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Sam's Club review: plus card membership 53

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11:18 am EDT
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The Plus Membership for members is not all what its cracked up to be.
Alot of the benefits have already been stopped and all it really helps is the profit for each club. Most of Sams Club's revenue comes from their membership cards. Imagine that! Most members that try the plus card find that it is a waste of their time and efforts. Besides who wants to pay 100 dollars a year for a membership card? If you have a Sam's Discover you would earn up to 2% cash back but the catch to that is you have to spend 10, 000 + to start earning that much back. I don't know about you but I don't spend that much at Sams. A regular membership card will serve the purpose. Did you know they have a quota on how many plus cards each club gets in a week? Wow! No wonder their pressing the issue. To sum it up I would leave the plus card alone!

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53 comments
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Trinh Kitchen
, US
Jul 17, 2018 12:34 pm EDT

I've placed an order on 7/14 with your estimated arrival day is 7/19, therefore I didn't need to pay extra for express shipping. Now some of the item is not shipped yet, and the estimated day is 7/23 which is after our business event. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED. PLEASE CANCEL THE ORDER AND MY PLUS MEMBERSHIP ALONG WITH THIS ORDER. TIME IS VERY CRITICAL FOR THE BUSINESS AND SEEMS LIKE SAMS CLUB NOT UNDERSTAND THAT. And the person taking my complaint is acting very slow on trying transfer me to customer service. How can it takes 20 mins to put down his note before transferring me to customer service to resolve the issue. Does Sams club know time is very important for the business? Is that how Sams club works?

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Mariellen Puhl
, US
Jun 25, 2018 8:02 pm EDT

Became a plus member in May 2018. My recent instore purchase of about $180.00 did not show up in my Sam's Club account on their website under instore purchases. All my other instore purchases and online purchases before that is showing up in my account. Now I'm concern since it did not get uploaded on their website I'm afraid it won't count towards the $500.00 I need to get $10.00 back.

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Leni
,
Nov 16, 2006 12:00 am EST

I purchased a DVD camcorder from samsclub.com auction site for $320

When the product arrived, it was a open box display model. With smugs on the lens and dust on the view screen. The underneath had worn marks form the display tripod.

I called up the customer service and they say that it is what they sell in auction site!

Then why dont they say so in the site, Why should i bid for a display model ?If it is a floor model I will bid accordingly. There is nothing in the site which says that i am bidding for a open display floor model.

SO WARNING TO ALL AMERICANS--NEVER NEVER BUY FORM SAMSCLUB.COM

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fionfe
, US
Mar 29, 2012 7:02 pm EDT

At the Sams club gas pumps this vehicle was blocking 2 gas pumps by being directly in between two. The other lanes were full with cars waiting. Before hand, his vehicle was in front of me and I was behind him. As the one in front of him left after fueling, The dent removal vehicle pulls up a tad bit and stops right between the pumps. He gets out of his car and starts walking away. I wave, 'move' up and he flips me off. The driver walks 2 pumps over to talk to a woman and he starts to PERFORM THE DENT REMOVAL ON HER CAR! Mean while, they are cars are going around her as she ignores the people giving her looks. I go around his car and get as close as I could to the pump since his nose of his truck was Right next to the 2nd pump. I finish pumping gas and he's still working on the ladies car in the next 2 rows, meanwhile a car pulls behind him. I point to that driver and say, 'He's fixing her car' and point to him. I finish fueling, write his and her info down and start to move up. Meanwhile the driver behind him honks and throws a fit yelling at him to 'move his damn car." AS I was driving away, the dent removal driver flips me the bird again. Very unprofessional. They also had no phone number on the car, only 'Got Dents' in the back an the side it read. 'Dent-al removal mobile auto bod pdr LP# BL92697. vehicle number 007.

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btennie2711
Greensboro, US
Aug 24, 2016 7:39 am EDT

I am a Sam*s Advantage Club member and applied for their credit card to be denied.I once was an advantage credit card member in good standing .My husband of fifty one (51) years passed and my mode of transportation became a problem, so I decided to pay off my account and keep the advantage member card which I did .My transportation situation improved and i was able to shop more frequently so I decided to re apply for the credit card to be denied twice because the clerk submitted the request two times?the reasons I was denied stated it hhad been judgementally reviewedand denied for the following reason:"Poor Payment History with Credit Programs" Truly untrue. I hope something can be done to correct these unethical practices.

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zcxz01
, US
Aug 19, 2016 5:42 pm EDT

I agree, Sam's Club and Walmart are crappy places to work.

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ARMejia
Corona, US
Feb 11, 2011 4:46 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Their website has a Samsung 46" LCD for a price of $798 online but it states that the Chino club store has it for $423.01. When I called the Chino store, the representative stated that this was only for a returned product but that it was not available for re-sale because it had to be inspected and he was NOT sure how long this would take. Hmmm... this was a complete disappointment since the website DID NOT state that. I called their main office [protected] and another representative stated that a returned product will not be available for re-sale and they are auctioned off? This was very disappointing, why would they advertise a product if you have no intention of selling it? Be aware of their false advertising !

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Lee in Athens, Ohio
, US
Apr 24, 2012 7:29 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I purchased mattress from SAMs club with deliver service. They promised a contact for delivery setup within two business days. However, I have not got any call for the last 4 days. I wonder how their delivery works.

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kona/teddy/niner
Pueblo, US
May 10, 2013 6:51 pm EDT

To continue every week to have to sit and wait for "extremely" long periods in order to get a handicapped scooter to get my groceries is completely unreasonable. When I asked for a manager, I was told after customer service paged four times, I might as well go home apparently one was not going to respond. If parking spots are provided an equal number of handicapped chairs and scooters should also be available or quickly become available, not hour long waits! My last wait yesterday was with another amputee and six very elderly people all waiting as well!

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talal suleiman
,
Apr 24, 2008 1:49 pm EDT

i have been trying for 6 month to get sams club to fix my comuter but they will offer no help even though my waranty is stell good untel next year i cald the main offece to complain and they promes to have some one call me back but that never hapend .
sams club has the worst servec agrement ever

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Swinger777
, US
Aug 30, 2015 11:10 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Just put in my 2 weeks.. This place is nuts! As a cashier, I felt really unappreciated. Managers and COS always say c'mon get that 123 or walk up to you with their clipboards to see my results and what I need to do with this mickey mouse stuff. They took me into their office and said how much I need to improve or how I'm not prompting (total lie) I had enough one day and said listen why are you hassling me about a non commission thing to sell to people!? Where's the motivation!? They claim oh you get a bonus in the end of year. I told them yeah a non guaranteed bonus. It doesn't pay my rent, bills, etc. each month.. What do we get? food, candy.. This isn't high school I want extra money. Place is ridiculous. I would stay away if you're considering it. I sell tons of pluses but they act like I never do especially on an off day. I get No Means No! I'm not going to pressure people. To the members.. Sorry we have to be doing our non commissioned "job" of sales and pitching it to you each time you come through the checkout lane but please be nicer to the cashiers when they offer you.. They're being watched and lectured to Hell if they don't so get off your high horse.

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IBMgirl
Florence, US
Dec 31, 2014 10:20 am EST

I am tired of getting harassed when trying to pay for my purchases. I truly feel bad for the cashiers as they are just trying to do their job, but how many times do you have to say "NO"? It was explained to me that they have to go thru the whole script no matter what, and if they don't sell enough they lose their jobs. I have already decided I am letting my membership go when it expires, and have already gotten my Costco card. I don't get harassed there. Reading the comments above, it is obvious that some Sam's management has been told to try and "neutralize" the bad press. If you have any stock you better sell it as it is obvious that at least the Sam's portion of the business is in trouble. Most people are smart enough to realize when a company is trying to rip them off, and the high pressure sales tactics are a dead giveaway.

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Greg6385
, US
Jul 30, 2011 3:02 pm EDT

And thus begins another crap ### day at sams

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formom
Winterville, US
Jun 21, 2014 3:01 pm EDT

About seven years ago when my mother was working as a cashier at Sam's Club, I bought the plus membership with the credit card option because I knew she was selling them as part of her job. For each of the last seven years, my husband and I have used our Sam's Club credit account for any purchase we made. We pay all of our monthly bills regularly to avoid interest charges. As a result, we have earned from $300 to $700 dollars cash back each of the last seven years.
No cashier ever asks me to buy a plus membership since I already enjoy one, but they do remind me to renew. If I don't intend to renew just then, I say, "no, thank you."
My mom loved working at our local Sam's Club, in clothing, as a cashier, as a C.O.S. and briefly as a grocery side manager; she was sad when she moved away, but was able to transfer to another store in another state.
There, she did not like the managers, so she left.
Under good local leadership, employees who appreciate having the opportunity to work hard will thrive.
We love our Sam's club.

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Nobuo
, US
May 06, 2014 12:18 pm EDT

I was recently hired at a Sam's club in my city. So far, it contrasts greatly compared to the stories here. Though, I can see them happening. During the training videos, any video specific to Sam's club always pushed for the plus membership. None of them really even talked about the other types of membership except to compare them once. And of course, each video had idealistic scenarios where the member was happy to sign up.
Working on the floor is entirely different. I'm not a cashier so I know nothing about those stories related to that. I work in grocery and I'm usually the only one out there except during busy hours. I do get pulled to a register if there's not enough people, and I was never told to push for plus membership. Neither when I work grocery either. Everyone I've worked with so far has been really nice and I haven't heard any stories about mistreatment yet. I know I'll eventually be a target for mistreatment and harassment though, due to being transgender. But as far as worker stuff goes, my manager told me she doesn't want me doing anything I can't handle and if I can't do something on my own to ask for help. Our store manager is nice too. But the thing I like most about him is that he works the floor along with other positions, instead of sitting in a comfortable chair sending emails all day. Same with my manager as well. She works along side with me on the floor.
I guess I'll have to wait and see. I haven't been working nearly as long as other people here. Some here are about to reach 25 years. A lot of others have been working there for quite awhile too. From what I gather though, the person that worked before me just flat out quit. So that is a sign of uncertainty to me. I don't think I'll stay here for 25 years. But compared to my last jobs, this one does pay way better and from the stories here, corporate seems to be on our side when it comes to mistreatment.

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Bob Sawyer
Garland, US
Feb 20, 2014 10:49 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I'm trying to Re-new my Sam;s Club Membership online and can't do it and can't find a link to where to renew the Membership, so should I just forget the Billing and the next time I shop have the Store Re-new my Membership at the Service Desk ?
If so I wonder why Sam's goes to the trouble to send out Billing with the statement on the Mailing Envelope that States .."Do No Send To This Address".. !
Bob Sawyer
Membership #[protected]

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Bcolpetzer
Centre Hall, US
Jan 13, 2014 9:46 am EST

I am a Sams club Business plus member for around 20 years . I used to love the Sams but lately I have noticed the produce doesn't hold up and the prices aren't as competitive as even our local Wegmans grocery store. But the thing that is really turning me away from Sams is everything I go in there I am hassled. I just want to get my items pay for them and leave, but when I check out I get the sales pitch which infuriates me . I even wrote on my card on both sides in red sharpie, No Offers Please, and when I approach the cashier I always state please no offers I'm not interested, And it used to work, not anymore now I get the reply we still have to offer and i tell them no and i still get how its a great deal until i leave I am so upset I am shaking, to me its like me paying to be harassed. Because they wont stop the last time I was there he tried four different approaches. I talked to my husband and he agrees we are done with Sams. The thing is I have the business Plus, with a Sams credit and I always pay using my discover card but that's not good enough according to Sams club I need a Sams discover. what is wrong with these people. I don't want to even go near the store and the stress of checking out. which by the way I never get out of there for under 100 dollars. We don't have a Costco or some other similar store but I will adjust my shopping habits maybe Sams did me a favor and I will save allot of money by staying out of their store.

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Mt Rainier
Ashford, US
Nov 25, 2013 7:58 am EST

Sam's sent VIP flyers out with great prices for xmas gifts. I received one of these flyers and decided to stand in the line for the special hours for VIP members. I quickly got the items I wanted and headed to checkout - WELL...in order to get the prices quoted on flyer I had to buy the plus plan or pay the regular store price...needless to say I was really really upset - nowhere on that flyer did it say anything about having to have a plus membership. If I had know that plus was a requirement I would have stayed in my nice warm house instead of freezing in a line wrapped around the store. Bottomline - I paid the for the plus membership and will be back in the store to cancel the plus TODAY! Can't wait for that battle...the folks that work in the Customers Service Dept in my store are just down right rude! I will also write a letter to my state Attorney General as I think Sam's is not doing nice things with this plus membership. Why would Sam's send VIP flyers to non-plus members? Duh Duh Duh! Shame on you Sam's...what a scam!

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Rob1234567
Allentown, US
Sep 23, 2013 9:07 am EDT

I work at sams club too. It all depends what store you work at. Some stores have managers that wont fire you unless you never come or assault a member, some have managers that just shouldn't be managers cuz they abuse their power and look for things to b**ch about. If Some positions get treated better than others. Member ship gets treated like kings for upgrading, and carts get treated like s**t for working their ### off. but if you have a problem with supervisor, go to manager, then if need be, store manager, then if still need be, there should be business cards in your break room for people you don't know. That's the market team, who the boss of your store manager, call them and complain. Any time a our market team has to talk to a manager, the problems solved quickly, because the market team doesn't like the associates to have a hostile work environment and they have the power to fire a manager. If there arent businesses cards for market team, find the number for the HQ in Arkansas and call them. Your bosses would really be [censored]in their pants then! Hope that helps!

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troshs
, US
Jun 26, 2013 9:07 pm EDT

People think its only the cashiers who have to sell pluses...its everyone in my store...except management. I am an electronics associate and I have been threatened with my job if I don't sell plus memberships. I know all the benefits, can recite them word for word, but in the 7 months I have been there not ONE member has said yes. And yet its my fault? It isn't just about asking, either--you can ask every member that you see but that's still not enough. So those of you who say "Just ask." Well if they don't bite its just as bad as not asking. We have no control over whether the member says yes or no, so if we are at least trying, give us a break! I enjoyed my job until my manager pulled me off to the side one day and SCREAMED at me in front of customers that if I didn't get a plus I would lose my job. I'm waiting to walk in one day and be told I'm fired because of something people don't want.

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tbright1965
O Fallon, US
Jun 12, 2013 6:32 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Everyone has a different value set. For me, the extra values and the ability to get in the door before the general public (and get some free breakfast) is worth the $8/month I spend to have the plus membership.

If it's not worth it to you, don't buy it. The terms are spelled out, make a decision. It doesn't make it a rip off if it's not a good value to you. It's just not a good value to you.

Sam's Club member since 2004

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Little Nipper
, US
May 10, 2013 8:07 pm EDT
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Sam's Club is not a hospital . "If parking spots are provided an equal number of handicapped chairs and scooters should also be available or quickly become available, not hour long waits! " were is this law written? You talk like the whole world is suppose to revolve around you, bring a wheel chair if you don't like waiting. Stores are limited to what conveniences they can provide it's understandable that a place like Sam's Club has a lot of people using the scooters they have the lowest prices and the elderly & sick who have the lower incomes shop there a lot.

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davidpsr
Louisville, US
Mar 05, 2013 10:28 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I was suckered into 'upgrading' to a Plus card by a cashier who had been pulled off the register to work in a kiosk. I felt sorry for her. Most people ignored her and some were downright rude. People, PLEASE do not blame the cashiers. They HAVE to ask you to sign up for (waste your money on) the Plus card. If you want to complain to someone, ask for the store manager.

That said, I am going to request a refund of the 'upgrade, ' if you can call it that. I've yet to see a single dime in savings as a result of the 'upgrade.' As a matter of fact, I specifically looked at the current 'specials' and not a single one of them was for anything that I'd normally buy at Sam's. Most were for stuff I'd never buy at all. Anywhere.

IMHO, my SAM's club membership has less value every year. Even though you have to buy everything in 55-gallon drums, the price per unit is not nearly as attractive as it used to be. And you never know what they're going to have. See something you like? Better buy it today, because next week they'll probably stop carrying it.

In summary, avoid the Plus card unless you do a LOT of shopping at SAM's club. They probably make more money selling this card than they do profit on the goods they sell. IMHO, that's not a good business model.

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carpe diem
Dallas, US
Feb 18, 2013 2:17 pm EST
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I was convinced by Sam's club employee to upgrade to Sam's club Discover card business plus. However, there were no disclosures made about at least 2 things. (1) No one mention the fact that this is not a true 2% reward because you have to spend at least more than $10, 000 a year before you get up to the 2% reward level, and (2) that the reward check had to be cashed within 5 month or it will expire worthless. So, after 5 months, Sam's club will not replace the expired check even if it were not cashed because it was lost, etc. What a scam! They make it hard to earn the reward and harder to keep the money you've earned.

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Fort smith 8134
Fort smith, US
Jan 05, 2013 11:47 pm EST
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Never ever ever be a cart associate. If you work too good then, you will not be moved inside, because apparently it's too hard for them too find someone to work outside that is does an alright job or won't quit. You have to work in 110 degree weather on black asphalt and 20 degree weather for the lowest pay at the store. You will get chewed out for not working hard, even though there are no carts to go get. And you will get griped at for getting behind, even though it's not your fault, it's because you're really busy and people called in.

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bebear
Smithfield, US
Dec 22, 2012 11:44 pm EST
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I am a manager with Sam's. I have been with the company since I was in my early 20's. I have seen the company change and grow. Some changes I have not agreed with at all and some I support 100%. I understand how frustrating it is to be a cashier (been there done that) or to be a member champ. I know it is a pain to be expected to sell plus, renewals, service agreements, transfer merchandise and sign members up for credit. The key word here is EXPECT. Every employee at Sam's, including all the managers are expected to perform certain tasks. As a cashier you are evaluated once a year. On that evaluation there is a "productivity" section. You are being evaluated on your plus and credit numbers as well as your willingness to ask a simple question..."Would you be interested in our plus membership". Managers are also being evaluated on YOUR productivity. Our evaluations are not limited to just our job descriptions. We are evaluated on how the whole club is doing.
The folks that are talking about their managers just standing around and fussing at them for not getting the upgrades...talk to that manager's supervisor. There is an "Open Door" policy. Use it. Believe me...the managers are getting just as much pressure to get plus numbers as you are.
As for the gentleman who says his wife was fired for not selling plus. I seriously doubt that was the only reason she was let go. I am sorry she lost her job. But I can honestly say that in the almost two decades that I have been with this company I have never seen anyone get fired without numerous "coachings" or without them behaving in a way that is considered "gross misconduct'. And not getting plus ugrades is not gross misconduct.
Sam's Share. By selling plus, transferring merch to reduce loss and getting credit you are not only helping the management staff's Sam's Share but your own. Do managers get a larger bonus. Sure. We also work 60+ hours. Are responsible for a huge building, more merchandise than you can imagine, 150+ associates, environmental laws, food safety...I could go on and on. The bonus is based on the club performance and the dollar amount it based on how many hours you work. That is why full time associates get more. Or why one pt associate that has open availability gets more than the pt associate that can only work 2 days a week.
In this day and age, with the current economy I would think that you would be thankful to work for a company that strives to provide a fair, safe, and respectful work environment for their employees and to realize you are blessed with a job in a corporation that is not going away anytime soon. There are so many out there without jobs. So many businesses that are forced to close their doors or to cut their staff in half. I personally feel blessed that I am part of the Sam's Club community and that I am able to provide for my family.

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Freshwater12
, US
Nov 20, 2012 6:12 pm EST

I never had a plus card until now, only advantage. I was looking online to see what it helps out with. I bought it to help pay for prescription glasses since my daughter's insurance doesn't include it. I never realized the people there were so pressured to sell them. I hated being approached on it when I had to check out. What a tension they've created for both parties.

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J. Greg Carradine
, US
Nov 16, 2012 6:17 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I work at Sams Club as a cashier. The manager over the front end department is constantly walking around the cashiers observing to see if we are selling pluses. It sucks! I don't care about my job anymore. I am ready to move on to another much better job where employees are treated fairly. Sams Club is full of it!

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SICKofTHEbullCRAP
Paducah, US
Apr 30, 2012 6:53 am EDT

My Wife was fired today for not selling plus membership cards. She did as they asked and the customers said no!. She was a good employee. She would come to work on time, come in on her scheduled off days, Worked for other employees if they needed a day off, My wife enjoyed her job very much, other than having to sell the plus membership. Today she went to work and after they let her work her full shift, they tell her she is fired for not selling the plus. I know there is probably not much that can be done, but, I am considering having an attorney look at the situation.

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SKOR
Toronto, CA
Apr 24, 2012 8:01 am EDT
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They probably contract out delivery to a "wholesaler" delivery company - it's cheaper than hiring delivery staff themselves. One delivery company has a contract with multiple retailers; that's how the delivery company makes money.
They don't work for Sam's Club (directly), so there is no incentive to prioritize anyone.

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too moral for this job
Galena, US
Apr 14, 2012 2:15 am EDT

I totally agree with you. I recently quit my position at Sam's because of the Plus Membership Sales. As cashiers we hear all of the complaints even though we are in no position to do anything other than refer the member to the service desk or a manager. Most members are tired of being asked to upgrade and usually just want to get their stuff and get out without having to listen to several different spiels during the course of their transaction. The Plus Level Membership can save some people money, but only people who religiouly check their evalues and who spend A LOT of money at Sam's. After months of paying attention to the evalues redeemed by members I have found that most typically save about $1 to $2 per trip. This may be due to the fact that many who have been sold the upgrade, do not understand how to redeem their evalues because we do not always have enough time to explain every aspect of the upgrade during their transaction time. The only time that I have seen members truly having significant savings that make the extra $60 worth while is during the evalues events when FREE evalues are offered to everyone. If a shopper can combine those FREE evalues with their personalized evalues they can save even more. Personally I will not continue with the Plus Membership now that I am no longer with Sam's I have not seen evalues on the products I typically buy. The evalues that are offered are generally ones for products that I just purchased days before and no longer need. The value of the program is a perceived value and each person is going to see it differently. Once they have tried it though, most do not want to renew.

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nonamous
, US
Jan 28, 2012 7:14 am EST

I too work at Sam's Club just as many on this thread do. And yes, I am a cashier. I have studied, in great detail, how the inner workings of this place come together. I'm sad to say that the place is extremely greedy, but this is only the view I have of the upper management team in my club. I am not one who believes that Corporate is evil. In fact, seeing members of the corporate team is usually a godsend for us cashiers because they usually come to fire a manager who has wronged us in some way.

So let me address some things with you people. I know there's a fight about how much cash back you receive as a Sam's Club Plus Discover Card member. In fact, the corretc wording is that you can earn "Up to 2% Cash Back with Sam's Club Plus Discover". See what I did there? You actually earn 0.25% cash back until you spend $1500 with the card. Then you will earn 0.50% cash back until you hit $3000. You will then earn 1% cash back until you hit $5000. Next, you earn 1.75% cash back until you hit $10, 000. And then, and only then, will you start to earn your 2% cash back as promised. But unless you plan to spend more than $5000 with it in a year, it's the exact same card as the $40 Advantage member's Discover. About selling Plus, they push us, HARD. It's kind of sad seeing cashiers talking to members that we mostly know (not a large city) and ask them to upgrade and get yelled at because the member has only been asked 20, 000 times to upgrade already. We don't want to do it, we have to do it. Our motto has even changed to "Ask Every Member, Every Time." It's sickening.

So why do we have to do this? Why do we need to sell this membership so bad? That's where upper management comes in. Our ability to meet our quota for Plus (our club's is 12, daily) diretcly corresponds to how much the Managers will get in their "Sam's Share". For those of you that don't know. Sam's Share is a "profit-sharing" plan that pretty much says "the more Plus you sell, the more money you get". For cashiers, a Sam's Share once-a-year is like Christmas. It's a pretty hefty bonus for us, usually in the amount of $800 for part time cashiers. But this... This is where our Managers' motivation to threaten us comes from. Our ability to sell Plus can be, for the Club Manager, the difference between $2500 and $15, 000+. And I don't see him selling a lot of Plus to earn that. In fact I believe the last time a manager sold a Plus Membership in our club was well over a decade ago. Now considering that our club ranked best in our market for several years now, I can infer, that our Club Manager has a salary of somewhere between $70, 000 and $103, 000. That's a nice chunk of change for a manager who may not even possess a college degree!

This can drive Manager's to do crazy things that can destroy the team dynamic of the club. I have had days where a manager would call several cashiers, including myself, in her office to call us "lazy", "worthless", and "useless" and, of course, to threaten our jobs if we didn't step up our game. I knew I would learn to mortally hate this company that I saw one of my best friends come out of that office, crying her eyes out. Again, I restate that the Corp. office is not to blame. This senseless greed is driving people to do things that are far more destructive than they realize, just to stick a couple extra thousand dollars in their pocket at the end of the year. I can't wait until an instance like this will explode onto the media and Sam's Clubs all over the country will be exposed along with the greedy people they employ.

To address other issues, I agree that the management staff only stands around the checkout area making jokes, texting, and giving some cashiers the occasional "death glare". We call them "coaches" but they provide no positive criticism nor assistance nor training to anybody. These days, our cashiers are given the encouragement from the Check-Out Supervisor Team Lead that they will have the opportunity to throw a pie in the face of one of the managers' faces if they get a certain amount of Plus upgrades. I don't understand how a group of people could be so entertained by a meaningless ritual that provides only the shortest and crudest comedic value and absolutely no financial gain.

For those who say "It's you job, suck it up." I will have you know this was, and still is, the first job I've ever had. I put a great deal of trust in the managers who interviewed me when they told me that I would give members "the opportunity to upgrade to a better membership" and I would give members the "opportunity to apply for and use a fantastic all-in-one Discover credit card". They said nothing about requirements or threats. As far as I can tell, since he did not tell me the entire story about all this, he lied. Straight to my face, which is not all that surprising. I see several of my supervisors lie to my customers all the time to get out of being accountable and answering questions. By the way, the post about "Top-Down Selling" is entirely true. Also, many cashiers tend to lie to get easier upgrades. Many cashiers will tell you that every time that they shop, they save $10-20 with their Plus Membership when they don't even get the payroll deduction for the membership in the first place! I even did a week long study on how much people save with their Plus Memberships. I took every Plus Member's total and wrote how much they saved from all aspetcs of the Plus Membership. This means that I included eValues, extra warranty coverage, etc, EVERYTHING. I found that, on average, members would have to spend $117.46 to save $1 with the Plus Membership. When you flatten it out, in order to save the guaranteed $300 per year with the Plus Membership, you would need to spend, on average, approximately $35, 238 in the club in a single year. That amount of money would take me more than 3 straight years of work to earn.

So when March swings around and we all get those shiny Sam's Share checks, I'll deposit the money in to my bank account and promptly tell my managers to kiss my morally-righteous, non-conforming ###.

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xoxmawexox
80014, US
Dec 09, 2011 11:02 pm EST

Okay so i started at Sams Club in June still working there till this day and really people you cant get mad about the plus and credit you just got to get over it and do it that is your job as a cashier, COS, manager, or membership desk and to be honest i do not like selling plus or credit but ITS MY JOB i suck it up and do it all you have to do is ask i am on the leader board for selling plus and credit just because i ask and i tell them the REAL benefits i dont lie about it but like i said i dont think anyone likes selling it but you have to so stop complaining atleast you got a job and for those people who are getting treated like crap at those other clubs well then you need to report it seriously at my club everyone is very nice there is just a couple bad apples who i work with but that is how it is everywhere you go! not everyone is going to be nice and kiss your ### seriously but like i said no one likes selling plus or credit but get over it that is your job if you dont like it go find another :)

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Sucker54321
Beverly, US
Oct 12, 2011 10:43 pm EDT

I was suckered into buying this membership today for 60.00. I spent 400.00 on my groceries and received no discounts. I'm going in tomorrow to get my 60.00 back! I don't buy jewelry or large ticket items at SAMs and I don't purchase boxed food (the middle of the store) because I am allergic to wheat.

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alg310
, US
Oct 03, 2011 8:30 pm EDT

Im also a sam's club employee and I cant really complain about my job except staying 2 hours after closing and an hour later than cashiers (i work in the clothing department) . Personally i dont think I would ever transfer to cashiering no matter how many times people tell me that my job sucks. when you are hired at sams club i believe you have the option to apply for any position not just cashier. yes i do feel bad for cashiers having to get plus memberships, but its their job. as it is my job to fold after everyones mess and keep refolding the clothes over and over again to make sams club look neat and organized and not disgusting and flithy. its MY JOB. thats what i applied for i cant complain about having to refold a table after i spent 10 minutes organizing it and a member comes along and messes everyttng up in less than a minute. its what i was hired to do. simply if you dont like cashiering, move departments. as for the whole plus membership not being helpful, i like to believe it is. you do get discounts, just print them out and you'll save a dollar or two. if you were to save a dollar or two on items and you visit the club once a week, lets say in total you save 5 dollars on the chosen items. i believe
if u keep buying those items sams sends you coupons for those exact items. 5 x 4 weeks in a month = 20 dollars. 20 dollars x 12 months =240 dollars saved. basically only loosing 60 dollars since u paid 100 for your membership. and it is true look for any prices that says $xx.x1 that means the price has gone down and has a possibility of it getting lower.

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animalchin
Honey Brook, US
Sep 29, 2011 5:54 am EDT

I work at Sam's, however I am an auditor. My job consists of doing an inventory of the entire store every 4 months, as well as weekly and monthly audits (inventories) of high priced items (TV's, computers, grills, lighters, etc.)

We are not a grocery store. We are not an electronics or furniture store. We are a warehouse store that has it's roots catering to small businesses (why we sell our products in bulk at lower rates.) That said, the plus membership might not be the best for everyone, but it has it's advantages. Early shopping (7 a.m.), eValues (exclusive discounts), and up to a 40% discount on some pharmaceuticals.

We are here to save people money. Much of our profit comes from membership. Next time you are at a Sam's, look for prices with the cent's ending in "1" ($XX.X1). That means it is sold below what we paid. I work at a low volume club with huge shrink (Cashiers [I'm sure none of the above posters] do not scan all products, like water on the bottom of the cart, and theft from employees and members) but we stay in business because we get memberships and become suppliers to local businesses. I will be the first to tell you, I won't buy a plus; I don;t need to shop early (I'm there at 5:30 M-F anyways), I have health insurance and I don't buy much stuff there. But for the people that need to be in the store before 8, do not have health insurance and need the discounts or just want to take advantage of the eValues, the Plus membership provides it.

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jack colly
Manchester, GB
Sep 28, 2011 3:43 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hello Sams Club,

I am Mr. BENJAMIN DEBRAH a citizen of Ghana .I have in my bank the existence of a big amount of money that belongs to a customer, Mr. Daniel Club, who happen to have the same surname as yours .The fund is now without any claim because Mr. Daniel died in a deadly earthquake in China in 2008 . I want your cooperation so as to make the bank send you the fund as the beneficiary and next of kin to the fund.

This transaction will be of a great mutual assistance to us. Send me your reply of interest so that I will give you the details .
Strictly send it to my private email account : benjamindedrah22@hotmail.com or send me your email address to send you details of this transaction.

At the receipt of your reply, I will give you details of the transaction. And a copy of the Deposit certificate of the fund and also the incorporation certificate of the company that generated the fund .
Best regards,

MR. Benjamin Debrah.
benjamindedrah22@hotmail.com

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samscashier
abc, US
Sep 28, 2011 3:16 pm EDT

Yes, memberships are profit for Sam's club, because we don't mark our prices up to cover our overhead. I've been told that we have to sell a pallet and a half of water to cover the profit for one membership - just $40. That's an average of 39 cents profit per case of water. Not very much profit.

@madalice1 - you do not HAVE to show your membership card to get in the door - at least not at my club. The person standing at the entrance door is to greet members and make sure there isn't any unpaid-for merchandise walking out the door.

As far as the plus membership goes, I'm a cashier at Sam's Club. We're required to sell 3 plus memberships per week (part time) and 5 per week (full time), and if we don't sell X amount in X many weeks, we get written up. 3 write ups = loss of job.

The plus membership is not a bad deal, as much as members like to think that it is. It's also fully refundable (as mentioned before) and, believe it or not, when cashiers offer it to members, IT'S NOT A CREDIT CARD. I've asked a few members what they think, and most of them do think it's a credit card or some form of credit. I think this is one factor keeping members from buying it. That averages out to $115 every two weeks. Also you save $5-8 in evalues on an average trip to sam's, so that's even better.

I'm not trying to argue with anyone on this page, I'm just a frustrated cashier disappointed with the members who turn down $8 upgrades because "They just don't want it". This is also my point of view on the subject, and does not reflect every sam's club in the country, or every cashier. But as far as I know, every cashier at my club agrees with me on this issue.

Sam's club shoppers - if the plus membership is under $10 to upgrade, try it out. It's just $10. You'll probably save a cashier's job. It's fully refundable. Our club has gotten to the point where our supervisors are offering rewards for selling plus memberships - packs of gum, candy, free food at the cafe, etc. to try and promote plus sales. This is a rediculous idea, we shouldn't need to be rewarded for doing our jobs.

As an employee, I have the option to get the fee for the plus membership taken out of my paycheck, it's like $2.36 per pay period. The first time my girlfriend went shopping after I signed up, she saved $8 in evalues, without even checking them at the door. Of course it was a $350 shopping trip, but it's still $8 extra we didn't have to spend. Assume now that you save from $5 to $8 per shopping trip, and you come once every 2-3 weeks, over the course of a year, that's approximately $125 per year that you save. Add into that extra savings on large items - printer ink, paper shredders, even computers, all of which are usually more than $10 and up to $200 off, your savings go on to upwards of $200 - $500 per year. Again, not bad for a small $60 investment.

Also early shopping hours. We aren't kidding about this, early shopping hours are great if, for example, you bought your tires at sam's club. Instead of waiting in the middle of the day for a tire rotate, you can come in early in the morning and have them taken care of during business hours with (at my club at least) no waiting, be in and out in 15 minutes and be on with your day. That's pretty convenient.

2% cash back - the spending 10, 000 is a lie. I've seen reward checks ranging from $6 to $400. This is the normal 2% cash back, and it applies to ALL purchases, not just once you hit $10, 000. In reality, you have to spend $5, 000 to break even on your $100 membership in rewards. To pay for just the plus membership, you only have to spend $3, 000 at 2% cash back.

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Annoumous
, US
Feb 11, 2017 2:03 am EST

wHen upgrading a member to plus that shows a $10 upgrade, are you also advising that their membership renewal is right around the corner ? You can sell them on all they can buy and save which is fine, but if they get sticker shock at renewal time w/o disclosing to the member, this is teatering on disceptive practices . I always advised members of before they make the decision and advising of the 100 % guarantee and what it entails . All members regardless of what they spend should be treated with the upmost respect and integrity . My motto is, treat people as you would want to be treated . Profit of the club is through membership, however when profit becomes the only focus discluding integrity, members ( Sams bread and butter ) will take notice, in the end this is a leadership issue .

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aperson13
Colorado, US
May 07, 2011 8:26 am EDT

Omg...its not as bad as what people are saying it to be...apparently, your sams are horrible places, where nobody wants to either do their job right, or just dont act like a team! Yes we sell pluses and try to get people to sign up for credit...ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS ASK! its not hard, i promise, and yes, the job description does say that you are required to at least pick up 55lbs, thats when you APPLY! Yes, some stores are picky about people not showing up, cause 1--> they are either ALWAYS late or 2--> they just dont show up and call in. Yes, it does take up to 10 thousand dollars to get up to 2% on a card, but thats ANYWHERE they use the discover card, and it is easy to spend that much money on WHEREVER you go! Yes stuff pops up, but it just takes 2 seconds to say, "Youve been approved for ****, would you like to accept for sams credit today?" see, not hard. They say yes, you push a button, they say no, you push a different button and youre on your way! Another thing is the 122 and 123 thing, just slide their card and press it, ask them and just do the prompting, the register tells you what to do, it's not hard! yes, you also have to transfer items from basket to basket, to prevent loss. Did you know that all those losses come out of that markets share. So that means you are LOSING money, losing money in the bonus check every year from your bottom line. And yes, their is an open door policy, find a manager, if they dont agree with you, find the TOP manager, they should at least answer, if they dont agree, quit! it's that easy, yes, there are places that are unfair, you just found a JOB, omg, all jobs have this! Another thing, when they get their credit receipt paper, it tells them their rates and EVERYTHING! If you don't know, it's usually 22.9%. Yes it's high, pay your bill, it's that easy, not only that, they get this pamphlet that has everything you need to know about the credit card. So the information is there, all you got to do is ask. And yes, your contract does say something about sales, PLUSES ARE SALES, so no pluses, no job...Every store has some sort of sales, ours are credit and pluses, and extended warranties...the info is their, all you gotta do is ask, so quit whining, if you don't like the job, quit, it's not for everyone.

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madalice1
Mather, US
Apr 09, 2011 5:44 am EDT

I worked at sams club, i was employed from 05/06/2010 to 04/06/2011 till when they fired me. I am a cashier at Sam's club and one of the things they presue us to do is sell our $100 plus membership. we must convince members to upgrade. The this is, our store gets little foot traffic and a lot of times we get the same members. So, I have to talk about membership to members, .. which by the way, has little benefit, people do not like the program we offer and mostly always turn us down because they have tried it before and didn't work for them. Anyways, on April 6th, of 2011, a member that i have talked to about upgrading before came to my line. At this point, I did not want to ask her because i had numerously have talked to her before, and she had numerously has said no. Not only thats she was a member that came once a month to purchase food on food stamps, ..only food, so it was clear to me not to ask her anymore, ..just to not be insensitive as she also kept asking be what her bill was coming to as i charged her groceries. So my supervisor is standing there and sees i didn't ask the member about the plus membership, so she runs and tells the store manager. I guess the manager made arrangements to fire me, I never got to tell him what was my story, nor did it matter because "just not asking one member was a missed opportunity to get an upgrade" They don't care, they just want theyre numbers. I'm pretty sure my contract said nothing about being fired for not selling plus. And its very suspicious they had me fired right when i was getting a raise and and my benefits were about to kick in just one month of my year anniversary

And eveything the employees have said on here is absoultly true, its all bs.. I feel bad for the members