Sam’s Club benefit no longer offered to Texas shoppers

At 82 different locations across Texas, including the cities of Beaumont, Tyler, Texarkana, College Station and Longview, Texas shoppers can stock up on supersized portions of the things they need on a daily basis. Such is the life of a Sam’s Club shopper. You don’t really need six gallons of mayonnaise, but the price is too high to pass up, right?

Many of us find it very rewarding to shop at big box stores. There are fourteen Sam’s Club stores in Louisiana. Costco, the other big box retailer, has only thirty-eight stores in the Lone Star State. These stores are in every major city in Texas. The concept behind big box stores is pretty simple. You buy in bulk and save.

However, most experts agree that you can get the most bang for your buck by looking for bargains at big box stores and shopping smart at the supermarket. But it’s true that you can get some great deals at stores like Sam’s Club and Costco.

Sam’s Club discontinues popular membership benefit

For Sam’s Club Plus members, free shipping has been one of the long-standing benefits of membership. Starting August 19, this “benefit of membership” will be eliminated. Starting on that date, Plus members will only receive free shipping on qualified orders through the store’s website or app that total $50 or more.

Club members whose orders are not $50 or more will be charged a flat shipping fee. This fee is $8. The company explained the “change” on its website’s Frequently Asked Questions page. Here is the quote from that page.

By introducing a basket minimum, we are expanding access to different shopping options for our members. This makes it easier for you to get the products you want, in the way you want, and at the time you want.

To quote the late Gary Coleman of TV Different strokes“What are you talking about, Willis?”

How does implementing a “cart minimum” do anything other than make people spend more than they originally intended to spend just to get the free shipping? No, nothing about the policy change makes it easier to “get the products you want.” The policy change does nothing other than eliminate a benefit that many members actually use and enjoy. Oh, it makes the company money, it actually does.

So the next time you go to your neighborhood Sam’s Club in person to do your shopping because “free shipping” is too expensive, be sure to mention what we discussed to the person who is searching your cart for all the stuff you didn’t steal. It’s just one of the “perks” of paying for the privilege of shopping at a place where you’re already considered a thief before you walk through the door. It’s a damn good business model.