The Sam's Club Shopping Feature That Costco Fans Probably Wish They Had (It Saves Time And Money)

While both Costco and Sam's Club are big names in the warehouse chain game, there is a world of difference between the two retailers. It's true that some shoppers prefer Costco's food court hot dog over Sam's, but the latter has a leg up on its competition in other ways, especially when it comes to crowd control. One of the most convenient parts about grabbing groceries at Sam's Club is the Scan & Go option via the retailer's app, allowing you to completely avoid those long queues once your shopping is complete.

That's right, shoppers at Sam's Club don't have to wait in line to check out, unless you are purchasing something larger or more expensive, like an Apple Watch or a furniture set. Instead, you can actually scan items as you place them in your cart — and the store often offers special Scan & Go deals and discounts in-app. While in Scan & Go mode, the app keeps a running total of your haul, so there are no surprises at the end of your shopping trip. There is also a special "lane" at check-out for Scan & Go customers where you can stop and finalize your payment before heading to the exit. While Costco had to crack down on sneaky membership sharing at self-checkout, Sam's Club seems to be on another level entirely. 

The warehouse chain owned by Walmart offers another major shopping bonus through its app: Online shopping with store pick-up, directly through Sam's Club. Unlike Costco's app that only offers delivery via local drop-offs powered by Instacart, Sam's Club offers a seamless shopping experience with a convenient and inexpensive pick-up option. There is a fee of $4 for orders less than $50; over $50 is free — and Sam's Club Plus members enjoy $0 in fees regardless of order total.

With this convenient and cost effective shopping option, you can set the date and time you want to pick up your order and still avoid having to go into the store. This method is perfect after a long day at work, or for impulse-shoppers who rack up a huge bill by the time they reach the cash registers. Plus, because you're picking up from your local store, all the prices are up-to-date — which means you're not paying higher-than-in-club prices like you would for Costco's delivery service. Sam's Club has really streamlined a lot of convenient services into one app.

After you have gone through checkout, it's a common practice in both Sam's Club and Costco for employees to stand at the exits and give a brief look at customers' receipts and carts, to make sure the items match up. In late April 2024, Sam's Club announced that in some locations, it would be deploying AI to help "check receipts" at its store exits, with the goal of all locations using this technology by the end of the year. This new innovation allows Sam's Club customers who have paid their bill to simply walk through a blue archway, while a special camera takes pictures of their carts and an AI program gauges whether everything was paid for.

If you have ever waited in line at Sam's Club, or Costco for that matter, on a weekend afternoon, you might understand that by the end of a shopping trip — with a packed store, screaming kids, and oblivious customers stopping wherever and whenever with their huge carts — most people are in a bit of a sensory overload and just want to get out of the store as quickly as possible. This AI receipt checker, paired with Scan & Go, is here to spare your frazzled nerves. Your move, Costco.