WASHINGTON — Sam's Club is making some changes to its Plus membership next month.
Starting August 19, Sam's Club Plus members will have to spend $50 or more to qualify for free shipping on orders from the wholesale giant's website or app. If the cart minimum is not reached before taxes, orders will have an added flat rate fee of $8.
"By adding a cart minimum, we are increasing access to different ways of shopping for our members," the company said. "This will make it easier for you to get the products you want, the way and at the time you want."
Sam's Club charges $110 for an annual Plus membership, while its base Club membership is $50. Currently, Plus members get free shipping on most online items as well as free curbside pickup.
Under the announced changes, Plus members will now also get free same-day delivery on "qualifying orders" when they spend $50 or more, giving them "faster access to our in-club assortment."
Same-day delivery orders previously had an $8 flat rate fee on all orders, which will still be applied if the cart minimum is not reached, according to the company.
The wholesale store also added a cart minimum of $50 for free curbside pickup for club members — a change from the previous flat rate $4 fee on all orders.
Earlier this year, Sam's Club announced it was planning to stop having employees check receipts at the door, as the Walmart-owned wholesale store turned to artificial intelligence and computer vision technology.
Customers would shop as normal but instead of stopping at the door to show a receipt to an employee, cameras at the stores’ exits take a picture of what’s in shoppers’ carts to confirm purchases.
The technology is currently being run as part of a pilot program across 10 Sam's Club warehouse locations, nine of which are in the Dallas metro area and one in Joplin, Missouri.
Sam's Club plans to roll the exit technology out nationwide to its nearly 600 warehouse clubs by the end of the year.
Andrew Weil contributed to this report.
