How Sam's Club Marks Discontinued Items Is Much Different From Costco

Sam's Club and Costco are rival warehouse chains that are bound to have distinct differences. For example, Sam's Club's rotisserie chicken is one cent cheaper than Costco's, no doubt a cheeky nod to its competitor. The ownership of the two stores is another stark contrast — Sam's Club is a division of Walmart Inc., whereas Costco is a standalone enterprise, originally founded in 1976 under the name, "Price Club." The two also have multiple differences in operation tactics, like how each club decides to mark its discontinued items. While Costco uses an asterisk on the price tag, Sam's Club uses the letter "C."

That "C" on certain Sam's Club merchandise stands for cancelled, although shoppers may assume it stands for clearance, the state in which items find themselves. Items with a C label are often offered at a discount, so that Sam's Club can quickly clear out the current stock and make space towards a new or different product on shelves. Customers might also look out for prices ending in $0.01 – this can sometimes indicate that the item is being discontinued at Sam's Club, but not always. If you see a product you love where the item's price suddenly ends with one cent, don't panic; keep an eye on it, and if the tag changes again, this time to include a C, then stock up.

While Costco and Sam's Club differ in how discontinued items are marked, the stores do have one thing in common where said stock are concerned: Both chains will consider bringing back a long-lost item if there is enough consumer demand. For Costco, that means dropping your store a note about what you'd like to see back — and if you include your name and an email address, someone might even get in touch with you to let you know if or when the item will be back.

In 2024, determined Sam's Club customers may have actually affected real change in stores when over 1,800 of them signed a Change.org petition to have the warehouse's chain's cookie cake brought back. Then, about a year later, Sam's resurrected the elusive dessert in time for Valentine's Day, much to shoppers' delight. For retired items that are not backed by a petition, you can also visit the Sam's Club website or app and put in a word with the company, requesting it is restocked. And of course, for either retailer, you can take your pleas to social media, as so many have done.