Yeah, Costco is crazy here on the coast too. Most likely for good reason.
We much prefer Costco. At one time, can't remember when we looked at Sams Club as an equal. Not anymore.
As best as I can explain it, Costco has a justified higher end feeling to it. Their products and over all feel to the store/shopping experience are just to us anyway, superior.
When I am in Sams's club I feel like it's an extension of Walmart. Not bad but lower end. An example would be shopping in Sams Club is seems like their focus, smack in the middle of the store is snack foods such as potato chips, pretzels, isles and ENDLESS isles of cheap bad for you snack foods. Their sampling stations to me are a joke most times, half the time they dont even have products and are closed.
However not everything is bad, just less of a higher end feeling. They do at times have like for me, a better selection of frozen fish, I like to buy Frozen Flounder, many times Costco seems to be out of stock, I can always count on Sams Club. My wife many times finds her wild caught sockeye salmon and Atlantic salmon at Sam's Club, good price too. Many times Costco may not have it.
IF you are one to buy a hot cooked chicken, Sams Club comes packaged nicer in a container, not a plastic bag and has a little more flavor. Sams Club might has slightly more everyday stuff, like even motor oil, stuff like that. Though neither has a lot. I buy my boat, car, truck batteries at Sams Club. Sam's Club has softer toilet paper *LOL* by a wide margin. So anyway, it's not all bad but they do not carry
nearly as much higher end products as Costco. Also being snack foods seems to be Sam's Club forte' their high end nuts still come in plastic containers instead of cheap bags at Costco.
ONE HUGE thing I like about Sams Club is I can check out and pay for everything in my shopping cart using my cell phone. No lines. Just scan and pay with my phone, walk out the door. The technology is amazing. The one near us even scans our cart as we do walk out and compares what we scanned with our phones.
Shopping in Costco is an experience (except for the crowds sometimes) food sampling stations open and manned most all the time.
Over all more high end products for sure. Their main focus isnt potato chips, cheap snack foods and pretzels. But higher end products as well as food products from all over. Cheeses, prepared meals, meats and produce are nicely displayed.
Higher end Electronics sometimes at great prices etc. I just find more satisfying walking through and looking at items in Costco.
Another example, COFFEE, hands down, once again you can count on Costco for a wide selection of well priced coffee beans. Sam's Club barely has any. I think that is an indication of who they market to. Actually our favorite bean is now an organic "cuban" bean. Comes in 2lb bags. I kid you not. I now buy them on Costco.com and it's on sale right now and literally just yesterday I ordered FIVE cases of 2- 2lbs bags. 20Lbs total to be delivered to our house. Great price and product. Also IF I was to buy tires for my SUV Costco would be my choice. Only one time so far have I, but I was impressed that they used a hand torque wrench to tighten down the lug nuts.
Anyway, the only way to figure out what "fits" for someone is go shopping in it. I THINK both places will allow you/give you a one day pass to walk through the store, possibly buy stuff. I cant remember.
If I was forced to choose one over the other, it would be an easy choice, I would choose Costco. But that isnt to say Sam's Club is all bad.
Hands down our favorite forever coffee bean, as long as the price remains great from Costco. I have 10 - 2 pound bags ordered to be delivered! One reason to stay with Costco for us if forced to choose.
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