Between the bulk offerings, discounted gas prices, and other exclusive savings, there's a lot to love about Sam's Club. And that's not to mention the retailer's evolving product selection, which includes plenty of intriguing limited-time offers. However, the inventory and deals aren't the only things at the warehouse club that are subject to change.
Since the beginning of the year, Sam's Club has been working to enhance the shopper experience by rolling out various initiatives and upgrades. From introducing new cart-scanning technology to debuting digital cake ordering, the retailer has been addressing several areas of improvement.
The next time you visit Sam's Club, your experience could be slightly different than the previous one. Here are five major changes to look out for in 2024.
1. Product collaboration with members
At the beginning of June, Sam's Club announced a new initiative inviting members to provide product feedback before they launch in stores. As part of this program, the retailer is engaging with the Members Mark Community, an opt-in network with 50,000 active participants, in an effort to "enhance the member experience," according to Sam's Club. Through this community, members can engage in various stages of product development, such as voting on exclusive flavors and testing new inventory.
The warehouse club recently partnered with the Member's Mark Community for the release of this season's Member's Mark grill. Sam's Club found avid grillers through a questionnaire and then distributed 20 prototypes to members in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. These participants cooked, filmed, and reviewed their experiences, aiding in the development of a grill geared toward members' needs and preferences.
The Member's Mark Community mostly looks for feedback from "members who mirror the broader Sam's Club membership base," according to Sam's Club. Looking ahead, the retailer plans to offer all Sam's Club members the option to collaborate with the brand.
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2. AI receipt checking technology
During the Consumer Electronics Show in January, Sam's Club announced plans to remove the need for an employee to check receipts at the store's exit—a practice commonly found at competing warehouse club Costco as well. Instead, Sam's Club is directing its attention on leveraging artificial intelligence to get rid of the wait at the exit. Using a combination of computer vision and digital technology, this AI application takes images of shopping carts and verifies the payment of the items, no employee required.
At the end of April, Sam's Club shared that it had successfully deployed this AI-powered technology to more than 120 wholesale clubs—or 20% of locations—within four months. This new feature has allowed shoppers to exit the club 23% faster, according to a press release from the retailer. Going forward, Sam's Club aims to add this technology to all of its locations by the end of the year.
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3. A new innovation studio
This summer, Sam's Club is slated to open its Clubhouse, a 37,000-square-foot "design thinking studio" located at the company's campus in Bentonville, Ark.. First announced in September 2022, the new design studio will be an innovation hub for the retailer to "test products and design new, enhanced experiences for members and associates," according to Sam's Club. The warehouse club noted that this is the warehouse club's first space dedicated to "innovating, creating, and collaboration."
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4. New digital cake ordering service
In February, Sam's Club shared that customers described the retailer's manual cake ordering process as a "hassle." To address the issue, the retailer rolled out a digital cake-ordering service at 30 locations. This new ordering option allows members to customize their cake, add it to their cart, schedule it for pickup, and shop for other items within the same transaction. Sam's Club noted that it will continue to improve the cake-ordering experience as it receives customer feedback. The retailer plans to add this technology to all of its locations throughout the year.
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5. Switching to T-Mobile as warehouse service provider
In April, Sam's Club announced that it will offer T-Mobile as its exclusive in-club wireless provider. This partnership grants shoppers access to the newest T-Mobile products and services in almost all of the retailer's locations. One of these deals is a $1,000 discount on select devices with an eligible trade-in on one of T-Mobile's plans, along with additional member value.
Additionally, Plus members who switch to T-Mobile—or add a new line—as well as purchase a new device with T-Mobile will receive a $60 Sam's Club eGift Card to use at the warehouse club every year they stay with the provider and keep their Plus membership.
