The retail giant has expanded to Qingpu District for its 26th Chinese club opening.
The opening of Sam's Club in Qingpu marks the international chain's second Shanghai location. With membership clubs throughout China, this new club is currently their 26th nationwide.
The company was founded in 1983, expanding to 800 clubs worldwide. With more than 500 million members they are now one of the world’s largest membership clubs. In China, Sam’s Club has over two decades of history.
You might wonder why it has taken Sam’s Club so long to open their second Shanghai location. Quite simply, they are unwilling to compromise on standards. For example, each club is a ‘big box,’ meaning they have to have enough space to provide the optimal member experience complete with bigger aisles, more space and cooking demos to teach you how to get the most out of the products.
What To Expect
Buyers compile a selection of 4500 products for members across categories such as jewelry, electronics, wine, cheese, fruit, vegetables, fresh bakery, meat and so much more. The goal is to streamline the process for customers. Take avocado oil as an example: you can be sure that the bottles you find on the shelf at Sam’s Club adhere to their strict quality control standards making the best product accessible to you without a trip to Mexico.
We all need the basics, but Sam’s Club also wants to delight its members with the “unexpected buys.” Turn your shopping trip into a treasure hunt by throwing in a giant stuffed panda or your favorite bottle of California red wine into the cart.
If you are looking for something shiny, Chow Tai Fook jewelry offers an exclusive member savings of 10%. Imagine purchasing one ring and saving the equivalent of eight years of membership fees.
Other exciting buys that we saw on our trip included Dyson Airwrap hair stylers, Godiva Belgian chocolate, Yunnan nuts, Zojirushi rice cookers and more.
Do you like cheese? At Sam’s Club you’ll find Edam, Gouda, Mimolette, Emmental, Brie and so forth at prices that blow other retailers out of the water.
The fresh bakery covers your basic choices plus their famous Durian Mille Crepe Cake. One taste of the pastry laden with the ‘king of fruit,’ fresh whipped cream and delicate crepes and you’ll see why they have sold over one million.
Other prepared foods such as seasoned crayfish, pizza and chicken wings make it easy to feed a crowd. We love eating crayfish during this season, but often worry about cleanliness so it's great to known that Sam's Club freezes their xiaolongxia to kill bacteria. All you have to do is reheat, pop a cold beer and enjoy.
Sam’s Club only puts fresh eggs on display, meaning they are removed from the shelves 12 days after the German hens have laid them. They refuse to use antibiotics, feed the chickens raw grains and each egg is traceable to its origin.
Did you know that there are hidden quality concerns inherent in the seafood shipping process? That's why Sam's Club doesn't sell any live seafood, preferring to freeze Alaska King Crab or Madagascar shrimp at sea, so there is no need for water-binding agents or other chemicals.
Making sure you get the most out of the top-notch products is a priority at Sam’s Club. That is why you can expect cooking demos and samples seven days a week. It’s not enough to buy the best steak if you can’t cook it perfectly. On our visit, we were lucky enough to run into the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Yoep Man cooking steaks.
Beyond products, Sam’s Club also provides valuable services. Upon entering the new Qingpu club, you will see Sam’s X Plus, where you can experience furniture before you purchase it.
Moving on to the Optical Center where you can get your eyes tested and order from an array of top-quality brands. Regular members save 20% here while premium members get an additional 10% off optical services.
They have installed the first Hearing Aid Center in the country at the Qingpu location, and they have free hearing tests on offer.
Join the Club
There are multiple levels of membership: Premium (RMB680), Advantage (RMB260) and Business (RMB260). The exclusive Premium benefits include 2% points rebate (maximum RMB500 per month), 12 free delivery vouchers and major appliance 365-day warranty.
Perhaps you want to join the club but don’t have time to go to the store? Sam’s has you covered with 1 hour delivery. Their diversified e-commerce approach reaches 360+ cities nationwide. You can easily bind your membership to an official WeChat Account. Additionally Sam’s Club and JD Plus have a dual membership program. Finally take advantage of the JD Global Flagship Store to shop from US Sam’s Club.
[Images courtesy of Sam's Club]
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