Sam's Club Membership Fees Are Going Up - Inflation Is Everywhere...

I received this notice from Sam's Club today notifying us that our membership was going to go up. See how they tried to play it? The membership is going up this year, but they are giving it back to us. First, they want to be heroes by showing empathy for our wallets and second, we have to spend more money at their store to get it back. This is not for our benefit. 

I also included the earnings report below for Walmart Inc. (Sam's Club included) Their net income was up 20.42% to 5.15 Billon dollars. 

Grocery  ‌ Electronics  ‌ Furniture  ‌ Outdoor & Patio  ‌ Clearance  ‌  ‌  ‌ Dear____, Forty years ago, Sam Walton started Sam’s Club to provide incredible value for our members. I am proud that we are still delivering on that promise today, offering more quality items and services than ever before—and at that incredible value you’ve come to count on. That will never change. But we realize that what our members value has evolved. We know you also value time, convenience, a great experience in the club and a variety of ways to shop with us. So, we’ve brought that to you. We’ve brought new brands into the club while focusing on how we can make Member’s Mark™ products even better. We’ve invested in technology to improve the shopping experience. We’ve nearly completed implementing a fresh new look and feel in all 600 clubs. And earlier this year, we created a new rewards program—Sam’s Cash™—to help you more easily earn and spend your rewards. Starting October 17, annual membership fees will move from $45 to $50 for Club members and $100 to $110 for Plus members. This is the first time we’ve shifted the price of Plus membership since it was introduced in 1999, and it’s been nine years since we last changed the price of our Club membership. We are mindful of the financial pressure on wallets right now. So, this year’s renewal increase is on us. We’re giving back $5 in Sam’s Cash to Club members and $10 in Sam’s Cash to Plus members shortly after renewal.* I am grateful that you’ve chosen Sam’s Club and remain committed to ensuring that you get the most from your membership. We’ll continue to build on our four-decade legacy of providing incredible value in innovative ways that help you save money, save time and live better. Thank you again for being part of Sam’s Club. Kath McLay President & CEO, Sam’s Club If you have questions, please reach out to Member Services at 888-746-7726. You can also manage your account online or in the app. To learn more about Sam’s Cash, please visit SamsClub.com/SamsCash.

Walmart Earnings Report

JUL 2022

APR 2022

JAN 2022

OCT 2021

(USD)	Jul 2022	Y/Y
Revenue	152.86B	8.37%
Net income	5.15B	20.42%
Diluted EPS	1.88	23.68%
Net profit margin	3.37%	-
Operating income	6.85B	6.8%
Net change in cash	2.11B	>9999.99%
Cash on hand	-	-
Cost of revenue	115.84B	10.13%

I'm not sure how raising all of our membership fees is somehow helping us out during the worst inflation we have ever seen in our lifetime. I just want them to speak the truth instead of trying to convince us of their hero status. Sam's Club, you are a great store for us. Please, just the facts. The world is already full of garbage. Don't add to the pile...

Now, that being said, this is our favorite place to shop. I still believe that some of the best prices can be found at Sam's Club. The benefits outweigh the membership fees. You really have to watch sales at other stores, jump through all their hoops to get the sales price, download coupons, buy 10 participating items and more. Just give us the price, so we can stop wasting our time trying to figure out your crazy system. Plus, with the cost of fuel it doesn't make sense for us to run all over the place. This option is no longer a viable option.

Mrs. Smith