The grocery wars between Costco and Sam’s Club have reached a fever pitch, and it appears the Walmart-owned company is coming out on top. If you follow supermarket news, you may be familiar with the litany of changes both chains have implemented in 2024. Costco unveiled new membership rules, which paved the way for new entrance security protocols. Meanwhile, Sam’s Club went full-throttle with its Scan & Go app and AI-powered exit archways. Now, the people have spoken: Sam’s Club is superior.
In a new Reddit thread, members of both Sam’s Club and Costco shared their biggest gripes with the companies. However, Costco notably received more negative than positive reviews. In fact, it became a comparison game. See why consumers are taking their business to Sam’s Club for good.
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Shopping at Costco is like a game of bumper cars.
Frustrated shoppers say Costco’s out-of-control crowds make “regular grocery shopping [feel] like it’s Black Friday.” One Redditor said the warehouse is “unusable” no matter what hour you go. “I’ve gone a few times on a random weekday at like 2pm and the place is just packed still,” they wrote.
“They are always packed,” someone else agreed. “I went right before they opened one weekday once and there were still like 20-30 cars waiting with me.” A third person said they were forced into Costco Online Delivery because they got tired of “fighting the crowds.”
Another member said it’s best to avoid Costco during the weekend at all costs. “All the idiots go on the weekend, putting around aimlessly admiring every thing like they’re on a museum tour. Acting like they never been there before.”
“Going to Costco is a terrible experience unless I go during my lunch break. The crowds are ever present and the check out lines tend to run the length of the club,” another shopper added.
RELATED: Costco Shoppers Sound Off About Their 5 Biggest Gripes With the Store.
Sam’s Club products are cheaper and easier to find.
According to members, shopping at Costco can sometimes feel like a scavenger hunt. The chain is notoriously known for playing musical chairs with its inventory, prompting members to take their business elsewhere—specifically, Sam’s Club.
“While I understand the treasure hunt aspect of Costco’s business model, I prefer that Sam’s keeps item locations consistent and aisles are labeled. If I’m just there to buy non-perishable pantry staples, I don’t have to waste time finding their new location,” said one fed-up customer.
Another person shared that they canceled their Costco membership after one month because they got “so frustrated” with the warehouse’s constant rearranging. “I was so frustrated the second time i went shopping there bcuz it was in a different spot than the first time. I dont want to have to walk down every [expletive] aisle trying to find items,” they wrote.
Moreover, customers say it’s much cheaper to shop at Sam’s Club. “Sam’s has gotten better over the past few years while Costco has gotten worse. At least when it comes to food items like pantry and produce, the quality is similar but Sam’s is usually cheaper. Sam’s also doesn’t force you into expensive organic options all the time,” reads one post.
RELATED: Shoppers Are Abandoning Costco for Sam’s Club—Here’s Why.
Sam’s Club’s Scan & Go feature is superior.
“The scan and go app at Sam’s is a difference maker,” raved one person, with whom many Reddit users agreed.
The Scan & Go app is a more advanced iteration of a self-checkout kiosk. Instead of waiting in line to be helped by a store associate or to use the self-checkout machine, Sam’s Club members can shop in-store with the Scan & Go app. Within the app, customers can scan their items using the barcode feature and complete their purchases digitally.
“The scan and go is far more appealing, especially since there’s also hidden discounts you can find on it that checking out the normal way won’t give you,” added another shopper.
A Sam’s Club member called the high-tech feature “the greatest thing ever,” noting it’s something “Costco should [have been] doing like yesterday.” Their post earned several likes, including from one person who said it’s “no contest” between the two grocers.
“Scan and go > TSA level security just to get in,” they quipped, clearly mocking Costco’s tight security practices.
And members have similar feelings when it comes to shopping online at both Costco and Sam’s Club, too.
“Outside of that, the shopping experience at Sam’s Club is head and shoulders above Costco. Scan and Go has been a huge game changer. And the online shopping experience in Sam’s Club seems to be much better too. Sam’s Club inventory posted online is so much more accurate than Costco. Costco very much treats the online experience separately than the in-club experience,” a Redditor commented.