I hate Sam's Club

[kranky]

Originally posted by: AMCRambler
I don't get what the whole point of the membership thing is. Don't they make enough money off what they sell since they're selling bulk sizes? I can't imagine they make much money off the memberships. Why even have memberships?

1. Get rid f memberships requirement
2. ...
3. Pr0F|T!

It keeps the riff-raff out.

It actually increases their sales, because people who have paid for membership are more determined to shop there. They will drive right past Target because in the back of their minds, they paid for a membership and they are darn well going to use it. These are the people who buy a gallon of pickles for $4 and throw half of them out, then go right out and buy another one.

It means they don't have to run ads or sales to attract the public.

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: kranky

Originally posted by: AMCRambler
I don't get what the whole point of the membership thing is. Don't they make enough money off what they sell since they're selling bulk sizes? I can't imagine they make much money off the memberships. Why even have memberships?

1. Get rid f memberships requirement
2. ...
3. Pr0F|T!

It keeps the riff-raff out.

It actually increases their sales, because people who have paid for membership are more determined to shop there. They will drive right past Target because in the back of their minds, they paid for a membership and they are darn well going to use it. These are the people who buy a gallon of pickles for $4 and throw half of them out, then go right out and buy another one.

It means they don't have to run ads or sales to attract the public.

And, Kranky provided the other half of my rebuttal to this post.

Membership-based business models work extremely well, in some industries.

 

[bmacd]

Originally posted by: tami

Originally posted by: bmacd
costco is worth the membership. We ditched sams club in favor of costco. Costco is two miles from my house, versus sams being 4 miles. We belonged to Pace and Source Club before Sams and Costco, so we've seen them all. Costco FTW.

BTW, you're only allowed to have two members on a single gold membership (you and somebody else), and a total of three on a business membership.

-=bmacd=-

...which is still more than enough for the OP, unless the OP's dad has two heads (but even then, i think sam's club would accommodate)

I just assumed the membership belonged to the OP's mother and father, thus using up both openings on the membership.

-=bmacd=-

 

[AMCRambler]

Originally posted by: Orsorum

Originally posted by: kranky

Originally posted by: AMCRambler
I don't get what the whole point of the membership thing is. Don't they make enough money off what they sell since they're selling bulk sizes? I can't imagine they make much money off the memberships. Why even have memberships?

1. Get rid f memberships requirement
2. ...
3. Pr0F|T!

It keeps the riff-raff out.

It actually increases their sales, because people who have paid for membership are more determined to shop there. They will drive right past Target because in the back of their minds, they paid for a membership and they are darn well going to use it. These are the people who buy a gallon of pickles for $4 and throw half of them out, then go right out and buy another one.

It means they don't have to run ads or sales to attract the public.

And, Kranky provided the other half of my rebuttal to this post.

Membership-based business models work extremely well, in some industries.

Unfortunately, AT still can't keep the riff raff out with their memberships lol! Hence Off Topic. I guess it makes sense. TY.

 

[tami]

Originally posted by: bmacd

Originally posted by: tami

Originally posted by: bmacd
costco is worth the membership. We ditched sams club in favor of costco. Costco is two miles from my house, versus sams being 4 miles. We belonged to Pace and Source Club before Sams and Costco, so we've seen them all. Costco FTW.

BTW, you're only allowed to have two members on a single gold membership (you and somebody else), and a total of three on a business membership.

-=bmacd=-

...which is still more than enough for the OP, unless the OP's dad has two heads (but even then, i think sam's club would accommodate)

I just assumed the membership belonged to the OP's mother and father, thus using up both openings on the membership.

-=bmacd=-

if his the OP's father was not aware of the possibility of a second membership, i doubt his mother would have the other one.

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: Kalbi
Is Costco really worth it at $45 a year?

It is to me..

 

[RossMAN]

CostCo is worth every penny.

I plan on buying an HDTV there when they have their next coupon book (Jan 2006).

32" LCD or 46" DLP here I come

 

[IAteYourMother]

Originally posted by: Albis
i think sam's club = costco in almost all things

and the membership is dirt cheap.

You couldn't be more wrong

 

[RKS]

I thought the Sam's Club fee was the cover charge for the free food samples.

 

[CocoGdog]

Originally posted by: Kalbi
Is Costco really worth it at $45 a year?

Maybe, maybe not... If you go to fill up your car with their gas; you are ensured that they aren't price gauging like the local pumps, cough, Valero, cough cough...

Sometimes, you go there just to pick up a hot dog and soda for $1.50, or the big pizza that is about 9 dollars (Supreme).

Other times, you go there just to buy premade meals or the chicken that is premade. They have CK jeans for cheap - if you're tired of the Gap or Blue Navy.

But, overall, everytime that you go, there are long lines and people buynig a truck load worth of stuff. They spend $3-$400 at a time, and some even weekly to feed their families. So you know that these people already price shopped around and found that Costco may be the cheapest.

They have a great return policy too and wouldn't f' you in the butt with the extended warranty plans...

 

[geckojohn]

It's all about Costco! Costco pwns Sam's Club.

There's a big thread from Chubby Wallet.

Sam's Club vs Costco

 

[hjo3]

Originally posted by: Orsorum

Originally posted by: AMCRambler
I don't get what the whole point of the membership thing is. Don't they make enough money off what they sell since they're selling bulk sizes? I can't imagine they make much money off the memberships. Why even have memberships?

1. Get rid f memberships requirement
2. ...
3. Pr0F|T!

...

They make a significant amount of their net income from membership fees. They have a cap (I don't remember exactly, something like 10-12%) on what they can charge above cost for their goods.

Plus I imagine it helps control unauthorized re-sale of product.

 

[Injury]

Lemme get this straight.

You don't have a membership to Sam's club.
You were told you can't buy goods there because you don't have a membership.
You think that's their problem.

Right.

Doesn't make you seem too bright.

Why the hell would you be buying items in bulk for a camping trip? Do you need an 80 ounce bottle of ketchup or 4 dozen eggs for one trip?

 

[zainali]

to all costco lovers : if this situation happened at costco they would do the same thing.
how do i know? well i tried using my dads card once but they did'nt let me.

but this did'nt make me cancel. i just made sure never to go without my parents. i love their store. specially the food bar.

 

[Sphexi]

Costco's will let you shop there, you say you want to try it out and check the store out. They won't give you discounts and member special deals though.

 

[Googer]

Service at Costco Rocks! Getting a membership there is the equilvalant of having an AMEX Black Memebership.


Pace= Gone But not forgotten (miss that place)
Price Club= Out of buisness.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: Kalbi
Is Costco really worth it at $45 a year?

Yes, I have already saved $300-400 just by shopping there instead of wal-mart and I am a light shopper. The more you spend the more you save.

Sams=Southern Trailer Trash
Costco=Euro Trash
BJ's=????

 

[dabuddha]

Originally posted by: werk

Originally posted by: tami
uhhh... your father has a responsibility to add members (you're entitled to one free membership) onto his account. he could do that free of charge (a spouse, a son, or anyone) through the website (or through the member services desk). he should have done that, in which case you'd merely have to go to the membership desk to have your card printed out.

bitching because you refuse to acknowledge the rules (or research them for that matter) is pathetic.

on that note, my husband and i went to sam's club today and got lots of goodies.

pwned.

QFT

Learn how to read the TOS before posting such a stupid rant.

 

[dabuddha]

Originally posted by: Rebasxer

Originally posted by: tami
uhhh... your father has a responsibility to add members (you're entitled to one free membership) onto his account. he could do that free of charge (a spouse, a son, or anyone) through the website (or through the member services desk). he should have done that, in which case you'd merely have to go to the membership desk to have your card printed out.

bitching because you refuse to acknowledge the rules (or research them for that matter) is pathetic.

on that note, my husband and i went to sam's club today and got lots of goodies.

Srry, I don't want to spend an hour reading the rules on what I'm allowed to do at a store that we already pay a membership for.

You don't have to read all the rules. You just have to read the one that covers who can use the membership.

 

[tami]

side note: i have no problem with costco either, but living in nyc makes it difficult to pick and choose which wholesale club to buy from as each club is not exactly close to me. (costco is on long island, for example, which would require me to pay ridiculous tolls to get there)

either way, when i was a kid, my father had a membership at costco, which was closest to us geographically at the time, and then BJ's opened up even closer to us so my father took his membership there. all of these clubs are great places for purchasing in bulk. still, this isn't a comparison thread between the wholesale clubs. it's simply stupidity on the part of the OP AND his father who cancelled his membership shortly thereafter because of refusing to acknowledge a simple rule (and apparently being grossly humiliated in the process)

newsflash to the OP: a yearly membership costs $35. if you cancel mid-year, you're just giving them that money back.

 

[sswingle]

Whenever I go to Sam's club, they check your card at the door before you can even go into shop. If there was a problem with him using the card, they should have told him then, not when he goes to check out. But still, I thought it was fairly obvious with a picture on the card that only the card holder can use it.

 

[allisolm]

I give her the card and my liscense to prove that I'm my Dad's son...

Interesting license you have. I checked mine and it doesn't say anywhere on it who my father is.

 

[Amused]

Costco has THE SAME POLICY. You cannot use other people's cards, even family members.

http://www.costco.com/Images/Content/Misc/PDF/WelcomeBrochure04.pdf

And Costco is nice, but sticks mainly to large cities. You wont find one in most meduim to small towns.

 

[dabuddha]

Originally posted by: allisolm
I give her the card and my liscense to prove that I'm my Dad's son...

Interesting license you have. I checked mine and it doesn't say anywhere on it who my father is.

LOL well said!

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: Googer
Service at Costco Rocks! Getting a membership there is the equilvalant of having an AMEX Black Memebership.


Pace= Gone But not forgotten (miss that place)
Price Club= Out of buisness.

Costco=Price Club. I don't know whether they bought them or morphed into them but all the former Price Clubs here are now Costcos and google brings up Costco as the first hit on a search for Price Club.