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Sam’s Club Delivery: How to Order and Get Membership Perks on Instacart

Sam’s Club is a chain of warehouse-style stores that sells everything from bulk groceries and small appliances to jewelry and prescriptions. The big-box retailer’s membership-based model can make shopping intimidating, especially if you’re not ready to splurge on membership.

Fortunately, with Instacart’s same-day delivery services, it’s possible to shop at Sam’s Club without purchasing an annual membership.

With Instacart, both Sam’s Club members and non-members can enjoy same-day delivery on fresh groceries, household essentials, and more. If you’re a Sam’s Club member, you can add your loyalty card to your Instacart profile to take advantage of membership benefits and member-exclusive low prices.

In this article, we’ll take a look at how Sam’s Club delivery works, how much you should expect to pay, and how you can take advantage of Sam’s Club’s low prices without paying for an annual membership.

How Does Sam’s Club Delivery Work?

If you’re planning to order groceries or household essentials, Sam’s Club offers same-day delivery through Instacart for both members and non-members. Additionally, using Sam’s Club Online, you can shop at your local Sam’s Club for bulk food, appliances, and more while taking advantage of your membership benefits.

With Instacart, you can shop at your local Sam’s Club store without purchasing an annual membership or guest pass and enjoy same-day delivery in as little as one hour.

However, you’ll still have to pay Instacart fees, including delivery fees, taxes, heavy bag fees, and service fees. Alternatively, both non-members and members can place orders through Sam’s Club Online.

When placing online orders on the Sam’s Club website, it’s important to keep in mind that most fresh grocery items are not available for delivery. If you’re looking to avoid a trip to the store, Instacart is the best option.

How Much Does Sam’s Club Delivery Cost?

When you order same-day delivery through Instacart, your delivery fees will depend on how much you spend. While Instacart delivery starts at $3.99 for orders over $35, Express members enjoy free shipping on orders over $35. Instacart also offers one-hour delivery on orders under $35 for $14.99.

On the other hand, if you’re ordering through Sam’s Club Online, shipping costs for Club members for most online products are based on the item’s size and weight, selected shipping method, and delivery address.

Sam’s Club members enjoy free shipping on items denoted by “Free Shipping” on the Sam’s Club website.

While viewing your online shopping cart, you can find an estimated shipping cost based on the most affordable shipping method available.

If you’re a Sam’s Club Plus member, you’ll be able to enjoy free shipping on most items. However, some exclusions apply:

  • Online items that are not denoted by “Free Shipping Plus” do not qualify for free shipping
  • For certain items, shipping is included in the price of the product
  • Free shipping does not apply to the auctions site

Additionally, Plus members can only select “Value” or “Standard” shipping. Unless otherwise specified, “Premium” or “Express” shipping costs extra.

Can You Order from Sam’s Club Online Without a Membership?

If you’re not a Sam’s Club member, you can still order from Sam’s Club Online by registering for a guest account. However, when you place an online order, you’ll pay a 10% non-member service fee. You can also order groceries from Sam’s Club without a membership using same-day delivery through Instacart.

It’s also important to keep in mind that most grocery items are not available to ship through Sam’s Club online, and you cannot place an order for in-store pickup without a membership.

Consequently, if you have a friend or family member with a Sam’s Club membership, it may be easier to go to the store with them and pay them back after checking out.

Alternatively, if you’re shopping for groceries or essentials, you can place an order for Sam’s Club same-day delivery through Instacart without a membership.

Sam’s Club Member Savings on Instacart

With Instacart, you can shop at your local Sam’s Club store without a membership, which means you can access Sam’s Club savings without paying the annual membership fee. If you’re a Sam’s Club member, you can add your membership card to Instacart to take advantage of membership rewards and pricing.

In March 2019, Sam’s Club partnered with Instacart to offer same-day delivery services and member-exclusive savings on delivery orders.

By visiting SamsClub.com/instacart, you can shop for all your favorite Sam’s Club items, including baked goods, fresh produce, and household essentials.

With Instacart, you can also shop at your local Sam’s Club store for Member’s Mark products and small appliances.

By adding your loyalty card to your Instacart account, you can take advantage of membership rewards (including cashback with the Sam’s Club Mastercard) and member-exclusive savings. Here’s how to get started.

  1. Open the Instacart app, log in, and tap on your profile icon at the top left corner
  2. Select “Your account settings” and navigate to “Loyalty cards”
  3. Choose “Sam’s Club” and type in your membership number
  4. Tap “Add” to save your card to your account for future orders

Do You Tip Sam’s Club Delivery?

Although tipping your delivery driver is never required, it’s a simple way to show your Instacart driver that you appreciate their service. When placing an order, Instacart will automatically calculate your default tip as 5% or the percentage you tipped on your last order, whichever is higher.

During checkout, you’ll have the opportunity to leave a tip for your Instacart delivery driver. If your driver provides exceptional customer service, you can change your tip within 24 hours of the delivery by viewing your order status on the Instacart app.

When you place a same-day delivery order through Instacart, it’s important to remember that 100% of the tip goes directly to your driver.

It’s also worth noting that service fees, taxes, and blitz pricing are separate from your tip.

Does Sam’s Club Take EBT?

While Sam’s Club takes EBT at all warehouses, Sam’s Club Online customers cannot use EBT cards to pay for online purchases or pickup orders. If you’re planning to shop at Sam’s Club in person, you’ll need a Sam’s Club membership to use SNAP/EBT benefits at your local warehouse.

Although Sam’s Club accepts EBT, the retailer does not participate in other government aid programs. If you’re a member of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), you cannot use WIC to shop at Sam’s Club—even with an annual membership.

When it comes to grocery delivery through Instacart, Instacart does not currently accept EBT as a form of payment for Sam’s Club orders.

Instacart only accepts EBT payments in partnership with stores in select states. To use EBT to pay for your Instacart order, you’ll need to link a valid credit or debit card to cover additional fees, including bottle deposits, taxes, and tips, as well as non-EBT SNAP-eligible products.

Conclusion

Whether you’re shopping for bulk groceries or household essentials, it’s possible to shop at Sam’s Club without membership using the Instacart app.

If you’re thinking about ordering Sam’s Club delivery, you can try Instacart Express risk-free with a 14-day free trial. Especially if you’re a frequent Instacart shopper, Instacart Express can help you cut delivery costs when stocking up on your favorite Sam’s Club essentials.

If you’re interested in finding out more tips about shopping at Sam’s Club, check out the related articles below.

Related Articles:

Sam’s Club Membership: Everything You Need to Know

Sam’s Club Pickup: How It Works and Tips to Get Started

Your Guide to Ordering Cakes From Sam’s Club Bakery

Member’s Mark: Deconstructing Sam’s Club Store Brand

Does Sam’s Club Take EBT? (Yes, but Not Online)

About the Author

Samantha Ellsworth is a content writer and an avid foodie who worked as a bakery team member at Whole Foods for three years. In her free time, you can find her trying out new recipes or hiking the trails in Colorado.

By Samantha Ellsworth

November 10, 2022