Brynne Conroy | 

Sam's Club Curbside Pickup: 9 Tips for Newbies

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Sam’s Club curbside pickup makes it easy to buy in bulk without ever going into the warehouse. While the service is made available to all Sam’s Club members, it’s only free for Sam’s Club Plus members.

Depending on how much you use their pickup service, it may be worth upgrading your membership just to save on the fees. And in case you’re new to the whole process, let me explain how to save time and money with Sam’s Club pickup.

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1. You’ll place your Sam’s Club curbside pickup order through the app or on their website.

Someone holding up a phone displaying the Sam's Club app in front of Sam's Club

Don’t be intimidated — it’s really pretty easy to use Sam’s Club’s curbside pickup service. Just start your order through the Sam’s Club app like this:

  1. Add items to your list, ensuring each item is listed as “Pickup.”
  2. Choose your pickup date and time when you’re ready to check out.
  3. Once Sam’s Club notifies you that your order is ready, drive to the store.
  4. Check-in through the app when you arrive. No need to get out of the car — they’ll load everything up for you.

You can also place a curbside pickup order on their website.

 

2. Make sure to look for “Pickup” eligible items only.

a laptop displaying a product page on Sam's Club's website highlighting the Pickup eligibility for the product

Whether you’re shopping in-app or on SamsClub.com, sort by “Pickup” to browse only the items that are available for curbside pickup.

When you select a product, you’ll see three options — Shipping, Pickup, or Delivery. Be sure the middle “Pickup” button is highlighted before adding the item to your cart. Otherwise, you’ll be waiting for shipping.

 

3. Each curbside pickup order comes with a $4 fee — unless you’re a Plus member.

Sam’s Club curbside pickup comes with a $4 fee for basic Club members. But it’s 100% free for Sam’s Club Plus members.

So what else is different between the two memberships? A basic Club membership costs $50 per year, while a Plus membership costs $110 per year. Their Plus membership is more expensive because you get extra perks like:

  • Free shipping.
  • 2% back in rewards on all purchases.
  • Access to early shopping hours.

If you place 15 pickup orders or more in a year, it’s worth paying extra for the Plus membership based on the savings you’ll get on pickup fees alone.

Related: Learn all about how to save on a Sam’s Club membership.

 

4. There’s no minimum spend required for Sam’s Club curbside pickup.

The Sam's Club employee pudding purchased items inside the back of a persons vehicle

There are no minimums with Sam’s Club curbside. You just need to place an order.

This may be either reassuring or frustrating if you’re a basic Club member paying that $4 fee. On the one hand, because there’s no price difference whether your order is $1 or $100, you’re less likely to load unnecessary items into your cart.

On the other hand, there’s no way of getting out of the fee, which isn’t typical for retailers. For example, when you use Walmart pickup, if your order isn’t at least $35 and includes refrigerated items, you’ll pay a $6.99 fee. But if it’s $35+, you won’t pay any extra fees.

 

5. Plus members can schedule pickup as early as 7 a.m. on weekdays, but regular members have to wait until 10 a.m.

Person in their car holding a phone.

Sam’s curbside pickup hours actually change depending on your membership level — and the day of the week. Here are the starting hours for either membership:

  • Plus Members: Monday through Saturday starting at 7 a.m.; Sunday starting at 10 a.m.
  • Club Members: Daily starting at 10 a.m.

The store will hold your order for up to 24 hours. If you’re a no-show after that, they’ll cancel your order — but you won’t get charged.

 

 

6. Same-day pickup slots are available if you order early enough in the day.

Is Sam's Club employee putting groceries in the back of a customers vehicle

While availability will vary by location, most Sam’s Clubs are going to have same-day pickup slots available, especially if you order earlier in the day.

Even though curbside services are still seeing relative peaks in traffic when COVID numbers climb, the same-day slots haven’t been fully booked in 2023 like we saw in years past.

 

7. You can’t use coupons with Sam’s Club curbside pickup (because Sam’s Club coupons aren’t a thing).

Unfortunately, Sam’s Club doesn’t accept coupons at all, but all of their “Instant Savings” offers will automatically get applied at checkout when you order curbside. No coupons necessary.

 

8. If you set an alternative person for pickup, they’ll have to go into the store.

A customer looking at her phone while standing next to a club pick up sign inside Sam's Club

This is one weird thing about Sam’s Club curbside. If you place a pickup order, you do have the option to list an alternative pickup person at checkout. But that person can’t actually pick up you order at the curbside.

Instead, your designated person will need to enter the physical warehouse to pick up the items you ordered. So if you have your heart set on doing it curbside, you’re going to want to make your way to Sam’s Club yourself.

 

9. It’s okay to mix and match Shipping and Pickup in a single order.

curbside pickup at sam's club trucks filling up with food

Say you want to buy some laundry detergent and bulk paper towels, but only one of those items is available for pickup at your local Sam’s Club.

Rather than place two separate orders — one for pickup and one for delivery — Sam’s Club will let you complete an order with both delivery types represented.

At checkout, just reserve a pickup slot for your delivery items and choose the shipping option for the rest of your purchase.

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