Discount Warehouse Shopping Comparison - Costco versus BJ's versus Sam's Club

I belong to all the various discount warehouse chains available to me. I have belonged to many of these for years and have come up with a small list of things I like and dislike about each chain that I have decided to share here in HubPages.

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Costco

Costco is what I like to refer to as the high end of the discount warehouse chains. They offer a nice well organized environment, discount gas and Auto services at most locations and the standard fair of services as well.

Pro's for Costco:

• Clean
• Fabulously low deli food prices, hot dog or polish for 1.50
• Discount Gas
• Discount General Services
• Discount Auto Services
• Well Organized
• Seems of all the chains to have the same items available the most often
• Great warranty on electronics
• Higher end and less crowded
• Less militant product checkers at exit doors, (why do they do this anyway?)

Con's for Costco:

• Priciest of the 3 compared here I think
  
• Seems to have only higher end products for purchase most times.
  
• Locations are sparse and it's at least far away 20+ miles for me.
  
• Takes debit cards and American Express only so your limited.
  
• Offers Food samples I hate this. Folks looking for a free meal. Plug the aisles and are generally rude.
  
• Weird Square milk containers that do not pour without spilling I hate these.

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Sam's Club

Sams Club is the next in line, what can I say it's Walmart in volume.
The stores are everywhere, so much so I think they must compete with each other it's a bit weird. The stores are not always very well organized or very clean and are perpetually busy with what seems like few checkouts and accept there own charge card and Discover.

Pro's for Sam's Club

• Cheap Low prices seem the lowest of the bunch
  
• Discount Gas
  
• Discount General Services
  
• Discount Auto Services
  
• It's everywhere , locations abound
  
• Less militant product checkers at exit doors, (why do they do this anyway?)

Con's for Sam's Club

• Stores tend to be crowded, cluttered a bit and not clean in my opinion
  
• Recurring items are not common, it seems week to week I can never get the same items
  
• Offers food samples I hate this. Folks looking for a free meal. Plug the aisles and are generally rude.
  
• Weird Square milk containers that do not pour without spilling I hate these.
  
• Checkout's these folks emulate Wal-Mart they need to reduce the lines.

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BJ's

The least known and more East Coast and South chain. It's right in between Sams's and Costco it tend to be less crowded and well thought out. It has a deli for lunch meat, I like this.
It has recurring brands I can get week to week that vary quite a bit from Costco and Sam's this is a nice thing. They have things in less volume as well I can buy salads in containers similar to my local grocery store and not a 55 gallon vat version like Costco and Sams.

Pro's for BJ's

• Accepts there own coupons and manufacturer's coupons as well so if your a coupon person this is a great deal.
  
• Some discoumt services.
  
• Clean and well organized
  
• Mid priced. not Sam's and not Costco.
  
• Good quantity not huge vats fo things
  
• Milk is in oridinary jugs a big Plus on that.

Con's for BJ's

• Fewer Locations that even Costco and regional
  
• Self checkout is terrible and can take forever.
  
• No Gas at any location I have visited, some may have it but I've not personally seen one.
  
• They have food samples too, but it's not the chaos of Costco or Sam's
  
• Militant door checkers, borderline insane actually, these folks need a different purpose in life.
  

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Conclusion:

I used all three but to be honest I'm ditching Sam's , I hate going there. The place is personally a turn off for me. No reflection on the people working there but I can't stand navigating the sample crowds and then waiting an eternity in the checkout line already aggravated I was there in the first place.

I like Costco but not on the weekends, It's rivaling Sam's environment but I'll keep this one as it has products my wife likes so that's it. I actually prefer BJ's it's closer has the right milk containers and the checkout is pretty good other than the self checkouts which I do not go to anymore. I do wish the loss prevention folks there would not go through every item on the receipt at the doors. What did I just checkout for.. if you want to do that lets just checkout at the door and save a employee position.