Costco grows in-store shopping advantage over Sam's Club

In the battle of Costco versus Sam's Club, Costco has long been the clear unofficial winner.

Interestingly, in a recent comparison by The Kitchn, Sam's Club was shown to have slightly better prices than Costco across a range of key categories. And Sam's Club's membership fees are lower than Costco's, too.

A regular Sam's Club membership costs just $60 a year, while an upgraded Plus membership costs $120. Costco's membership fees are higher by $5 for the basic tier and $10 for the upgraded Executive tier.

But Sam's Club just doesn't have the same reputation as Costco regarding quality and selection, Marca notes. And for this reason, many people continue to choose Costco over Sam's Club, despite the potential savings.

Recently, in an effort to best Costco, Sam's Club upped its delivery service in a major way. But while that move may have been designed to give Sam's Club an edge, it could actually end up doing the opposite.

Sam's Club pushes deeper into fast delivery

Sam's Club has aggressively expanded its digital capabilities over the past few years, leaning heavily into curbside pickup, Scan & Go technology, and now ultra-fast delivery.

The company's new Express service delivers directly from local clubs rather than centralized fulfillment centers, helping to speed up delivery times dramatically. The company claims orders can now reach customers in as little as one hour, and in some cases, under 12 minutes.

Related: Costco leans into new consumer dining trend

Sam's Club says it has already fulfilled nearly 65,000 Express orders since the nationwide rollout in April.

"What makes Sam's Club express delivery different: we deliver from our clubs, not distant fulfillment centers," the company said in a recent announcement. "Because our locations are already embedded in the communities where our members live and work, we eliminate the biggest barrier to speed - distance."

On the surface, this all sounds like a huge win for Sam's Club and its members alike. But it could also create a key challenge that gives Costco a major edge.

JJBers, CC BY 2.0 via Flickr; Walmart, CC BY 2.0 via Flickr

Sam's Club could lose to Costco on impulse shopping

While Sam's Club has taken numerous steps to get goods into customers' hands without them having to lurk around the store or even set foot in it, Costco has done the opposite.

Costco does offer same- and next-day delivery, but it's not exactly known for its speed in either category. Costco also notably does not offer curbside pickup, whereas at Sam's Club, it's a service members often take advantage of.

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But Costco's approach here is deliberate. By offering limited delivery options and no curbside pickup, Costco pushes members to enter its stores to shop. And that's a very good thing.

Costco's warehouse club stores and treasure hunt-style approach to shopping are designed to encourage impulse buys. Customers often walk in planning to buy a handful of essentials and leave with hundreds of dollars worth of additional merchandise. In contrast, consumers using delivery apps tend to search for specific items, check out, and avoid browsing behavior entirely.

In fact, one recent shopper writing about Sam's Club's new delivery service for SimplyRecipes praised it specifically because it helped eliminate impulse purchases and unnecessary spending.

But while avoiding impulse buys may be good for consumers' wallets, it's bad for retailers' bottom line.

Sam's Club's digital push could still prove highly successful, especially as younger consumers increasingly prioritize convenience. But there's also a reason Costco has remained careful about turning its business into a digital experience.

Getting customers through the door is what allows retailers like Costco and Sam's Club to thrive. And Sam's Club's recent delivery push may end up giving Costco a surprising advantage.

Maurie Backman owns shares of Costco.

Related: Costco adds popular item to food court menu

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This story was originally published May 17, 2026 at 4:07 AM.