Last Updated on 09/28/2020 by GS Staff
Q: What credit cards does Sam’s Club accept?
One of the downsides of going to Sam’s Club used to be that their payment options were limited. Prior to February 1, 2016, the company allowed Visa debit cards, but not Visa credit cards for in-store purchases. Yes, things probably got confusing for some people who had multiple Visa credit cards and debit cards.
That has all changed. Sam’s Club now accepts the major credit cards (in-store and online) that include Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. This greatly benefits the consumer assuming store prices do not increase over time because of the switch.
Wal*Mart, the parent of Sam’s Club, pays a small fee to the credit card company and to the bank who issued the card, each time a card is swiped. When you think about the number of swipes completed per day, you probably get an idea of how significant these fees can be to a company.
Sam’s Club Payment Options
The following payment options are accepted at Sam’s Club (in-store):
- Visa
- MasterCard
- American Express
- Discover
- Walmart and Sam’s Club Credit (PLCC)
- Sam’s Club and Walmart gift cards & egift cards
- Debit Card
- Check
- Cash
- SNAP
- Prepaid Credit Cards
There are not as many payment options for online purchases, but most people will be satisfied with how they are able to pay. The following payment methods are allowed at samsclub.com:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- American Express
- Discover
- Prepaid Credit Cards
- Debit Card
- Digital Wallet Service – VISA Checkout
- Sam’s Club Credit (PLCC)
- Sam’s Club and Walmart gift cards & egift cards
-
Sam’s Club Credit Direct Accounts must be registered as a new online account
Sam’s Club vs Costco: Credit Cards
As indicated, Sam’s Club accepts the major credit cards. But, how do they compare to Costco? Costco ended an exclusive deal with American Express and entered into a new exclusive agreement with Visa. As of April 1, 2016, Visa cards are the only credit cards accepted at Costco. Costco accepts the following payment options:
- Visa credit cards
- Costco credit cards,
- Cash*
- Checks*
- Debit or ATM cards
- Costco Shop Cards
- EBT*
*Not accepted at costco.com, Costco gas stations or car washes.
Many people benefit from Costco’s switch to Visa since there are many more cardholders of Visa than American Express. Visa holds about 50 percent of the credit card market share based on purchase volume while American Express has approximately 23 percent.
Image: ccpixs.com
