NEW YORK (AP) — Sam's Club is offering free shipping for premium members and simplifying its membership tiers.
Starting Wednesday, the Walmart-owned warehouse club will give free shipping on online orders for Plus members on 95 percent of the items it sells. Most shipping costs previously were based on the item's size and weight, the shipping method and the delivery address.
Free shipping and faster delivery have been key areas as retailers try to adapt to shoppers' shift online. Online leader Amazon is reportedly planning a new service to pick up packages from businesses and deliver them to consumers. Meanwhile, Target late last year bought grocery delivery startup Shipt to speed up same-day deliveries.
Sam's Club is also converting its three membership plans into two. Sam's Plus will still carry a $100 annual fee, while the Business and Savings plans will convert to Sam's Club memberships with an annual fee of $45. The company is trying to better compete with rival Costco Wholesale Corp. by focusing on the more affluent customer. It's added more fresh produce and other higher-quality products.
-By Anne D'Innocenzio, AP Retail Writer
