Can You Use Walmart Gift Cards at Sam‘s Club? The Ultimate Guide - Marketing Scoop (2024)

If you‘re a savvy shopper, you know that gift cards can be a powerful tool for saving money and maximizing value. And if you‘re a fan of both Walmart and Sam‘s Club, you might be wondering: can you use Walmart gift cards at Sam‘s Club?

The answer is a resounding yes! In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll dive into everything you need to know about using Walmart gift cards at Sam‘s Club. From the history of these two retail giants to insider tips for getting the most bang for your gift card buck, we‘ve got you covered.

The Walmart and Sam‘s Club Connection: A Brief History

To understand why Sam‘s Club accepts Walmart gift cards, it‘s helpful to know a bit about the history and relationship between these two retailers.

Sam‘s Club was founded in 1983 by Walmart founder Sam Walton as a members-only, bulk-buying retail warehouse. Walton named the new store after himself, emphasizing the focus on savings and value. In 1993, Walmart officially acquired Sam‘s Club, making it a division of the larger Walmart corporation.

Today, Walmart is the world‘s largest company by revenue, with over $500 billion in annual sales across 11,500 stores worldwide under 56 different names [^1^]. Sam‘s Club has grown to include nearly 600 membership warehouse clubs across the U.S. and Puerto Rico [^2^].

While they operate as separate store brands, Walmart and Sam‘s Club are deeply interconnected, sharing resources, infrastructure, and now, even gift card purchasing power.

The Power of Walmart Gift Cards

Walmart is the largest seller of gift cards in the world, with an estimated $28 billion in gift card sales in 2018 alone [^3^]. That accounts for nearly 20% of the total U.S. gift card market [^4^]!

There are a few key reasons why Walmart gift cards are so popular:

1. Widespread availability: With Walmart stores in nearly every community nationwide, their gift cards are easy to find and purchase.

2. Flexibility: Walmart sells an incredibly wide variety of products, so gift card recipients can buy almost anything they need or want.

3. No fees: Unlike some other prepaid cards or credit cards, Walmart gift cards do not charge any activation fees, monthly fees, or reload fees.

4. Easy to reload: Walmart allows customers to reload gift card balances online or in-store, making it easy to add funds.

Walmart offers both plastic gift cards that can be bought in-store as well as digital eGift cards delivered via email. The retailer even allows customers to print custom photo gift cards!

The Sam‘s Club Advantage

Now that you know a bit more about the history of Walmart and Sam‘s Club and the popularity of Walmart gift cards, let‘s look at the key advantages of using those gift cards at Sam‘s Club:

Bulk Products & Savings

The number one reason to shop at Sam‘s Club is to take advantage of their bulk products and discount pricing. By selling larger packages and multi-packs, Sam‘s Club is able to offer per-unit prices that are significantly lower than traditional retail stores, even Walmart.

Some common items that shoppers stock up on at Sam‘s Club include:

• Pantry staples like cooking oil, coffee, spices, and baking supplies
• Cleaning essentials like laundry detergent, trash bags, and paper towels
• Personal care items like toothpaste, shampoo, and razors
• Office supplies like printer paper, pens, and sticky notes
• Pet food and treats for cats and dogs

Buying in bulk at Sam‘s Club with a Walmart gift card can help you save big in the long run. Image source: SamsClub.com

Exclusive Member Deals & Discounts

Another major perk of Sam‘s Club is their exclusive deals for members. In addition to the everyday low prices, members get access to special "Instant Savings" discounts, typically $3-$5 off select items.

Sam‘s Club also sends out monthly mailers to members with hundreds of dollars in members-only savings. By using a Walmart gift card to purchase these discounted items, you can really stretch your gift card balance!

Additionally, Sam‘s Club membership comes with some other nice perks, including:

• Fuel savings at Sam‘s Club gas stations
• Early shopping hours
• Free shipping on many items with a "Plus" membership
• Optical and hearing aid discounts
• Low-cost car buying program
• Cheap prescriptions and immunizations

Wide Product Selection

While Sam‘s Club is known for bulk groceries and household essentials, they actually carry a wide variety of products across many categories, such as:

• Electronics like TVs, computers, tablets and smart home devices
• Furniture for living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms and home offices
• Small appliances like coffee makers, blenders, pressure cookers and vacuums
• Outdoor items including patio furniture, grills, gardening supplies and pools
• Apparel for men, women and children
• Jewelry and watches
• Tires and automotive supplies
• Books, movies, music and video games

So no matter what you‘re in the market for, chances are you can find a great deal at Sam‘s Club using your Walmart gift card balance.

How to Use a Walmart Gift Card at Sam‘s Club

If you‘re ready to put your Walmart gift card to use at Sam‘s Club, here‘s a step-by-step guide for both in-store and online purchases:

Using a Walmart Gift Card In-Store at Sam‘s Club

1. At checkout, present your plastic Walmart gift card to the cashier or scan it at the register yourself
2. If your purchase total is less than the gift card balance, the remaining funds will stay on the gift card for future use
3. If your purchase total is more than the gift card balance, tell the cashier you‘d like to use the gift card and then provide a second form of payment for the remaining amount due

Using a Walmart Gift Card Online at SamsClub.com

1. Shop online at SamsClub.com, adding items to your cart
2. At checkout, select "Gift Card" as the payment method
3. Enter the 16-digit gift card number and the PIN (if applicable)
4. If your purchase total is less than the gift card balance, complete the transaction and the remaining balance will be stored for future use
5. If your purchase total is more than the gift card balance, apply the gift card and then select a second payment method for the remaining cost

Note that you can not use a Walmart eGift card for in-store purchases at Sam‘s Club. However, you can visit a Walmart location to exchange your eGift card for a plastic gift card:

1. Print out the eGift card email containing the card number and PIN
2. Bring the printout to the customer service desk at any Walmart store
3. Request a plastic gift card and provide the eGift card number and PIN
4. Walmart will transfer the eGift card balance to a physical gift card for you to use in Sam‘s Club

And while you don‘t need to be a Sam‘s Club member to shop there with a Walmart gift card, non-members will be charged a 10% service fee on their total purchase. Considering Sam‘s Club membership starts at just $45 per year, it‘s often worth signing up if you plan to shop there more than a few times.

Expert Tips for Maximizing Walmart Gift Card Value at Sam‘s Club

As a retail expert and savvy shopper, I want to share some insider tips for getting the absolute most value out of your Walmart gift cards at Sam‘s Club:

1. Get a membership. To avoid that 10% non-member service fee, spring for an annual Sam‘s Club membership. The $45 "Club" level is sufficient for most shoppers, though the $100 "Plus" membership includes perks like free shipping and 2% cash back on purchases.

2. Shop with a list and stick to it. Buying in bulk can be a great way to save money, but only if you‘re disciplined about what you‘re purchasing. Before shopping at Sam‘s Club, make a list of the essentials you know you‘ll use in order to avoid overspending or impulse purchases.

3. Check your cabinets and pantry first. Don‘t buy duplicate items you already have at home just because the price is low. Take a quick inventory of your home supplies to ensure you‘re only buying what you truly need.

4. Compare prices by oz, lb, or sq ft. Bigger isn‘t always cheaper! Use the unit pricing labels on Sam‘s Club shelves to compare the actual per-ounce or per-pound prices across different brands or sizes. Sometimes the bulk packages are more expensive per unit than smaller sizes.

5. Split bulk purchases with a friend. If you don‘t have space to store 30 rolls of toilet paper or won‘t use a 5-lb jar of peanut butter fast enough, consider splitting bulk purchases with a friend or neighbor. You‘ll still get the low Sam‘s Club pricing without ending up with more than you need.

6. Check online prices before shopping in-store. Sam‘s Club offers exclusive online deals and discounts for many items. Before heading to your local Sam‘s Club, search for the items on your list on SamsClub.com. If the online price is lower, use your gift card to place an order for delivery or Club Pickup.

7. Stock up during seasonal sales. Like most retailers, Sam‘s Club offers big discounts around holidays and seasonal changes. Use your Walmart gift card balance strategically during major sale events to snag the best deals of the year on holiday gifts, decor, and seasonal items.

Sam‘s Club vs. Costco: How Do They Compare?

Sam‘s Club isn‘t the only wholesale membership club out there. Their biggest competitor is Costco, another bulk retailer with a devoted customer base. How does Sam‘s Club compare?

The biggest difference is that Costco does not accept any outside gift cards or store cards, including Walmart gift cards. You can only use a Costco Cash Card (their store-branded gift card) or an accepted credit card, debit card, or check to pay at Costco.

Here‘s a quick breakdown of how the two stores stack up in a few key areas:

While Costco has a slightly larger footprint and store size on average, Sam‘s Club offers a lower annual membership cost and the added flexibility of using Walmart gift cards.

Key Takeaways

We covered a lot in this deep dive on using Walmart gift cards at Sam‘s Club! Here are the key points to remember:

• Sam‘s Club accepts Walmart gift cards as payment both in-store and online since Walmart is the parent company
• Using a Walmart gift card is a great way to stock up on bulk products at a discount and access members-only deals at Sam‘s Club
• To maximize your gift card, aim to use it only for items you truly need, compare prices across brands and sizes, and consider splitting large purchases
• While Costco is a close competitor, one advantage of Sam‘s Club is the ability to pay with versatile Walmart gift cards

The next time you receive a Walmart gift card (or buy one for yourself), consider a trip to Sam‘s Club to really stretch that gift card value! With a strategic shopping plan and a keen eye for deals, you can score some truly impressive bargains.

Happy shopping!

[^1^]: "About Us." Walmart.com. Accessed June 8, 2023. https://corporate.walmart.com/our-story[^2^]: "About Sam‘s Club." SamsClub.com. Accessed June 8, 2023. https://corporate.samsclub.com/our-story [^3^]: "2019 U.S. Prepaid and Gift Card Market Estimate by Mercator Advisory Group." BusinessWire.com. Published April 18, 2019. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190418005073/en/2019-U.S.-Prepaid-and-Gift-Card-Market-Estimate-by-Mercator-Advisory-Group [^4^]: "Gift Card Industry Stats." GiftCards.com. Accessed June 8, 2023. https://www.giftcards.com/gift-card-statistics

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