Costco, Sams, Both or neither?

[Riverfamlee]

What do you have and why?

We had both for a few years and the last 3 or 4 years just Sams. I liked being able to get in early. However , we recently went to Walmart (and I HATE Walmart) but I was like WTF? They had a lot of the same shit as Sams at the same price or even cheaper. Beer being one example.

Starting to not see the value of a membership anymore.

 

[LuauLounge]

We are Costco folks, seems to us to be higher end merchandise that Sams. They just opened a Business version that opens at 7:00 am and has a lot of the stuff that we use at home. Saves dealing with the crowds.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Costco. And go to Walmart once a month. Since Covid I pretty much have figured out what is cheaper where. I make a list and hit Wal Mart, Costco, Smart and Final and possibly Ralph’s or Stater Bro’s in about 2 hours for a single outing.

 

[fmo24]

Costco booze is what gets us in the door. Paper goods and some other products as well

 

[fmo24]

Oh ya here in Florida the liquor is in a separate store so you don’t even have to go in main store if you don’t want or need

 

[Flying_Lavey]

What do you have and why?

We had both for a few years and the last 3 or 4 years just Sams. I liked being able to get in early. However , we recently went to Walmart (and I HATE Walmart) but I was like WTF? They had a lot of the same shit as Sams at the same price or even cheaper. Beer being one example.

Starting to not see the value of a membership anymore.

Well Walmart owns Sam's Club so........ (Named after the Walmart founder)

 

[Riverfamlee]

Well Walmart owns Sam's Club so........ (Named after the Walmart founder)

LOL, yes I know that but Walmart doesn't require a membership. I guess the point was, you should have some perks by having the membership but they seem to be fading .

 

[NicPaus]

Both. Salads, produce and meat are a lot cheaper at Sams. My dogs prefer the dog food at Sam's. Costco for work stuff and frozen shrimp. It does get it expensive hitting both spots every week.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Costco booze is what gets us in the door. Paper goods and some other products as well

This.
Booze, burgers, hot dogs, bacon, cheese, cheese, chicken, some snacks, some vegetables, and some beef is a good deal at Costco. Anything on sale is usually a good deal too.

Costco is not as good of a deal as it used to be, you can easily overpay for some items.

Most of the Costco fruit is more expensive in my area because they only carry organic these days. I get fruit at Smart and Final.

 

[Riverfamlee]

Costco definitely wins in the sample department. I miss taking the family out to Costco Sunday brunch

 

[Dbroncos]

Both,

Sam's because the wife likes it better as it is usually not as crowded as Costco in Chino as least.

Costco because I think their merchandise is a little higher quality than Sam's and I like using Costco Travel for vacations and especially rental cars.

 

[RitcheyRch]

Costco member here. We have only gone once since COVID. We refuse to wait in line to get into the store to get items that area ailable at other stores in the area.

 

[buck35]

This.
Booze, burgers, hot dogs, bacon, cheese, cheese, chicken, some snacks, some vegetables, and some beef is a good deal at Costco. Anything on sale is usually a good deal too.

Costco is not as good of a deal as it used to be, you can easily overpay for some items.

Most of the Costco fruit is more expensive in my area because they only carry organic these days. I get fruit at Smart and Final.

I'm a fruit grower and have a ton of hoops to go thru ,aka paperwork to be certified for them,and no not organic...

 

[HitIt]

We do Costco. We use it because we know that we will get decent quality stuff for a decent price. You have to come to terms with that fact that you can find higher quality stuff or better prices elsewhere much of the time. For us, it is a convenience thing. I dont want to run around trying to find the best deal on something. I also know the the quality will be decent and if something doesn't meet expectations, we can easily return it.

 

[Cdog]

Costco.

I only join Sams when I need a work bench. They have the best price and options on the Seville work bench selections.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I'm a fruit grower and have a ton of hoops to go thru ,aka paperwork to be certified for them,and no not organic...

I saw some of the non organic stuff again briefly during the early stages of COVID. Now it is all organic again.

 

[Get415]

All i know is Costco has better pizza and Sams better hot dogs

 

[The Prisoner]

Both but Costco better. Sams in Bullhead blows I got to sams in Vegas because the one in Bullhead is poorly stocked.

 

[The Prisoner]

Also Costco has the walk in coolers that have some of the stuff I use and sams doesn’t

 

[Riverfamlee]

Both but Costco better. Sams in Bullhead blows I got to sams in Vegas because the one in Bullhead is poorly stocked.

That's a great point that I forgot about. Our Sam's (Glendora) has been the same way lately. I've gone to others and they were well stocked.

 

[Taboma]

All i know is Costco has better pizza and Sams better hot dogs

Costco used to have the Hebrew National dogs, now Kirkland at the food court. Are the Costco food courts even open now ??

 

[The Prisoner]

That's a great point that I forgot about. Our Sam's (Glendora) has been the same way lately. I've gone to others and they were well stocked.

I wonder if it’s because of a crappy manager?

 

[The Prisoner]

Do you want to get really nitpicky? I buy for 2 families plus a business. Always use a flatbed. The parking lot at sams sucks and your shit always falls off no matter how you pack it. The parking at Costco in Henderson is a nightmare so I always park closer to Sportsmans Warehouse. Don’t seem to lose my shit there.

 

[Singleton]

Had both, now have neither.
was buying way to much crap we would never eat

 

[ElAzul]

It's a love hate thing for me at these "membership" places. Costco will not mark up anything more than 15% and that profit only pays for employees, lights etc. Their memberships are the profit point per their CEO on a show I watched a while back

Let's have the "membership" discussion another way

I open "Blues marine" and it's well stocked but I stop you at the door and say hey $60 to come in and get a couple cases of oil etc. You would likely tell me to pound sand. Paying cash to be a customer is just weird when there are other places in town that are fairly similar

Costco is a lot like boat part shopping. I can throw a couple small items in my cart and visually I haven't bought a lot but it's always hundreds of dollars at check out lol

 

[SCV2RVR]

We have both Sams and Costco. In Santa Clarita the Costco can look like Disneyland if you go at the wrong time while Sams Club never seems to crowded.

And Sams has Bud Light bottles and Costco doesn't

 

[jesco]

This chart also works at Target, Sams and Walmart supposedly....

 

[Riverfamlee]

Sams does have "scan and go" where you can scan items and pay on your phone. Its pretty cool since you don't have to wait in line. Cant buy alcohol so we don't use it much

 

[infield]

Both. As far as I can tell there is not one thing in Costco I want. Sam's is way better in my opinion. One time I decided to buy a
Sony video camera and went in to Costco. Not a one so I told the clerk I would go to Sam's. They had a wide selection. The chain link fence around the restrooms at Costco is a nice touch though. Wichita KS

 

[The Prisoner]

Both. As far as I can tell there is not one thing in Costco I want. Sam's is way better in my opinion. One time I decided to buy a
Sony video camera and went in to Costco. Not a one so I told the clerk I would go to Sam's. They had a wide selection. The chain link fence around the restrooms at Costco is a nice touch though. Wichita KS

Chainlink around the restrooms? Is that to let the smell out? Or since it’s Kansas to hang onto during a tornado?

 

[EBT531]

Costco. Closer to the house

 

[Don65]

I have both but primarily shop sams club because I have the plus membership which allows me to get in early, Costco does have a better selection of stuff but is always crowded, though my local Sam's club has been remodeling and is starting to look more like Costco with the walk in freezer sections and everything lined up like costco does

 

[ltbaney1]

costco here, to be honest though i have never been inside a sams club. my mom added me to her membership when i was 18 so she wouldnt have to go there.

 

[RitcheyRch]

Wait until they open the new Costco at the mall.

We have both Sams and Costco. In Santa Clarita the Costco can look like Disneyland if you go at the wrong time while Sams Club never seems to crowded.

And Sams has Bud Light bottles and Costco doesn't

 

[nameisbond]

I'm a Costco member. They really do care about the quality of the products they sell. Know this from having a product in Costco (fresh apple and cherry juice). For our product they required it to be delivered at a specified temp. If one degree over their specified temp, they'd reject the entire shipment. They'd mark each bottle with a marker, so you couldn't just cool it down and resend. Knowing this from experience keeps me a member.

 

[Looking Glass]

Sam's has pledged $300 Million over the next several years to BLM. I know several families that will not renew their membership because of it.

 

[buck35]

I saw some of the non organic stuff again briefly during the early stages of COVID. Now it is all organic again.

Okey ,I just grow the shit and do my best to cma but had a zero crop due to a late freeze this season . Walmart is the same food safety wise,any issue and you will be sued by them , and the packing shed that processed it all. Rant over...

 

[Rondog4405]

We do the costco thing. Other than tp, paper towels and water..its pretty much something to do when im.bored outta my mind.. walk around look at and buy shit I really dont need..

 

[ChumpChange]

Both!

Go to Sams more because of Scan and Go.

 

[Your ad here]

I go to Safeway here in Az. If I feel like people watching I'll go to Walmart.

 

[ultra26shadow]

Sams does have "scan and go" where you can scan items and pay on your phone. Its pretty cool since you don't have to wait in line. Cant buy alcohol so we don't use it much

In Az you can once you check out the app will blink red until you exit and a employee verifies your age/Id at the door. Also most Sams now have curbside pickup. It’s pretty awesome.

 

[infield]

Chainlink around the restrooms? Is that to let the smell out? Or since it’s Kansas to hang onto during a tornado?

I don't know. Chain link extends from row of cash registers to the far wall. The food area and the exit door and restrooms are beyond the registers. Just seems odd. Interesting fact is the store was built on the site of the original buildings of Beechcraft airplanes. They still have their main manufacturing facility there but sold off a corner for the Coscto. I was surprised it wasn't a national historic site in Wichita since it is billed as the air capital of the world. They do have at least a picture of the original plant.

 

[SlowMyRoll]

Wait until they open the new Costco at the mall.

What Mall, What City, What State?

 

[RitcheyRch]

They are opening a Costoc where Sears was at the Town Center Mall in Valencia, CA. I was responding to @SCV2RVR post about the Costco in Canyon Country.

What Mall, What City, What State?

 

[renodaytona]

We have both only because my in-laws have a business card for Sam's and we are on that as an additional card. Costco is a few miles away from us, Sam's is on the other side of town.

 

[TPC]

Fart & Smile and Walmart. COSTCO once a month. Best pork at the best prices at COSTCO.

CIALIS is the cheapest at the COSTCO pharmacy. Hey, I'm a married with responsibilities and performance duties. I can't award the RDP DIckman of the Year unless I can understand and perform those same stunts myself.

COSTCO is the last to raise fuel prices, the first to lower them.
Smart and Final is usually 50 cents an item or 50 cents a pound cheaper than the grocery store.

Tri tip goes on sale at Staters every couple of months for as little as $1.99 a lb. The dogs eat good.

 

[MagicMan]

I have both, wife shops at Costco I shop at Sams. Costco products are more expensive. I like to use Sams Club credit card for the annual cash back. The Costco gas line is a joke in chino hills. Also, Costco tends to discontinue products that you get used to purchasing soap, lotion etc. pisses me off.

 

[WhatExit?]

Costco works great for us - quality products at good prices with a great return policy. But we also go to Sam's for some items (Monster Lo-Carb, Hebrew National big hot dogs - the ones Costco used to sell at their food court, and a few other items).

Sam's Club can't compare to Costco - their products aren't nearly as good as Costco's Kirkland brand products and the shopping "experience" is the closest thing to Wally World which I try to avoid

 

[TomD]

Have a Costco coming to the greater Albany, NY area(LOL). Do you have to have a membership card to get inside? What can I look forward to?

 

[boatdoc55]

Both!

Go to Sams more because of Scan and Go.

So are you saying you pay the same prices for less service??? You and my wife!!!!! I guess it boils down to being retired looking for something to do or working and not have the time or patience.