Whats the deal with Sam's Club??

[mavinx]

I was out of the country for a few weeks a while back and didnt renew my membership with them, instead of using my card to buy stuff in there, My dad would lend me his, as some of you may know, its like a walmart in there but they sell in bulk, and in my area you can find the 100 spindle of verbatims for 36.99 there. I bought food and other stuff there before with my dad's card and no one says anything, i do look like him( in the picture on the card), so i thought they didnt notice. Today I went and bought some soft drinks and a couple of chairs for a party this weekend and I decided to get the verbatims as well. As I was paying my items this employe approaches me and the cashier he gets the membership card, and scans it BEFORE he looks at the picture long enough, it took like 1 second and scanned it.... he had a separate scanner gun and small notepad, and asked if I was ***** *****, i said i was his son, he said ok, and kept on walking writting something on his notepad. This intrigued me and kind made me wonder if they're checking who's buying blank discs or other dvd related stuff, since the verbatims were on the electric belt... or does he have an eagle eye and spotted that i wasnt my dad in less than a second.... now my question is what if they are now monitoring who buys what? Can I get in trouble for buying blank discs, c'mon?!....

[locoeng]

This is why I hate Sam's...even though I'm a member, I feel like they check you like a terrorist on the way in and check you like a theif on the way out. I wouldn't worry about the discs.

[BR7]

I wouldn't worry about blank discs they are used just as much by the business world.Like you said he may have been dong a survey on how many times they see other people using other peoples card

[Gary D]

The last time I was there, I bought 10 spindles of Verbatims as they are triple the cost North of the border. I was not even hassled at customs as I was under my limit. But that was a while ago. Maybe it is a policy to sell more memberships???

[mavinx]

Maybe it is a policy to sell more memberships???

I would think so, but the guy that aproached me didnt offer me anything or ask me anymore questions, it felt a bit weird how he went about it thats all.
Maybe my dad is who's gonna be hassled when he renews his membership an extra fee for example.

[MikeyBK]

Never had any problems at Sam's Club. Been buying discs and slim jewel cases like crazy and not a second look. Only thing they keep asking me is if I'd like to renew my membership 2-3 months in advance.

[bill7621]

The guy probably just pre-scanned you so the wait wouldn't be as long. It's happened to me on several occasions. I believe that family members are allowed to make purchases. I know spouses are. Don't worry about it. I doubt if the people working there really care what you're buying, or how much.

[mavinx]

The guy probably just pre-scanned you so the wait wouldn't be as long.

I was already paying my stuff when he approached the register and scanned the card, but I wont think much of it, If anyone I think the cashier may have gotten in trouble for not checking the picture correctly... I've bought stuff there before and If it was Illegal to buy the discs they wouldnt be selling them, only thing that concerned me was how the employee handled the situation, it seemed 'big brother like'.
Thanks for the replies.

[katzdvd]

As I was paying my items this employe approaches me and the cashier he gets the membership card, and scans it BEFORE he looks at the picture long enough, it took like 1 second and scanned it.... he had a separate scanner gun and small notepad...

I wouldn't worry about the disc purchases; but I would question him as to why the card was scanned by him after the cashier already did that, & what was he writing on the notepad. I think if they want my business, they can be courteous enough to tell me what they are doing...

I don't like "big brother" either, & I guard my privacy & my personal space!

regards, katz

[locoeng]

and asked if I was ***** *****, i said i was his son, he said ok

I'm actually suprised that they let you check out with his card. My wife and I were making a large purchase there that was over our card limit. I was by myself, my wife was at work and they wouldn't let me increase the limit because the account is in her name...I wanted to ask them if they noticed the check that pays our bill each month has my name on it only and if they had a problem with that, but I didn't. I hate kicking myself in the ass.

[jwo62]

This is why I hate Sam's...even though I'm a member, I feel like they check you like a terrorist on the way in and check you like a theif on the way out.

I agree 100%!

It really makes no sense at all to check cards at the door. you cant check out without one,so whats the point? I have actually seen people who did'nt have a card permited into the store,they were simply informed they couldnt purchase anything without a card,but they were welcome to look around. so whats the point of delaying everyones schedule by checking cards?

The reciept checking on the way out... this REALLY pisses me off! besides the implication that you may have stolen something,now that you have just been in line for a very long time,you now have to wait in another line to be "allowed" to leave the store.

lets not forget about the longest lines you will ever see in a store. it really shows how little they think of thier customers.

I have seen them using the scanner guns the last time i was there,I think its supposed to speed things up in the checkout line. it did not seem to help me. my daughter still had time to purchase a slurppee and a slice of pizza,and consume them,before i was through checking out.
________
Roy lunn

[photo_angel2004]

Well you are sort of right. Sam's club does track who buys what but not to see who is buying DVD's by the hundred like they are after you.

They do track what men buy and what women buy and then by age groups like 20 -29 and 30 - 39. That is how they know what to keep ordering.

Like for example:

I buy all kinds of things there and for a long time Degree was always for both men and women now they make it for men and for women.
I have noticed that they dont carry the degree for men on for women. They only carry men's speed stick now.
They are tracking how many people and what sex they are to do the ording. It seems that once they carried degree for men and for women few men bought it but many women did.
So they dropped the degree for men.
Kept it for women.

They also make sure that you have a membership there and that it is you that is on the card with that being your dad if you live in the same house you can use that card thats legit.


They are not looking to see if you buy 1,000 dvd to reprot you or something for all they know you could be selling them on ebay thats legal thats what they are a whole seller for retailers.

What they are looking for is what age group buys the most dvd's and what brands sell the most.
That way they know what to keep ordering and what to drop.

[locoeng]

I have actually seen people who did'nt have a card permited into the store

Not at my Sam's, the local Sam's Nazi lady makes sure no one gets in that isn't a card carrying member. They open from 9-10 am for business level memberships...I was turned away at 945am because I only have a regular membership, I wasn't even allowed in the store.

[photo_angel2004]

What a lot of people don’t know about Sam’s club:
The clubs with a full pharmacy open at 9 AM Business member 9 AM personal members 10 AM.
You do not have to have a membership to use the pharmacy and you don’t have to wait until 10 AM to go to the pharmacy the only catch is if you want to buy other stuff you have to have a membership and if your membership is a personal not business you can put stuff in a card before 10 AM they will not let you pay before 10 AM.

That was a little trick I learned from my pharmacist. Get all the shopping don’t by 10 AM and then pay right away.

[soup]

Shopping is bad enough but to have to remember & go through all that (WOW).