personally feel that Costco has higher quality products. Not to mention the fact they will take anything back if you aren't happy with it, I don't know what the software policy is. I returned a Maxtor HD without a problem just because it was to loud.

I second that. I'd been using my friend's costco menbership till he left recently. Costco is too far away to be convenient so we ended up getting Sams' Membership. If you're just getting stuffs like meat and drinks, the two are basically the same. Costco has a wider range or "other stuffs" like electronic stuffs (printer ink, dvds, chairs, etc). and more food too choose from.

I would have stuck with Costco if it was nearer.

 

[Peacekeeper100]

Actually Costco memberships are $45. They were $35 for business and $40 for all others until about 6 months ago. The executive are $100 but you get extra purks like 2% cash back and other things like that most people don't need. I think executive members get big discounts on payroll services, credit card processing (if you own a business), low rates on small business loans, 401(k) plans for you business, etc. Things like phone service is 6.5 cents per min for normal memberships, and 5.5 cents for executive members.

You can check out all the extra purks that costo has if you go to www.costco.com then services on the top right. Just remember one thing, the items online are usually different then the items in the stores. Actually a lot of the time I notice on electronics that what is online is not sold in stores and vice versa.

 

[Geagle]

We dont have Sams Club in Canada, but I have been with Costco now for 2 years. I've returned 2 games with no problems because they didn't run well on my PC. I've also gotten really good deals on stuff like printer ink.

 

[bambam]

It has best my experience that Costco has slightly higher prices on some things but their their customer service ( satisfaction guarantee on everything ) is far better than their competition . BTW the $ 45 member ship fee is too steep IMO.

BJ's recently opened up some stores in the extended suburbs of Atlanta) but I haven't been to one yet . Any info on them is appreciated .

 

[dman]

I'd say it's 50/50. Whichever is closer/more convenient to your driving is probably the way to go. Every once in a while one has a deal that the other doesn't but generally not worth getting a membership for.

I went to Costco's, Sam's, and BJ's looking for an electronics item one day. All three had prices on identical equipment within pennies of each other. All three had some models the same and some different but the overall product range was comparable. I don't bother with groceries at the WH Clubs because the local market has prices VERY compareable (sometimes better, sometimes slightly worse--but never a huge difference) on a $/oz basis. There's much less waste going with smaller quantities at the local market... plus they BAG up your items and the lines are much quicker.

Costco's has these Killer rotissery chickens they cook in the store (some stores) now, for $4.99 they are a steal. People line up waiting for them to come out of the cooker and they sell out quick. They are about equal distance from Sam's, but due to the chickens they got my membership for another year.

 

[RossMAN]

I've never been to Sam's since we don't have any in our area and I'm not a member. I do love CostCo though, although the annual fee is $45 it pays for itself after just 2-3 visits. Last month they had a nice Panasonic 32" TV on sale for $419 which retails for close to $600 elsewhere. Also I applied for and was approved for the Amex CostCo card which gives me a rebate of up to 2%, no annual fee, and it doubles as my CostCo membership card. Earlier this year we bought a queen sized Sealy Posturpedic Mira Loma mattress & box spring for only $340 after $60 off coupon, awesome bed!

We buy muffins, bagels, produce, dairy products, mini pizza's, from there. Awesome value.

 

[wyvrn]

I had a Sam's membership for several years, and have been using my sister's Costco for about a year now. I find they are about the same, but I like Costco's newsletter much better I really only use the warehouse store for clothes and big purchases, their disposable goods aren't much better priced than Walmart and they are too far out of the way to go regularly.

 

[Utterman]

Thanks for the replies. The costco they are building is pretty much right accross the street from the Sam's I go to. Hopefully Costco will have a trial period when they open for their membership. I think $45 is a little much compared to the price from the Sam's membership (not sure of the exact price, but it's cheaper).

As for the electronics, do they offer about the same amount as Best Buy or Circuit City would offer?

 

[Miramonti]

I go to Sams and get my moneys worth but its 1/2 dozen of one, 6 of the other. In fact I did a poll about a year ago and it was totally 50/50 then too.

 

[EvilYoda]

My family (read: cheap Chinese family ) went to Sams Club a few years ago, but for the last 2-3 years, we've been consistent CostCo goers, since the quality of the warehouse is better, and to us they have a better selection of everything. I don't know, around here, the Sams Club image has gone down. We only go occasionally since they're both just as close (we have like 4 total Sams+CC's around us within a 10 mile range), and because we have a free Sams Club membership (aunt/uncle's restaurant account or something)

 

[PowerMac4Ever]

Costco for me because they just built one very close to me a year or so ago. I think dealwise Costco and Sam's club are pretty much the same. But, from what I understand, Sam's Club has more products overall than Costco. Either way, I like going to the one that's most convenient for me since the quality of both stores are very even.

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Utterman - most new stores usually have a free membership signup that lasts for a year. I remember when the Costco opened up 5 minutes from my house, they had free memberships available to anyone who wanted it for a month. Another Costco about 20 min. from my house did the same thing. That's the only way they'd be able to get any new customers. After all, if you paid $40 for a Sams club membership, why would you pay $45 for almost the same stuff? (With some differences of course)

Each has its pros and cons - Sams has a lot more selection of video games and such, Costco more electronic oriented. It's a tossup really

 

[Stark]

My local Costco is new and has cheap gas. The local Sam's Club is old, ugly, and doesn't have gas.

I just wish Costco didn't switch from Discover to Amex.

 

[mpitts]

Costco. There isn't a Sams anywhere near me, but there are two Costco's within 10 minutes of me.

 

[Adul]

costco all the way only 1/4 mile my apt to

 

[AU Tiger]

When Costco opened last year in Charlotte, NC they gave away free one year memberships for the first month it was open. I joined at that time.

I then got a free Sam's Club card from my company as one of the company benefits. Even though I can go to Sam's for free I chose to renew my Costco for $35 recently because I find Costco that much better.

 

[Peacekeeper100]

Originally posted by: Stark
My local Costco is new and has cheap gas. The local Sam's Club is old, ugly, and doesn't have gas.

I just wish Costco didn't switch from Discover to Amex.

I got a Discover just so that I could use it at Costco. I didn't like the fact they switched to Amex at first either, but since the Amex they offer through Costco has no annual free and is 2% cash back just like Discover, I just signed up for the Amex. Also the Amex they offer does not have to be paid off every month. Of course a lot of Amex plans now don't have to be paid off every month