What Does Sam's Club Do Better Than Costco?

For shoppers who have memberships to both Sam's Club and Costco, there's no doubt each warehouse holds bulk bargains and multi-pack treasures galore. But it doesn't take more than a few visits to each chain before you realize one is clearly better than the other. Sometimes it's a specialty cut that reveals Costco has the better meat department; other times, a tray of mac and cheese tells you that Sam's Club has the better deli food. No matter how the seesaw tips, the chains always seem to be one-upping each other.

But there are certain ways in which Sam's Club bests Costco that give the Walmart-owned chain a definite advantage. It can mean the difference between choosing a membership for what it provides over choosing one for familiarity or status. Whether it's a slate of familiar items customers take confidence in, handy services that make shopping easier, or financial benefits that help you keep more of your hard-earned cash, there's a generous list of advantages that only Sam's Club provides.

Both Sam's Club and Costco offer bulk quantity items at favorable prices under their own signature brands. Costco's Kirkland has become synonymous with high quality at lower prices, peppered with unique buys and one-of-a-kind mega purchases that make every trip an adventure. But after shopping at both for many years, I've found Member's Mark items at Sam's to be preferable more often than not. The range of items is usually just as extensive, with the essential savings that makes warehouse shopping worth the trouble.

Are there things you should know before buying Member's Mark products? Of course. Doing a little research is always wise before making new purchases. But the untold truth of Costco's Kirkland brand items is that you can usually find a Member's Mark version that's just as good, if not better. If you're on the fence about which membership to pay for, it's worth doing a little comparison shopping to see how great a job Member's Mark does.

If Sam's Club's Scan & Go made it any easier to shop and pay for your items, it would include a service for somebody to come and put them away in your pantry, too. As it is, having an app-based service like Scan & Go helps the warehouse get ahead, leaving the shopping competition behind by a country mile and then some. If Costco wants to even consider catching up, it should put on some running shoes and start tearing up the track like a proper 21st-century company. 

Scan & Go can function like the usual shopping app, offering an online view of all the products in your chosen location and letting you click the ones you want to fill your cart. You can also shop in-store if you prefer, filling a physical cart and scanning your items as you go. But in a slick high-tech twist, you don't stop at a check stand or lift a finger to place anything on a conveyor belt when paying. You simply pass under the futuristic arch as the magical robots register everything you've purchased and charge the payment to your stored online account. This makes it possible to short circuit the system by shopping either on the web, on the app, or on site, gathering your goods and heading out the door without standing in line. It's a convenience of the future, and Sam's Club has it now.

It may have taken a few trips to figure out where the savings lie, but over time I've come to realize how many items at Sam's Club ring up at lower prices than Costco. Many of these differences exist between similar products under the Member's Mark and Kirkland labels, though I've noticed national brands with similar disparities too. Of course, being able to make the comparison most directly means having memberships for both warehouses in my area. But once I learned that Sam's provides a greater financial benefit for many of the things I buy regularly, it became my go-to membership.

A few examples: Sam's Club puts Costco in its place in the snack section, where a 3-pound bag of Kirkland almonds sells for around $12, yet I can almost always pick up a similar bag of Member's Mark almonds for about $9. Likewise, Member's Mark almond milk in a 64-ounce three-pack goes for about $8, while the Member's Mark equivalent is priced at almost $10. With two- and three-dollar savings sprinkled around, Sam's Club is the clear winner of my grocery money.

The next best thing to having access to a Walmart superstore is having access to a Sam's Club warehouse, which often overlaps brands and items that Walmart shoppers prefer. This cross pollination of consumer curiosity lets Sam's shoppers pick up items they're familiar with without having to make a separate trip to Walmart. I've witnessed many overlaps show up in the Sam's Choice line of products that appear on shelves at both Walmart and Sam's Club, letting shoppers go bulk with items they already know and love.

Since Costco is a standalone warehouse, there's really nothing to compare to in this aspect; familiar brands mingle with lesser-known items and Kirkland products, all of which may be of sterling quality but which sometimes require a leap of faith before shoppers can trust what they've spent their money on. Combine this with the tendency of well-loved items to drop off of Costco's shelves, never to be seen again, and you have a formula that feels more like a game of shopping roulette than a sure shot at getting exactly what you want every time. The smarts that the Sam's Club brain trust exhibits by creating connections between itself and its sister store gives the company a commercial advantage that can't be overstated.

Consulting the Sam's Club website to check out prices or create an entire order is an easily accomplished task, thanks to the company's robust and frequently updated digital online catalog. I've never had a problem taking a peek to see if my store has what I'm looking for at a price I'm willing to pay, whether I'm logged in or just hopping online. And if I do want to make an order, I can access my account and lock it in without having to guess if the price is set, which provides me a high level of confidence.

By contrast, it's always a challenge to peruse the Costco website just to see if a product is even part of the inventory, let alone nail down a price. Sometimes it's because the items are only available at a Costco Business warehouse rather than the standard location; sometimes it's because the company doesn't offer a dependable online catalog. Major confusion can arise when I inadvertently pop into the Costco Same Day website powered by Instacart, which gives a bit more visibility but also requires a separate search that may come with higher prices thanks to delivery costs. The confusion of a Costco double-dip on two or more sites makes online research at Sam's Club feel like a cake walk.

Dedicated Costco shoppers may be dazzled by the chain's plush bakery and expansive meat sections, but Sam's Club customers know well and good how amazing the offerings are in the warehouse's pre-made food section. It's like a restaurant-style paradise for anyone who needs deluxe eats but isn't in the mood or doesn't have the skills to put a meal together. Many of these premium selections are assembled onsite for ultimate freshness and come with heat-and-eat instructions. Everything from stuffed peppers and mac and cheese to sushi and manicotti are readily available, with stock that's frequently rotated for freshness. Even the lesser offerings in the case are still pretty darned tasty.

Costco makes an effort to keep up with an array of its own bespoke creations, but the variety and quality always seem to be beneath what Sam's Club is capable of. In fact, when you've shopped at both for long enough, you create a clear division of what sorts of premade food to rely on from each. Having tried several of the dishes myself, there's no question Sam's Club has the best premade food between the two warehouses, bar none, a collection I wouldn't hesitate to invest in.

Arranging your order on the World Wide Web and taxiing to the parking lot for curbside pickup is a bit of a throwback to the early days of suburban grocery shopping that's become a modern convenience that contemporary consumers use more and more. At Sam's Club, you can opt for this retro-modern service either online or through the app, just like you would at any other retailer offering the service. It's ideal for anyone with a packed schedule who doesn't have time to cruise the aisles and perfect for families with small children who don't enjoy being pushed in a shopping buggy while their parents pick out frozen vegetables and ergonomic desk chairs.

You would think by now this would be a standard offering by any retailer hoping to keep its customers as satisfied as possible. For some reason, Costco doesn't seem to have caught onto the movement, sallying forth with its standard expectation that if you want what it's got, you'll either order it to be delivered to your house or you'll come and gather it yourself on the premises. I may not use Sam's Club's curbside pickup myself, but it gives the warehouse a clear edge, and I'm glad to know it's available if I want to try it out.

Anyone who's interested in just sliding into the Costco food court to pick up a pizza or a chicken bake but isn't a member will be turned away at the door, a feature of the club regulations. It hasn't always been forbidden, but the company has taken measures to lock down the hot food and reserve it for card-carrying members only. This sounds like a move that's counter to the commercialized make-more-money nature of warehouse retail, but nonetheless, you can't grab a chicken bake unless you have a card or know someone who does.

But try the same trick at Sam's Club, and you'll be welcomed with open arms as you make your way to the commissary to grab a slice and a soda, a soft pretzel and a cookie, or anything else your hungry little heart desires from the menu board. You'll be welcomed with open arms to spend your snack bar cash on single-serve items, combos, or boxed orders like whole pizzas to take with you for a family dinner. It's not only a great way to keep the registers ringing, but it's also a smart method for attracting new members to the club.

Both Costco and Sam's Club offer versions of the home delivery model that makes convenience a priority for members who prefer to skip the in-store experience. But Costco's calculations for carting your goods to your home is a little more involved and a lot more expensive. To reach the level of free delivery on a two-day delivery order, your order must total $75 or more. If your cart rings up at less than this amount, you'll be charged $3 per item for the non-perishable pantry-stable items you've purchased, and you can expect a two-day turnaround on getting your goods. For a same-day order, Instacart is available, but it involves a sneaky service fee concept that makes things even messier.

And then, there's the Sam's Club delivery model. Ask for its delivery service, resulting in quite a considerable difference in the fee structure. There's no flex pricing like Instacart is known to institute; you'll pay the same price you would in the store for all your items. Delivery is free when you purchase $50 or more of items. If you order by 1 p.m., your items will arrive on the same day; bump that up to Express and there's an extra $8 charge, something you may never use but will feel good knowing it's available. It's really a no-brainer when you put the two warehouses side-by-side, with Sam's Club coming up the clear winner.

It doesn't take long for Costco shoppers to encounter the disappearing product phenomenon that's an inherent part of the experience. You've gotten used to a particular item that's maybe become a new favorite in your household, and on the next visit, it's not just out of stock, but it's also been taken out of rotation entirely. It's a frustration that Costco members have to learn to live with when they're not wondering why they haven't looked for a better alternative.

This product disappearance isn't a scenario that Sam's Club seems to run into, however. There are Sam's Club items that I've been purchasing for years that I know will always either be on shelves or just in need of replenishment. Sure, there may be promotional items or seasonal specialties that make an appearance one year and never return. But the majority of what I've come to depend on from Sam's Club is always around when I need it. I can't say the same for Costco.

Costco may have pioneered the idea of the cheap hot dog and soda combination in the world of warehouse shopping, but Sam's Club has come up with a better version of this mouthwatering mouse trap. But when it comes to deciding who has the better hot dog between Costco and Sam's Club, Sam's Club comes out on top of the two-warehouse dog pack. There is a bit of a back-and-forth among the features of both combos, but in the end, our intrepid Mashed taster determined Sam's Club to be the conquering hero for lovers of cheap snack bar bites.

The cost of a combo meal at each warehouse may vary by pennies (a dog and a drink are $1.50 at Costco and $1.38 at Sam's Club, though that may differ in your area), but if it's the quality that dictates your enjoyment, there's a difference between the two that makes Sam's Club the one to choose.

I've had memberships at both Costco and Sam's Club for over 10 years. I've shopped extensively at both, eventually formulating a matrix of when to shop at which store and what I can count on finding at either store. I'm fortunate to have one of each within a half mile of each other, so it's an easy endeavor to do some physical price checking when necessary. It's also easy to cherry-pick, grabbing things I prefer from each spot in a single trip. After so much time spent in both stores, this list compiles everything I've found to be a better feature of the Sam's Club concept.

But after being a regular shopper at both stores, I find myself enjoying the Sam's Club experience more than my Costco moments. The atmosphere seems friendlier and less rushed — another benefit, if being mobbed while grabbing cheap protein bars isn't your idea of a good time. And anytime I find myself in need of a new warehouse purchase, I always check Sam's Club first, knowing that there are plenty of benefits to choosing this retailer over its nearby neighbor.