Costco is opening in the Quad Cities on Oct. 19. Located on 53rd Street, Costco is not far from its business rival: Sam’s Club.
Sam’s Club has a location in Davenport off of Elmore Avenue. There used to be a Moline location, but it closed on Jan. 26. The Davenport location made upgrades, including a new cafe, redesigned pharmacy and more fresh produce, in order to prepare for their rival business opening a few blocks away.
Both Costco and Sam’s Club are virtually identical; they both are members only shopping, they both sell grocery items and they both sell almost any other item one would need to buy, such as TVs, clothing and furniture.
“You can buy things in bulk and you can find anything in there and it’ll be cheap,” Sam’s Club member Grace Stephan said. “There’s also not a ton of people there so it’s not as hectic.” Stephan’s family has been a Sam’s Club member for seven years.
One attractive feature of both stores is the low pricing for bulk items. A four pound box of Frosted Flakes at Costco was $7.49. For a box only half the size, stores like Walmart and Target charge two dollars less.
Another shared feature is the flexible return policy. Members can return any purchase for a full refund, including memberships. Technology and electronics are the exception with a 90 day return policy.
Although not all locations have one, gas stations are located at both Costco and Sam’s Club in the Quad Cities.
“My favorite thing about being a Sam’s Club member is the gas station because it’s usually less expensive and it’s not sketchy,” Stephan said.
So the question arises: what makes them different?
The main difference is the annual membership cost. Costco basic membership costs $60 annually and Sam’s Club basic membership costs $45 annually. Premium memberships are available for an increased annual cost.
Mahum Haque recently bought a membership at Costco. “My family likes Costco better than Sam’s Club because of the greater quality and broader choice it provides us,” said Haque.
Although both stores share the characteristic of long check-out lines, Sam’s Club has an app that allows customers to scan items as they put them in their cart to avoid the lines.
The low prices do vary slightly. For example, a five pound bag of clementines at Costco was $5.99. The same five pound bag was 50 cents more at Sam’s Club.
“I’m excited for the products that I can’t get at Sam’s Club and in some cases I can get more product for my money,” Haque said.
Combining the similarities and minimal differences of Costco and Sam’s Club, both stores are good choices for any shopper. The only thing that might sway a shopper to one store or the other is which location is closer to their home.
