Costco and Sam’s Club can both give customers some great membership perks.
However, some shoppers see differences between the two and are bigger fans of Costco than rival Sam’s Club.
Do you agree with why customers are ditching Sam’s Club for Costco instead?
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The produce isn’t great at Sam’s Club
Sam’s Club and Costco both have fresh produce, but some shoppers think the choices at Sam’s Club are subpar.
“All the fruit is trash,” lamented Reddit user dmiller1987.
Sam’s Club is too much like Walmart
Sam’s Club is owned by Walmart, and both stores share some options, which has hurt them with some customers.
“Sam's Club is empty because it's just Walmart with bigger items,” explained Redditor DeepSouthDude, while SplinterCell03 said, “I just want nothing to do with Walmart.”
Costco has a better store brand
Costco and Sam’s Club both sell products under their store brand labels. Costco’s Kirkland Signature is on the shelves, while Sam's Club offers Member’s Mark.
However, not all store brands are the same. “Kirkland trounces Member’s Mark for me,” said one Redditor.
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It’s not as clean at Sam’s Club
Both stores can get dirty, but some customers noticed that Sam’s Club isn’t as clean as Costco.
“Just dirtier than any Costco I’ve ever been in,” said Reddit user Lessa22 who explained that the local Sam’s Club wasn’t “call the health department” dirty but it didn’t seem like workers cared about basic cleaning tasks.
Baked goods are better at Costco
Both Sam’s Club and Costco have bakeries where you can order baked goods or pick up cakes or cookies.
However, the “bakery is better” at Costco, according to Costco members and Redditor Soundfires.
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Costco has better organic choices
Sam’s Club has around the same number of U.S. stores but only in two other countries.
“Costco is the closest,” said Redditor Theopolis55 while Reddit user lhfitz76 said, “Still hold on to my Costco membership because they are closer to my home.”
Costco is nicer to employees
Costco gets a better rating on Glassdoor, with 74% of employees saying they would recommend working there to their friends, while only 52% of employees at Sam’s Club would recommend working there to their friends.
“Costco is generally good to its employees,” said Reddit user moniquecarl while Redditor Appropriate_Shake265 appreciates that Costco pays its employees better and gives them better benefits.
Items are out of stock at Sam’s Club
Popular items can go out of stock quickly, but sometimes, that can be extra frustrating and encourage Sam’s Club members to leave for good.
Redditor CBus-Eagle said they ditched their Sam’s Club card for Costco because “our Sam’s Club refuses to have the rotisserie chickens available throughout the day.”
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Sam’s Club isn’t always the best deal
One reason to shop at a membership store is to get extra deals and discounts. But Sam’s Club might not have the discounts you expect.
“Sam's is cheaper on some things, but not everything,” said Redditor tdaun.
Costco has more unique items
If you’re looking for something unique and special when shopping, you may want to skip Sam’s Club and go to Costco.
“Costco brings in a lot more unique and higher-end stuff,” said Pizookie123. “Costco shoppers always have something to be excited about.”
Bottom line
Whatever you prefer, Sam’s Club or Costco can be a good option if you’re looking for ways to save money on groceries.
Both stores can get pricey because you’re buying in bulk, so make sure you have enough in your budget for a trip to either store.
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FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
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