With the opening of the combination Wal-Mart and Sam's Club at the Keeaumoku Superblock, the Honolulu Advertiser has a good head-to-head match up when it comes to island shoppers and the "membership warehouse club" scene:
I've yet to venture inside a Sam's Club, though I'm certainly curious. I'm not so much "brand loyal" as I am sensitive to value for the price, and if either store can help me get my family's staples for significant savings over other supermarkets and department stores, they'll get my business.
Of course, "membership" means a fee, so I don't know if maintaining memberships at both stores make sense. And with my family intimately familiar with Costco's offerings and store layouts, I'm part of the reason Costco currently has the leg up on the competition.
I'm curious to hear, especially from Sam's Club members or someone who shops both stores, what others see as each store's strengths.
Today, analysts say Costco is generally perceived as having more fresh foods, more upscale items. They say Costco also does a better job of selling impulse merchandise like books, CDs and trampolines. Sam's has tried to position itself as the warehouse focused on serving small-business owners, though analysts said Costco still has more business members, who tend to shop more frequently and spend more than non-business members.
Of course, "membership" means a fee, so I don't know if maintaining memberships at both stores make sense. And with my family intimately familiar with Costco's offerings and store layouts, I'm part of the reason Costco currently has the leg up on the competition.
I'm curious to hear, especially from Sam's Club members or someone who shops both stores, what others see as each store's strengths.
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