Picture this – you‘re doing your monthly stock-up trip at Sam‘s Club. Your cart is loaded up with bulk groceries, household essentials, and maybe a few impulse buys. But as you approach the front of the store, your heart sinks. The checkout lines are winding through the aisles, each with several carts piled high.
You resign yourself to waiting 20 minutes or more just to pay and get out of there. If only there were a way to skip the line altogether…
Enter Scan and Go, the feature in the Sam‘s Club app that lets you scan items as you shop and pay directly from your phone. It‘s like a magic wand for busy shoppers. In this article, we‘ll explain exactly how Scan and Go works, what you can buy with it, and how it compares to similar apps. By the end, you‘ll be ready to zip through your next Sam‘s Club trip with ease.
How to Use Scan and Go: A Step-by-Step Guide
Using Scan and Go is designed to be quick and intuitive. You can master it in just a few simple steps:
- Download the Sam‘s Club app on your iPhone or Android device.
- Open the app and tap the Scan and Go icon in the top left corner.
- Sign in with your Sam‘s Club membership login. If you‘re not a member yet, you‘ll need to join before you can use Scan and Go.
- As you browse the store and add items to your physical cart, use your phone to scan each product‘s barcode. You‘ll see the items and prices add up in the app.
- If you have trouble scanning something or can‘t find the barcode, you can look up the item by name or UPC number in the app.
- When you‘re done shopping, pay for your digital cart using your preferred payment method (more on that later).
- Head to the exit and show the greeter your emailed receipt with the QR code, so they can quickly verify your purchase.
- You‘re all set! Enjoy your items and all the time you saved.
It really is that easy. After a trip or two, using Scan and Go will feel like second nature. You may start to wonder how you ever lived without it.
The Benefits of Scan and Go
So why would you want to use the Scan and Go feature? There are a few key benefits for Sam‘s Club shoppers:
Save precious time. This is the big one. Being able to skip the regular checkout line is a huge timesaver. Think of everything else you could do with those extra minutes!
Shop on your schedule. If you only need to pop in for a couple things, you don‘t have to worry about getting stuck behind someone with a heaping cart. And if you‘re doing a big haul yourself, you can break it up without losing your place in a long line.
Maintain social distance. In the age of COVID-19, many shoppers prefer to minimize their face-to-face interactions. Scan and Go allows you to keep your distance from cashiers and other customers. Contactless payment is an important safety measure for some folks.
"I love using Scan and Go when I‘m in a hurry. I can get in and out of Sam‘s Club in no time. Plus, it‘s a relief to avoid crowded lines during flu season. I feel like the app gives me more control over my shopping experience."
-Sarah, Sam‘s Club member
Of course, the traditional checkout process will always be available at Sam‘s Club. But once you get used to the speed and ease of Scan and Go, you may find yourself using it for most of your trips. The future of retail is here!
What You Can (and Can‘t) Buy with Scan and Go
Now, you might be wondering if you can really toss anything in your cart and scan it through the app. The short answer is – almost!
According to the Sam‘s Club website, "Scan & Go allows Members to scan the UPC code on items as they load them into their cart. Checkout is completed in the app and members can show their digital receipt at the door as they leave."
With a handful of exceptions, the vast majority of items in a Sam‘s Club store can be purchased using Scan and Go. However, there are a few product categories that are off limits:
- Alcohol – Due to varying laws and age requirements, you‘ll need to go through a traditional checkout line to buy beer, wine, or liquor. The Scan and Go app doesn‘t support age verification yet.
- Tobacco – Like alcohol, cigarettes and other tobacco products are age-restricted and cannot be purchased through Scan and Go at this time.
- High-value electronics – Things like big-screen TVs, computers, cameras, and appliances are excluded from Scan and Go. This may be for loss prevention reasons.
"I was disappointed to learn that I can‘t use Scan and Go to buy alcohol. My local laws allow alcohol sales in grocery stores, so I thought Sam‘s Club would too. I understand that the app needs a way to verify age first, though. Maybe that feature will be added one day!"
-Mark, Sam‘s Club member
Aside from those restrictions, you can go hog wild filling up your cart with groceries, clothing, home goods, pet supplies, and just about any other item sold at Sam‘s Club. The app can handle multiple quantities of the same item as well.
Using Scan and Go at Sam‘s Club gas stations
Here‘s a cool feature you might not know about – you can actually use Scan and Go to pay at the pump at Sam‘s Club and Walmart fuel stations! Here‘s how it works:
- Pull up to the pump and open the Scan and Go feature in your Sam‘s Club app
- Tap the "Scan to Pump" button and scan the QR code on the gas pump
- The app will sync up with your pump and show payment options
- Select your payment method, fill up, and go!
You can use the same credit cards, debit cards, and gift cards mentioned above. The charge will show up on your digital receipt in the app. How‘s that for a slick gas station experience?
Paying with Scan and Go
Speaking of payment, let‘s talk about how you can actually pay for your items using Scan and Go. The app supports most of the same payment methods available at the regular register, including:
- Credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover)
- Debit cards
- Sam‘s Club Credit
- Sam‘s Club and Walmart gift cards
- Prepaid credit cards
- Digital wallet services (like Apple Pay and Google Pay)
Unfortunately, there are a couple notable payment methods that are not currently compatible with Scan and Go – EBT and WIC. These government assistance programs can still be used at staffed registers, but not within the app.
"I love the flexibility of being able to pay with my Sam‘s Club Credit in the Scan and Go app. I‘m earning Cash Rewards on my purchases and paying for them seamlessly. Sometimes I even use a Walmart gift card if I have one handy. The app makes it so easy!"
-Miguel, Sam‘s Club member
The Scan and Go app securely saves your preferred payment information, so you don‘t have to enter those details every time you check out. It even lets you save multiple cards and choose which one to use for each transaction.
The Fine Print – Membership, Compatibility, Receipts, and Returns
You‘re almost an expert on all things Scan and Go! Let‘s wrap things up by addressing a few common questions about the finer points of using the feature.
Is a Sam‘s Club membership required to use Scan and Go?
Yes, you must be an active Sam‘s Club member to access the Scan and Go feature and the Sam‘s Club app in general. Both Club and Plus level members can take advantage of mobile scanning and checkout. If your membership lapses, the app will block access until you renew.
What phones and devices work with the Scan and Go app?
Scan and Go is available on all iPhone and Android devices through the Sam‘s Club app. As long as you can download the latest version of the app, you can use Scan and Go. Unfortunately, the app is not currently supported on any Microsoft devices. However, according to Sam‘s Club, "We are actively working to make the app available to more devices in the future."
Can you print and return items bought with Scan and Go?
Yes on both fronts! Your purchase history and digital receipts are stored in the Sam‘s Club app for easy reference. If you need to print a receipt from a Scan and Go transaction, here‘s what to do:
- Open the app and go to your purchase history (look for a little receipt icon)
- Find the relevant transaction and tap "Export receipt"
- Choose your printing method – via wireless or cable connection
To return an item bought with Scan and Go, just bring it to the Member Services desk at any Sam‘s Club along with your printed or digital receipt. The process is the same as any other return.
Are there any added fees for using Scan and Go?
Nope! The Scan and Go feature is 100% free to use for Sam‘s Club members. There‘s no additional charge or subscription required. Plus, there‘s no minimum or maximum purchase amount to use the app. However, Sam‘s Club does cap individual transactions at $750 for security reasons.
How Does Scan and Go Compare to Other Retail Apps?
Sam‘s Club isn‘t the only retailer with a mobile scanning app. In fact, sister store Walmart has its own version called – you guessed it – Walmart Scan and Go. It operates on the same basic premise of scanning items and checking out on your phone.
"I‘ve used the Walmart Scan and Go app a few times and was excited to learn that Sam‘s Club has a similar feature. They function almost identically from the user perspective. The key difference is needing a Sam‘s Club membership."
-Leah, Sam‘s Club member
The main difference is that Walmart Scan and Go doesn‘t require a store membership to use. That means anyone with the Walmart app can take advantage of mobile checkout. Of course, Sam‘s Club operates on a membership model overall, so that carries through to the Scan and Go experience.
Other big box stores like Costco and BJ‘s Wholesale don‘t currently have a self-scanning feature in their apps. However, it‘s always possible that they‘ll follow suit since the technology is becoming more widespread and popular with shoppers.
The Bottom Line on Sam‘s Club Scan and Go
So there you have it – everything you need to know about using Scan and Go at Sam‘s Club! We covered a ton of information, but here are the key takeaways:
- Scan and Go lets you scan items while you shop and pay in the Sam‘s Club app
- It‘s a free feature for all Sam‘s Club members (both Club and Plus level)
- Most items can be purchased with Scan and Go, with a few exceptions like alcohol and tobacco
- You can pay in the app with credit/debit cards, gift cards, and digital wallets – but not EBT
- Scan and Go is available on iPhone and Android devices, with more compatibility in the works
- Digital receipts are stored in your purchase history for easy printing and returns
- The app is comparable to Walmart‘s Scan and Go feature, minus the membership requirement
Overall, Scan and Go is a game-changing innovation for Sam‘s Club shoppers. It saves time, offers flexibility, and makes the whole experience more efficient. Once you try it, you‘ll wonder how you ever navigated the warehouse without it!
Ready to give Scan and Go a whirl? Download the Sam‘s Club app today and try it on your next shopping trip. Before you know it, you‘ll be breezing past the checkout line with a smile. Happy scanning!
