Sam's vs. Costco Verdict

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In this review:

Costco Tires, Costco Pharmacy vs. Sam's
Costco Photos vs. Sam's Photos
Costco vs. Sam's Comparison Table
Sam's vs. Costco Verdict
Infographic: Sam's Club versus Costco versus BJ's

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Sam's vs. Costco Verdict

CATEGORY	COSTCO	SAM'S CLUB	WINNER	WHY
Memberships	$50, $100	$40, $100, $35, $100	Sam's	Membership is cheaper and there are more in-store benefits.
Shopping Cart Test	$227.08	$215.65	Sam's	The overall price was cheaper and the quantities slightly more manageable for those with limited storage space. However, the per-unit price (of a single pound of steak or ounce of milk, etc.) was 3.6% lower at Costco.
Departments	Smaller selection	Larger selection	Sam's	While both stores have similar departments, Sam's seems to offer a larger variety of choices in most departments.
Payment Methods	Cash, check, debit, store card, Amex	Cash, check, debit, store card, MasterCard, Discover	Sam's	Again Sam's Club comes out on top, with more payment options.
Coupons and Extra Savings	Mail and email	eValues with higher membership	Costco	Costco wins big time here with coupons mailed and emailed to members, while Sam's requires an upgraded membership in order to access coupons.
Pharmacy and Wellness Services	Low prices	$4/$10 prescription plan and extra savings for Plus members	Sam's	Sam's has the better value with the $4/$10 plan and additional savings for Plus members. If Costco offers anything similar, we couldn't find it.
Optical	Eye exams, frames, and contacts	Eye exams, frames, and contacts	TBD	Cheap contacts, frames, and eye exams make both the winner.
Hearing Services	Basic hearing tests and hearing aid check with cleaning	Basic hearing tests	Costco	Costco provides a valuable hearing aid service in addition to hearing screenings, which is a step beyond what Sam's offers.
Health Screenings	Osteoporosis and heart screenings	Different health screenings every month up to a $150 value at select stores for the first 100 people	Sam's	The information is straightforward and easy to find, plus the value is huge: Most screenings offered are a $150 value.
Electronics	Good selection plus a 2nd year extension on the manufacturer's warranty on TVs and computers. Free tech support	Good selection plus a free extra year with purchase of a warranty and free 24/7 technical support	Sam's	Sam's Club wins with its extra year on any warranty purchased plus free technical support; Costco offers no tech support.
Delivery and Installation	Limited installation -- TVs only	Full delivery and installation	Sam's	Costco doesn't offer delivery and installs only TVs. Sam's Club wins this one with full delivery and installation services (for a price).
Auto Services	Discounts on car purchases and auto insurance	Free tire repair, battery testing, and wiper blade installation	Costco	Auto insurance and car buying discounts are a far better value than the free tire repairs, battery testing, and wiper blade installation available at Sam's.
Financial Services	Check printing, high-yield savings accounts and CDs, refinancing and online investing for individuals and 401(k) plans, credit card processing, payroll services, and check printing for businesses	Credit card processing for businesses, as well as check printing and small business loans	Costco	Costco is the runaway winner, with many more financial services for individuals and businesses than Sam's Club.
Online Shopping	Good experience	Had to register three times before being recognized as a member, and site was very slow	Costco	We had to register at Sam's online three times before the site recognized us as a member and sent us a confirmation email. We also found the site to be very slow while browsing products (though we didn't order anything).
Photo Printing	13 cents for 4x6, 38 cents for 5x7	17 cents for 4x6, 38 cents for 5x7	Costco	It's cheaper to get prints at Costco, which come out looking pretty good, and the range of printing options is better.
Gas	$3.84	$3.75	Sam's	Sam's takes this category based on price.
Travel	Discounts on vacations and car rentals	None	Costco	Sam's eliminated its travel services, so it doesn't even compete.
Number of Stores	426	609	Sam's	Sam's has more stores, but in some states Costco has a lead. In California, for example, Sam's has only 35 stores and Costco 119.

Infographic: Sam's Club versus Costco versus BJ's [next]» «[prev] Costco vs. Sam's Comparison Table

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Best Cheap Wholesale Clubs

Sam's Club

Sam's Club offers low-priced memberships starting at $40 that include in-store perks like free health screenings; tire repair, car battery testing, and wiper blade installation; cheap prescriptions, contact lenses and eyeglasses; delivery and installation for big ticket items; and 24/7 technical support on electronics. The wholesale giant's large selection of discount items includes many bearing its Member's Mark label. Sam's barely edges out its chief rival as our top pick. Read more »

SamsClub.com

Costco

Memberships at Costco start at $50 and provide access to a wealth of departments featuring low-priced groceries, home goods, electronics, furniture, pharmacy, photo printing, and more, and at some stores, even cheap wedding dresses. Members also get additional coupons for extra savings, as well as deals on home and auto insurance, car buying, car rental, travel, and numerous financial services. The in-house brand is Kirkland. This wholesale superstore is a near-miss for the top spot on our list. Read more »

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Products Mentioned in This Review

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