[dotti105]

Because there is no Costco close by, we joined Sam 's. We decided to have a positive attitude and were anxious to check them out and get used to the store, layout, stock etc.

it hasn't been a positive experience so far.

The day we joined, it took over 45 minutes at the customer service desk. Their system did not recognize the 32163 zip code. Huh??? The registers froze up and 2 managers needed to reset the registers and the line behind us grew and grew. The managers finally found a "work around" by entering another Villages zip code.

We thought the hard part was over. So we grabbed a cart and started shopping. Their inventory does not compare to Costco, but we stocked up on some things we needed and headed to the registers.

2 registers open. Seriously??? Lines were 8-10 people deep. We waited in line tag teamed each other in the line and got our ritual hot dog and coke. Long shopping trip, a bit frustrating but any store can have a bad day, right?

We survived that first trip and headed back last night for another shopping trip. This might be our last.

We got there about 6:30pm. It wasn't crowded. Guess Friday evening at Sam's is not a popular time. Good for us, we thought! Loaded up our cart and headed to the registers again.

I swear it was an instant replay, slow motion play by play. 2 registers open. Managers solving problems on each. No movement for over 20 minutes. I headed to the snack bar to order our ritual shopping hot dogs. They were out of hot dogs. (What? Can you repeat that? I'm sure I heard you incorrectly!)

I reported back to hubby still shifting his weight from knee to knee in line. NO MOVEMENT! No apologies or explanations, no extra help called to open additional registers.

After a total of 30 minutes in line we walked out.

Is this store always a disaster? Are they poorly managed? Computer/registers out of date?

I don't think we will even bother going there again. It was so frustrating both times!

We expect crowds and possible delays at big box stores. But this has been unacceptable. What is really concerning is that this is the slow season.

I think we will be scheduling trips to Altamonte Springs. We have never had such poor service at Costco. Sam's just made a really bad impression! Is this normal??

[kaydee]

We've been members since day 1 and to be honest, we have never encountered any problems with shopping. I've got to say there is no reason they should ever be out of hot dogs or any other item on their menu.
We do prefer Costco but Sam's is what we've got.

[graciegirl]

We have been members of Sam's here and before we moved here...and of Costco. We like both equally. We haven't had problems such as you described.

[redwitch]

Was a member in California, so was quite happy when Sam's opened here. Have had an occasional glitch but nothing like you've described. But it does sound like the experiences I've had with Costco in California.

[HMLRHT1]

It's why they say they charge cheaper prices. Not enough help and those that are there are low paid over worked. Costco pays their employees what they are worth and the employees make it work for the customers. We are long time Costco members and as you we only joined Sam's Club cause there is nomCostco close by. In Phoenix we had 3 within 6 miles of us!

[jimmemac]

Go to sams at least once a month and have never had the issues that you describe and in my opinion it has the best beef you can buy, better than any of the grocery stores we have here.

[Bonanza]

Dotti . . . I agree with you. To compare Sam's to Costco is like comparing a television to a camel. We haven't had an issue checking out (thank God for the self checkout) but when we had our hot dogs (a ritual with us, also), they were out of relish. Yes, relish. And when we had stopped there a few days before that, it was the same thing . . . no relish!

Sam's isn't nearly as clean and tidy as Costco. Yesterday the trash in the ladies' room was oveflowing. Employees walk around like they're ALL on a break. Stocked shelves are sloppy and in a number of cases, empty.

Let me know when you're going to Costco and I'll go with you. We keep our membership there and there are a couple of Costcos to choose from and only an hour away. It's worth going there.

Boo to Sam's!

[asianthree]

We belong to both, but SAMs is what we have. But have never had a problem

[Madelaine Amee]

Have to agree with the majority of posters - been members since day one and have never encountered problems like yours. We shop early, as soon as the public can get in because we find the shelves are fully stocked and the meat counter has a huge selection. We also do self paying (or whatever it is called) and there are about six of those to use.

Prefer Costco if it was here, but Sam's were quicker getting into this area!

I came back to this post to add this ........... my very expensive new glasses have not fitted correctly since I purchased them, even after taking them back several times .............. one day I stopped to ask the optical department at Sam's if they could help. He fixed them and cleaned them for NO CHARGE - now that's service. I will be using their optical department to get frames in future.

[echo11]

Actually, we like BJs in Clermont better. Plus they take coupons. That being said, Sam's is closer. One of our big problems with Sam's is that do not take our credit cards- American Express or Visa.

[Blessed2BNTV]

I am a Costco fan - went there Friday in Atlanta before our trip to TV. I googled mileage and it's 39.39 miles from TV.

We are planning to keep our membership once we move full time in December.

[jblum315]

Wait! Atlanta is 39.9 miles from TV? Did they move it recently? Good Grief,Gainesville is 50 miles from TV

[bkcunningham1]

Originally Posted by dotti105

Because there is no Costco close by, we joined Sam 's. We decided to have a positive attitude and were anxious to check them out and get used to the store, layout, stock etc.

it hasn't been a positive experience so far.

The day we joined, it took over 45 minutes at the customer service desk. Their system did not recognize the 32163 zip code. Huh??? The registers froze up and 2 managers needed to reset the registers and the line behind us grew and grew. The managers finally found a "work around" by entering another Villages zip code.

We thought the hard part was over. So we grabbed a cart and started shopping. Their inventory does not compare to Costco, but we stocked up on some things we needed and headed to the registers.

2 registers open. Seriously??? Lines were 8-10 people deep. We waited in line tag teamed each other in the line and got our ritual hot dog and coke. Long shopping trip, a bit frustrating but any store can have a bad day, right?

We survived that first trip and headed back last night for another shopping trip. This might be our last.

We got there about 6:30pm. It wasn't crowded. Guess Friday evening at Sam's is not a popular time. Good for us, we thought! Loaded up our cart and headed to the registers again.

I swear it was an instant replay, slow motion play by play. 2 registers open. Managers solving problems on each. No movement for over 20 minutes. I headed to the snack bar to order our ritual shopping hot dogs. They were out of hot dogs. (What? Can you repeat that? I'm sure I heard you incorrectly!)

I reported back to hubby still shifting his weight from knee to knee in line. NO MOVEMENT! No apologies or explanations, no extra help called to open additional registers.

After a total of 30 minutes in line we walked out.

Is this store always a disaster? Are they poorly managed? Computer/registers out of date?

I don't think we will even bother going there again. It was so frustrating both times!

We expect crowds and possible delays at big box stores. But this has been unacceptable. What is really concerning is that this is the slow season.

I think we will be scheduling trips to Altamonte Springs. We have never had such poor service at Costco. Sam's just made a really bad impression! Is this normal??

We were at Sam's yesterday evening. A storm had caused the computer systems to go down. When they came back up they weren't recognizing the "plus" members cards and we weren't getting the added discount on advertised items. That is what the managers were trying to help the cashiers figure out.

I felt so sorry for our cashier. She was visibly shaking. I didn't know what was happening. We told her to relax that it wasn't her fault and did our best to help her calm down. We joked and told her that we weren't in a hurry. She said she had chosen this job and she wasn't blaming anyone but she'd been living in a rural area of the Ocala National Forest and wasn't use to a lot of people. In her mind, she said, she understood people didn't want to wait in line and she could watch their faces and by the time they got to her...some were really mean to her and took waiting personally...but she needs the job.

I'm going to try to remember her the next time I'm in a hurry and waiting in a line, getting impatient and getting that look on my face. It can be frustrating.

[jblum315]

My Google says Atlanta is 389.9 miles from TV

[Blessed2BNTV]

I am a Costco fan - went there Friday in Atlanta before our trip to TV. I googled mileage and it's 39.39 miles from TV.

We are planning to keep our membership once we move full time in December.

Originally Posted by jblum315

Wait! Atlanta is 39.9 miles from TV? Did they move it recently? Good Grief,Gainesville is 50 miles from TV

What I meant to post was Costco was 39.39 from TV. I said I went to Costco in Atlanta on Friday before coming here. The "it's" in my post was referring to Costco.

Happy Sunday!