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There are tons of ways to save money at Sam’s Club, but is there anything that can help you save time, too? Yes! It’s called Sam’s Club Delivery.
Sam’s Club has been routing all online delivery orders exclusively through Instacart until they rolled out their own service. Now you can place an order with Sam’s Club Same-Day Delivery and shop in-club prices online. If you order by 2 p.m., you’ll get your items delivered just a couple of hours later. No sitting in traffic, no strolling through the warehouse.
Sam’s Club Same-Day Delivery is hot off the press, so it’s not available to everyone just yet. They’re still testing the program for bugs, glitches, and areas of improvement, but all Sam’s Club members will have access in the coming months. To see if it’s available near you, type in your address at SamsClub.com/delivery.
Here is everything to know about Sam’s Club delivery options including fees, pricing, and limitations:
1. You have two delivery options: Instacart or Sam’s Club Same-Day Delivery.
How does Sam’s Club Same-Day Delivery work?
You can place a same-day delivery order on SamsClub.com or in the Sam’s Club app (iOS / Android). Once you add items to your cart and go to checkout, you’ll see a list of two-hour delivery timeslots available that day. Timeslots start as early as 7 a.m. and go as late as 7 p.m. As long as you place your order by 2 p.m., your items will get delivered that same day. After you place your order, you’ll get an email confirmation with the option to track your order in real-time. There’s no minimum order amount for Same-Day Delivery, but you have to be a Sam’s Club member to use it.
How does Instacart delivery work?
Instead of ordering directly through Sam’s Club, you’ll start an order on Instacart.com or in the Instacart app (iOS / Android). Choose Sam’s Club as your store, add items to your cart, and go to checkout. You’ll be able to enter your Sam’s Club Membership number and choose one-hour priority delivery, standard delivery, or schedule a delivery time in the future. After you place your order, you can track your order and communicate with your Instacart shopper within the app. You don’t have to be a Sam’s Club member to order through Instacart, but you have to spend at least $10 to qualify for delivery.
Related: These are the best grocery delivery services to try when you can’t make it to the store.
2. Expect to pay higher prices on Instacart deliveries (even if you’re a Sam’s Club member).
With Sam’s Club Delivery, you’ll pay the same in-club prices you’d get in the warehouse. This is a huge perk to using their service — you couldn’t get in-club prices on delivery orders until now.
With Instacart, Sam’s Club members get lower prices than non-members, but you’ll still pay more than you would in the warehouse. Instacart prices are slightly higher due to “convenience and industry norms.”
3. Delivery fees apply to both Instacart and Sam’s Club Same-Day Delivery orders.
One service will benefit you over the other, depending on what you order and whether or not you’re a Sam’s Club Plus member. Here’s how the delivery fees for Sam’s Club stack up against Instacart:
Sam’s Club Same-Day Delivery Fees
Club Members pay a $12 delivery fee while Plus members pay an $8 delivery fee. (Compare this to the cost of Sam’s Club Curbside Pickup, which is $4 for Club Members and free for Plus members.)
TIP: In the battle of Sam’s Club vs. Costco, we think Sam’s Club has better same-day delivery options since you won’t pay Instacart fees.
Instacart Delivery Fees
- Standard Delivery (Orders $35+): $8.99
- Standard Delivery (Orders Under $35): $12.99
- 1-Hour Priority Delivery (Orders $35+): $10.99
- 1-Hour Priority Delivery (Orders Under $35): $14.99
Don’t forget — Instacart deliveries are also subject to service fees and busy pricing fees during times of high demand.
If you’re looking for the lowest-possible delivery fee, follow these basic rules of thumb:
- Sam’s Club is the cheapest option if you’re a Plus member.
- Instacart is the cheapest option if you’re a Club member placing an order of $35 or more.
- If you’re a Club member placing an order under $35, Sam’s Club is your cheapest delivery option.
Related: Did you know the Sam’s Club membership cost just went up?
4. Pay for Instacart Plus if you place more than two delivery orders per month.
Instacart Plus costs an extra $8 – $10 per month, depending on whether you pay monthly or annually. The reward? Free unlimited Instacart deliveries.
That said, nothing about using Instacart is truly “free.” Even if you’re an Instacart Plus member AND a Sam’s Club member, the cost of ordering through Instacart is still more than it would be if you went to the warehouse. I shopped at Sam’s Club in person and then placed an order through Instacart Plus to compare. Here’s the lowdown:
Member’s Mark Rotisserie Chicken Enchiladas, one pound
- Instacart Plus price: $3.68 a pound
- In-store price: $3.12 a pound
Kraft Deluxe Original Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese Dinner 8 – 14 ounce boxes
- Instacart Plus price: $17.56
- In-store price: $14.88
Smucker’s Uncrustables Peanut Butter & Grape Jelly sandwiches, 18 count
- Instacart Plus price: $13.90
- In-store price: $10.48
Driscoll’s Blueberries, 18 ounces
- Instacart Plus price: $7.06
- In-store price: $5.44
Instacart Plus Fees
- Service fee: $1
- Delivery fee: $0
- Delivery tip: $2.11 (5% of cart total)
Instacart Total: $45.31
In-Store Total: $33.92
The Instacart Plus order cost me an extra $11.39. So you have to ask yourself: is skipping traffic and saving some time worth the extra twelve bucks? Some days it might be a yes, other days a no.
5. You can only get Instant Savings on Sam’s Club Same-Day Delivery orders.
If you’re hoping to score all those Instant Savings offers on your delivery, place your order with Sam’s Club. All Instant Savings offers are automatically loaded to your account and applied to your Same-Day Delivery order during savings events.
Unfortunately, you can’t get Instant Savings on Instacart deliveries from Sam’s Club.
6. Can I use coupons on my delivery orders?
Unfortunately, no. Sam’s Club doesn’t accept coupons at all. Not even when you’re shopping in the store. But we can point you in the direction of the latest Sam’s Club deals to shop.
7. Can I earn Cash Rewards on my delivery orders?
Sorry, but Cash Rewards are another no-go. Right now, you can’t earn Plus member Cash Rewards on Sam’s Club Same-Day Delivery or Instacart orders.
