During my visit to the BJ's store in Jersey City, New Jersey, I found a membership was $55 a year for the basic plan and $110 a year for premium, falling in the middle of Costco and Sam's Club prices. No one checked for my membership here — non-members can use a guest pass to shop, but they'll have to pay a 20% service fee at most locations.
BJ's snacks were all sold in bulk, but the variety felt relatively small. There was more candy than there were snacks, and the produce selection was definitely smaller than I would find at Costco and Sam's Club.
... and the selection of gift cards and other items was noticeably smaller at BJ's than I would find at Costco or Sam's Club. The company carries a comparable selection online, but the store selection was limited. This location confirmed that it does not sell any alcohol, but other locations do, depending on local regulations.
I was impressed with the organization of the store. Not only were the aisles labeled, but the sections carrying toys, clothes, and home decor were as well. It was easy to navigate the store because of that.
Another highlight was the self-checkout process, which could potentially lead to shorter lines. BJ's has an app that allows customers to store coupons and receive notifications about upcoming promotions, but it does not have a payment functionality. BJ's allows customers to return items for up to a year.
There was a Dunkin' Donuts kiosk with a few tables set up near the exit. Dunkin' Donuts have been replacing traditional food courts in most BJ's locations. The menu is the same as a typical Dunkin' Donuts location, with prices that are slightly higher than the food courts at Costco and Sam's Club.
Source: Boston Globe
Similar to BJ's, no one was at the door checking for memberships when I visited a Costco location in Westchester County, New York. Costco's basic membership costs $60 annually, and its premium version costs $120.
Also like at BJ's, the electronics section was at the front, with rows of TVs ranging in price from $500 to $2,000.
As I walked further through the store, I was greeted by a seemingly endless selection of bulk-sized snacks.
Just about everything in sight was bulk-sized. A four-pound box of Frosted Flakes was $7.49. At stores like Walmart and Target, a box half this size is only $2 less.
Even produce was sold in bulk. A five-pound bag of clementines was only $5.99, the same as at BJ's. In general, however, this Costco store had a wider variety of produce than BJ's did.
The warehouse had its own liquor store that was outside of the main store. If you want wine or hard alcohol, you either have to go before or after shopping at Costco, meaning you have to wait in two lines and make two separate transactions. The store itself does have beer, however.
Everything at the store seemed to be randomly arranged. Rugs were in the middle of the produce aisle, and there was golfing equipment on the other side of this display. The middle of the store was cluttered with books and clothes ...
Costco had an entire wall of discounted gift cards ranging from restaurants to movie theaters. The selection even included discounted lift tickets for local ski mountains.
The front of the store was messy. I think this was where returns are processed, but it wasn't labeled anywhere. Costco has a generous return policy, allowing members to return anything (including a membership) at any time for a full refund. The exception is electronics and major appliances, which have a 90-day return policy with receipt.
Many of the registers were closed because it was early in the day, plus everyone had completely full shopping carts, so it was a long wait to check out. Costco has an app that allows you to make a shopping list, access coupons, and create photo books, but you cannot pay for a purchase on the app.
Just before the exit was the insanely cheap food court. A hot dog and a soda were only $1.50 and giant churros were $1.00.
A yearly Sam's Club membership costs $45 for the basic plan and $100 for the premium plan. No one at Sam's Club checked my membership, either. Without a membership, you can use a guest pass to shop, but there is a 10% service fee at most locations.
Like at Costco, there seemed to be enough bulk-sized snacks to last a lifetime, and most were under $10 a box.
Produce prices were also comparable, with the same five-pound bag of clementines only 50 cents more at Sam's Club than at Costco and BJ's.
Unlike Costco, Sam's Club does not have a separate building that sells wine and hard liquor. Beer and wine spritzers are sold in the store itself, in keeping with New York state law.
Sam's Club was more organized than Costco, but it wasn't perfect. The aisles were more clearly labeled ...
... but the middle of the store was still a free-for-all with books, clothing, and random playground and furniture sets scattered around.
The front of the store looked identical to Costco, and the lines were just as long. Where Sam's Club stands out is its app — the Scan-and-Go app allows customers to scan items as they go through the store and then pay through the app, skipping the long lines. The returns at Sam's Club are similar to Costco, accepting returns on any items except electronics and appliances, which have a 90-day limit.
The exit once again was preceded by a food court, matching Costco's low prices on items like the hot dog and drink combo and pizza. Fountain drinks were slightly more expensive here.
After visiting all three warehouse clubs, it was clear that prices were comparable and each store had its own perks: high quality at Costco, a checkout app at Sam's Club, and the self-checkout at BJs.
But the location of BJ's Wholesale I visited didn't have as wide of a selection as Costco or Sam's Club, and the empty shelves around the store were a big weakness, making it an inferior shopping experience.
Costco and Sam's Club offer almost identical services for members. Even though it's less expensive to become a member at Sam's Club, ultimately, it may come down to which store is closer to you.