Get All Access for $5/mo

Sam's Club Is Removing a Beloved Free Perk and Members Are Not Happy: 'No Benefits for the Cost' Disgruntled Sam's Club members are complaining on social media about the new change, effective August 19.

By Emily Rella Edited by Melissa Malamut

Key Takeaways

  • Sam's Club Plus members are unhappy after retailer revealed that Plus members will no longer have unlimited free shipping.
  • For orders under $50, a flat rate fee of $8 will now apply, regardless of membership tier.
  • Many members are threatening to cancel memberships and join rival club Costco, instead.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Costco's rival, Sam's Club, is taking away a long-beloved free perk — and members are taking to social media to share how they feel about it.

The wholesale retailer emailed club members ahead of the holiday weekend and revealed that starting August 19, free shipping would no longer apply to Plus members' orders, just orders over $50 or more.

Related: Sam's Club to Use AI Cart Photos, Stop Receipt Door Checks

So instead of having their goods delivered for free, members who make purchases under $50 will have to pay an $8 flat rate. Some category exclusions still apply, the company said.

Members took to X to complain about the new changes, with some even threatening to take their business to rival Costco instead.

Sam's Club did not immediately respond to Entrepreneur's request for comment but told FOX Business in a statement that the retailer is "continuously working on providing an easier and more convenient shopping experience for our members."

Sam's Club is owned by parent company Walmart, which had a strong fiscal Q1 of 2025 with $161.5 billion in revenue, a 6% increase from the same period last year.

Sam's Club specifically saw net sales reach $21.4 billion in the quarter, a 4.6% increase from Q1 2024, and a 13.3% increase in membership income. The retailer ended the quarter with the highest total membership number in history.

Related: How to Claim Cash: Costco's $2 Million Class Action Lawsuit

"We're focused on saving our customers both money and time," Walmart Inc. CEO Doug McMillon said in a company release, at the time. "We're people-led and tech-powered, and that combination is propelling our business."

Walmart Inc. was up over 34% year-over-year as of Monday morning.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Starting a Business

How to Find the Right Programmers: A Brief Guideline for Startup Founders

For startup founders under a plethora of challenges like timing, investors and changing market demand, it is extremely hard to hire programmers who can deliver.

Franchise

McDonald's Is Launching the Highly Anticipated Chicken Big Mac in the U.S. — Here's When

The sandwich was a massive hit in the United Kingdom, selling out in just 10 days during its limited run in 2022.

Marketing

Many Brands Risk Being Left Behind By Overlooking These Critical Advertising Steps

Learn how to use smart marketing tools and AI to optimize online advertising and maximize ad spend in today's competitive landscape.