Sam's Club Adds to Omni Offerings With Trial of Scan & Ship

Sam's Club shoppers who can't fit that big TV or patio grill they spied in-store in the trunk of their car may soon have a new way to buy what they want on the spot. The retailer is piloting new technology, Scan & Ship, that lets customers scan select merchandise in-store for delivery to their desired destination.

Scan & Ship builds on Sam's Club and Walmart stores' Scan & Go offering, which lets customers pay for their in-store purchases through the Sam's Club app on their their mobile device without having to go through checkout lines. Sam's Club is touting Scan & Ship as an easy way for in-store shoppers to order not only items too big to take home but also items they're looking for in a color or size that isn't in stock in the store.

Scan & Ship offers "great potential to deliver the ultimate omnichannel member experience across our entire chain," Sam's Club SVP and Chief Product Officer Tim Simmons said in a news release. "Just like Scan & Go, Scan & Ship gives members greater control of their shopping experience."

Items ordered through Scan & Ship usually can be delivered in three to five business days, according to the retailer. The service is being tested in three locations, including Sam's Club's Dallas innovation lab, and will be rolled out to additional locations after review of member feedback and once any needed modifications are made. 

In 2020, there were 9.6 million downloads of the Sam's Club, the company reported, and as the Scan & Go feature has expanded to more club locations, its adoption rate increased more than 43% year over year in the first quarter of 2021.

Last month, Sam's Club CEO Kath McLay said at the 2021 Jefferies Consumer Conference that the retailer's laser focus on product quality and enhanced flexibility in ways to shop helped power Sam's Club to a 7.2% rise in comp sales in the first quarter and membership to an all-time high. "Members are getting into a stickier, more loyal relationship with us," she said. "And a lot of that is coming through some of the products and tech that we've delivered, which is, I think, truly living up [to] creating special experiences for members."