Sam’s club is the main competitor of Costco Wholesale. It is a members only retail outlet that operates over 600 locations throughout the United States.
The company has undergone a number of changes since its inception, coming under the umbrella of other brands as it grows to compete with other retailers. Today, they are one of the most recognizable wholesale brands in the US.
Sam’s club also operates locations in Mexico, Brazil, and China; making them one of the more prominent American wholesale brands worldwide. Understanding the company’s history and its relationship to other companies can give you valuable insight into how the retail scene has changed throughout the world in the 21st century.
Keep reading to find details about who owns Sam’s club, as well as some information on the differences between Sam’s club and Walmart.
Is Sam’s Club Owned By Walmart?
The first Sam’s club location was opened by owner-operator Sam Walton in Midwest City, Oklahoma in 1983. Sam is also famous for founding the well-known Walmart franchise.
Sam’s Club wholesale is owned by Walmart Inc. The two companies were founded by Sam Walton, with the Walmart brand being established earlier in 1962. Sam’s club operates as a subsidiary of the Walmart Inc. brand.
The first Walmart discount store was opened in Turnersville, New Jersey, 21 years prior to the opening of the first Sam’s Club location. Walmart stores aim to bring everyday low prices to consumers, while Sam’s Club provides a more exclusive members-only wholesale experience.
Today, Sam’s club operates as a subsidiary of Walmart, Inc. According to Investopedia, Costco (the main competitor for Sam’s) is a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq, whereas Sam’s Club is a subsidiary of the Walmart brand, which trades on the NYSE.
When Was Sam’s Club Founded?
Sam’s Club is a wholesale retailer that was opened by Sam Walton in the 1980s. Sam is also known for establishing the retail giant Walmart, which grew to become a major company with Sam’s as a subsidiary.
Sam’s Club was first opened in Midwest City, Oklahoma in 1983 by Sam Walton. Sam also founded the Walmart brand of discount stores in 1962. The two stores operate under the Walmart Inc. brand.
According to the Sam’s Club corporate website, Sam always wanted to offer the lowest prices available. When he noticed that wholesale retailers like Costco were able undercut his prices, he decided to open his own wholesale chain.
The Sam’s Club business model is actually very close to Costco, in that customers must pay a regular membership fee in order to shop there. However, Sam’s Club membership prices are slightly cheaper. Although Costco has been expanding rapidly in recent years, Sam’s Club has been closing stores internationally and in the US.
What Is The Difference Between Sam’s Club and Walmart?
Walmart Inc owns both the Walmart and Sam’s Club brands. Walmart is designed to be an everyday discount retailer, while Sam’s Club is a wholesale retailer designed to compete with other wholesale outlets such as Costco.
The difference between Sam’s Club and Walmart is that Sam’s is a membership-only wholesale retailer while Walmart is a regular discount retailer. Sam’s club sells its goods in bulk, directly off of pallets, while Walmart has traditional aisles and shelves.
The most important difference between the two stores is that Sam’s Club requires customers to pay a regular membership fee. The membership gives customers access to huge deals on bulk items. Walmart, on the other hand, has everyday low prices that get discounted based on product availability and demand.
According to Koopy.com, the prices at Sam’s Club are around 40% cheaper on average compared to Walmart. However, Walmart does not require a membership fee, and may be a better idea for regular shopping as opposed to bulk purchases.
What Is The Difference Between Sam’s and Costco?
According to investopedia, there are a number of differences that set Sam’s club apart from Costco. Both businesses have similar business models, but they differ in some key areas.
The main difference between Sam’s and Costco is that Costco has more international presence, as well as more stores within the US. Sam’ Club Membership prices are also lower, although Costco leads the pack in terms of sales.
Accordingly, Costco sales figures comfortably beat Sam’s by a generous margin, despite the membership fees at Sam’s being lower than Costco. Sam’s Club has also been closing many locations throughout the US and internationally for the past few years.
When Did Walmart Buy Sam’s?
According to 247wallstreet.com, both Sam’s Club and Walmart operate under the Walmart Inc brand. Sam’s is a subsidiary of Walmart, which acquired a chain called “Wholesale Club” in 1990, which subsequently adopted the “Sam’s Club” moniker.
Walmart never bought Sam’s Club. Both chains were founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and 1983 respectively. Sam’s club was founded as a membership-only alternative to Walmart, in order to compete with stores like Costco.
The name of Sam’s Club is likely inspired by the “Price Club” brand of retail stores. This was one of Walmart’s main competitors before the founding of Sam’s club. Walmart also used to have the word “Wholesale” in their name, before a North Carolina judge ruled that they were not eligible to use the term “wholesale”.
Want to learn more about Walmart? Check out these related posts to learn if Great Value is a Walmart Brand, does Walmart take Apple Pay, and when does Walmart restock.
Conclusion…
Both Walmart and Sam’s club provide customers with low prices on a wide range of goods. While Walmart itself offers everyday low prices on goods, Sam’s allows customers to pay a membership fee for a more exclusive shopping experience.
Although Sam’s was founded to compete with other wholesale retailers like Costco, their presence in the US and internationally has dwindled in recent years. This is especially compared to Costco, who has been expanding their operations. While Sam’s has been closing stores across the US, Costco is planning on opening stores for the first time in places like Sweden and New Zealand.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to fire away in the comments section.