topic Re: Changes at Sams Club in Among Friends

Changes at Sams Club

Twins Mom — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 20:22:06 GMT

Haven’t been in few weeks but as Business Member was told we no longer get in early. That privilege now for that new Premium Level that they have been trying to sell all year. I had been paying extra for business level, so what happened to that? Cashier didn’t know. Said there had been lots of changes. This new level costs about $50 extra, but for weekend half price. Supposedly if not pleased with it can get money back.

Re: Changes at Sams Club

chickenbutt — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 20:27:19 GMT

That just doesn't seem right!

Fine, if they want to create more tiers but to take away things from those who paid in good faith to have certain advantages just seems slimy.

Re: Changes at Sams Club

iwrite — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 20:40:50 GMT

hmmm,

i remember a few years ago, there was some change and i emailed sams about this and was told that i was grandfathered in with my business account. i haven't been there in several months, but when i do go, i'm there at 7am. so, it is possible that you may have been grandfathered in.

i don't have the $100/yr account, because i don't shop there often.

"improvements" , any account was eligible for free shipping on items that offered it and the price wasn't any higher then in the store, but free shipping is now only for the $100 account AND the product price is more than shopping in the store on many products, so in addition to paying another $50 for "free shipping", you pay more for some items online.

granted, i am not math genius, but to me, that does not equal "free" shipping, if the products cost more to order online.

i don't know what's going on with them.

if this is how they are competing with costco, i don't know how that will work out. . . .

Re: Changes at Sams Club

Venezia — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 21:25:33 GMT

We've had the Plus membership for years now. We originally got it because we were both working and needed to get in early to have our tires done (snow tires put on and removed seasonally).

In the last couple of years, they stopped checking your card at the door, which makes the idea of a different "Business and Plus" entry door ridiculous. I asked about it once and was told "Corporate told us to stop checking cards" BUT "when anyone without a Plus card tries to check out before 10:00, they'll get told off". Are you kidding me? And that's going to affect them how? Like a naughty child - "now don't do it again!" (But they'd still check them out and with self-checkout, how does that work? Do they tell themselves off?

Anyway, they now do the tires by appointment and this past year we actually got as much back in cash rewards (Plus members only, as far as I know) to cancel out the $100 we paid for our membership, so it all works out. We like Sam's but I have written to them to complain about the change of restricted entry hours.

Re: Changes at Sams Club

Vivian — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 21:26:52 GMT

I read recently that Sam’s Club is struggling to keep up with the competition. It looks like they’re trying to economize but alienating customers doesn’t sound like a good idea to me.

Re: Changes at Sams Club

dex — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 21:48:05 GMT

@Twins Mom@That sounds like a way to bring in higher membership dues and nothing more.Sams is going to hurt their business if they upset members.Costco will be waiting in the wings to open stores to compete.My son lives in okc...which is sams country but a Costco is being built right close by so there will be competition.

Re: Changes at Sams Club

homedecor1 — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 22:12:03 GMT

@Twins Mom

yup went there this week at 8am -- wanted me to buy Plus membership to enter early now that business members no longer get early access! No thanks!!

I don't need anything to spend extra $45 just to be a plus member

big mistake i think

Re: Changes at Sams Club

drizzellla — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 22:19:44 GMT

Since they no longer check for your membership card as you enter the store, how do they know what kind of membership you have.

We just went to 3 different Sam's Clubs this week. We went at all different times and no one talked to us about Platinum Level or anything about our membership.

Re: Changes at Sams Club

Twins Mom — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 22:22:48 GMT

Yes, i will be checking out COSTCO. I didn’t have time to pursue ins and outs. Someone mentioned being grandfathered in. That definitely should be the case. Been members for years. Lugging home large containers no longer fun!

Re: Changes at Sams Club

aroc3435 — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 23:01:46 GMT

@Twins Mom Seems like the trend in some business circles is "pay more to get less" . . . what a concept. Sigh . . . Guess it is not "all about the customer" any longer for some business geniuses.

Re: Changes at Sams Club

Twins Mom — Sat, 12 Jan 2019 01:31:44 GMT

@ aroc3435

So right. Had item to return at Walmart today and had receipt and unopened $40 item from Black Friday. Apparently needed supervisor to key in. After three calls one cane over abdcsaid she had no call on her PDF. It was on intercom twice. Anyway, no apology, smile, thanks, nothing, funny thing is the customer behind me asked clerk who supervisor was. From discription lady told me, watch, she won’t recognize us as customers. Now I see why people don’t like to shop.

Re: Changes at Sams Club

sunshine45 — Sat, 12 Jan 2019 17:06:57 GMT

i wonder if they are doing this only at certain SAMS CLUBS right now?

they have not pushed us to upgradeour business membership to another level.

we currently pay $100 a year. we get much more than that back each year in cash rewards and still have the business members only hours at our local club.

dont see any new membership level on their online site either?

Re: Changes at Sams Club

Twins Mom — Sat, 12 Jan 2019 18:02:30 GMT

@ Sunshine45
You might already be in that level - regular business did not get cash back.

Re: Changes at Sams Club

sunshine45 — Sat, 12 Jan 2019 18:43:48 GMT

@Twins Mom wrote:
@ Sunshine45
You might already be in that level - regular business did not get cash back.

@Twins Mom

we pay $100 a year for our business plus membership.

we have had this level for probably at least 5 years or more.

Re: Changes at Sams Club

iwrite — Sun, 13 Jan 2019 22:35:20 GMT

@Twins Mom wrote:
Haven’t been in few weeks but as Business Member was told we no longer get in early. That privilege now for that new Premium Level that they have been trying to sell all year. I had been paying extra for business level, so what happened to that? Cashier didn’t know. Said there had been lots of changes. This new level costs about $50 extra, but for weekend half price. Supposedly if not pleased with it can get money back.

i don't know how often you go to sams before 9am, but when i go, there is hardly anyone in there, which is why i go at that time.

there are tons of "original" business members, so why they don't want our money before 9am, is cray-cray.

shouldn't they have sent out an email (or go old school and send a letter) to the business account members saying that we can't come before 9am any more?

what i can't understand is now that they no longer offer business accounts, who is signing up for their "business" services like payroll and health insurance. i never signed up for them, but i suspect many small business did.

this death after a dollar mind set as my grandmother would say, never turns out well.

i have never had anyone ask for my card to walk in the door before 9am. is this something new?

i dug out the email that i received from them in feb 2018 and pasted it below.
perhaps i'll print it out and take it the next time i go.

i would suggest that you contact online and see what they say.
nothing against the people at the door, but they may not know what business accounts are or that they were grand fathered in, especially if they have been there less than a year.

email reply that i received
Thank you for contacting Sam's Club in regards to your membership updates. We value our Members' inquiries and feedback.

Yes your business account was grand fathered in and your membership will not lose the early shopping hours at a $45 membership. Only yourself and your household card will have access to early shopping hours. Any addons will have to start their own account.

Re: Changes at Sams Club

iwrite — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 19:19:48 GMT

@Venezia wrote:
We've had the Plus membership for years now. We originally got it because we were both working and needed to get in early to have our tires done (snow tires put on and removed seasonally).

In the last couple of years, they stopped checking your card at the door, which makes the idea of a different "Business and Plus" entry door ridiculous. I asked about it once and was told "Corporate told us to stop checking cards" BUT "when anyone without a Plus card tries to check out before 10:00, they'll get told off". Are you kidding me? And that's going to affect them how? Like a naughty child - "now don't do it again!" (But they'd still check them out and with self-checkout, how does that work? Do they tell themselves off?

Anyway, they now do the tires by appointment and this past year we actually got as much back in cash rewards (Plus members only, as far as I know) to cancel out the $100 we paid for our membership, so it all works out. We like Sam's but I have written to them to complain about the change of restricted entry hours.

i noticed that you said that you contacted them about this.
did they respond to your message?

Re: Changes at Sams Club

DiAnne — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 00:24:46 GMT

The Sam's Clubs around me have all closed.

Re: Changes at Sams Club

lovesrecess — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 04:05:35 GMT

The Sam’s Clubs here have closed in several locations and a Walmart has replaced each one. Same company, but guess the WM are more profitable. We switched to Costco when they first came here and much prefer Costco over Sam’s Club.