(Rant) Had to Do a Chargeback to Get My Subprime Sam's Club Membership Fee Refunded

[cv91915]

Due to a serious lapse in judgment I acted on the "spend $45 on a new Sam's Club membership/get $45 back" Amex offer, and we joined when I was among the mud people last week.

 

The store was awful. The selection is much smaller than Costco's, and the merchandise itself (aside from national/known brands) is largely lower-end/riffraff stuff. One entire aisle of refrigerated/frozen items was empty. Merchandise displays were messy.

 

We bought two bags of frozen berries and left.

 

Then the email for using the Amex offer never arrived. I looked at my receipt, and the membership was processed as a renewal, not a new membership, even though we haven't been members for over a year (we joined for free once before, shopped once, and never returned), so the purchase didn't qualify for the Amex offer.

 

A couple of days later I logged into my Sam's Club account online, and sent a brief, polite request for a membership refund, and cited their published terms and conditions which state:

 

"The Sam’s Club Membership has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If at any time a member is not satisfied with their membership, Sam’s Club will refund the entire membership fee."

 

The response:

 

 

Nowhere in their satisfaction guarantee does it state that you have to go to a store to get the membership fee back.

 

I let them know that I am in a different city for the next several weeks and I do not have a Sam's Club location that is convenient (there is exactly one in the entire San Diego metro area, and it's in a neighborhood where I wouldn't leave my car unattended). The next closest store is in Murietta, which is practically in Oregon. I indicated that if they didn't want to refund my money based on this second written request I would resolve this by disputing the charge with Amex.

 

Three days later, no reply.

 

I just got off the phone with Amex, and now I am done with this Chocolate Goodness retailer forever.

Edited September 2, 2016 by cv91915

[Krish]

12 yrs ago, I stepped into Sam's and decided that it is sister store front to Wally. Never again, i am going in, and even with Amex offer, we cannot justify going in either. Costco is hands down the best.

[jennik]

I have both Sam's and Costco memberships. I find the "subprime" comment funny, as if you are somehow above the horrors associated with Walmart.

 

I'm not at all subprime.

[Big Bear]

12 yrs ago, I stepped into Sam's and decided that it is sister store front to Wally. Never again, i am going in, and even with Amex offer, we cannot justify going in either. Costco is hands down the best.

You decided, or you actually found out that it is? That Walton guy was named Sam.

 

It's just a bigger WalMart with a membership pass. No thanks. cv, you're better off now.

 

 

 

 

I have both Sam's and Costco memberships. I find the "subprime" comment funny, as if you are somehow above the horrors associated with Walmart.

 

I'm not at all subprime.

What's the benefit of having both?

[Zobelle]

Sam's is actually not a bad store if you don't go to the ones on the wrong side of the tracks.

 

The one nearby me is actually just fine and actually WAYYY more peaceful than the local Costco, Which resembles an open air market on weekends.

 

The exception? Food stamp reload day, and then you see some spillover from Wally's.

[jennik]

 

12 yrs ago, I stepped into Sam's and decided that it is sister store front to Wally. Never again, i am going in, and even with Amex offer, we cannot justify going in either. Costco is hands down the best.

You decided, or you actually found out that it is? That Walton guy was named Sam.

 

It's just a bigger WalMart with a membership pass. No thanks. cv, you're better off now.

 

 

 

 

I have both Sam's and Costco memberships. I find the "subprime" comment funny, as if you are somehow above the horrors associated with Walmart.

 

I'm not at all subprime.

What's the benefit of having both?

 

 

It's mostly because we use Costco close to home and Sam's close to my son's college, but there are benefits to each. Costco has a better variety of name brand items and their Kirkland stuff is great, but I've had better luck with contact lenses and glasses, tires, and (oddly) meat at Sam's Club.

[Zobelle]

I didn't have a choice but Costco when we were out on the islands (Maui). Even that place was a mess. I can only imagine what Sam's would be like out there.

[cashnocredit]

I've never done a chargeback. Not looking forward to having to.

[creditcaper1]

Due to a serious lapse in judgment I acted on the "spend $45 on a new Sam's Club membership/get $45 back" Amex offer, and we joined when I was among the mud people last week.

 

The store was awful. The selection is much smaller than Costco's, and the merchandise itself (aside from national/known brands) is largely lower-end/riffraff stuff. One entire aisle of refrigerated/frozen items was empty. Merchandise displays were messy.

 

We bought two bags of frozen berries and left.

 

Then the email for using the Amex offer never arrived. I looked at my receipt, and the membership was processed as a renewal, not a new membership, even though we haven't been members for over a year (we joined for free once before, shopped once, and never returned), so the purchase didn't qualify for the Amex offer.

 

A couple of days later I logged into my Sam's Club account online, and sent a brief, polite request for a membership refund, and cited their published terms and conditions which state:

 

"The Sam’s Club Membership has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If at any time a member is not satisfied with their membership, Sam’s Club will refund the entire membership fee."

 

The response:

 

 

Nowhere in their satisfaction guarantee does it state that you have to go to a store to get the membership fee back.

 

I let them know that I am in a different city for the next several weeks and I do not have a Sam's Club location that is convenient (there is exactly one in the entire San Diego metro area, and it's in a neighborhood where I wouldn't leave my car unattended). The next closest store is in Murietta, which is practically in Oregon. I indicated that if they didn't want to refund my money based on this second written request I would resolve this by disputing the charge with Amex.

 

Three days later, no reply.

 

I just got off the phone with Amex, and now I am done with this Chocolate Goodness retailer forever.

Where did you purchase the new membership at? In the actual store?

[cv91915]

Even the grammar is wrong.

 

• The Sam’s Club Membership has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If at any time a member is not satisfied with their his or her membership, Sam’s Club will refund the entire membership fee.

[clutchcargo]

I did a partial charge back on a pizza I had delivered years ago. I was charged a $2 delivery fee that was not mentioned anywhere on their flyer/menu. The lady refused to refund it and was quite rude. I called FNBO and told them to charge back the $2. I was perfectly willing to pay for the pizza as it was delicious. The rep at FNBO laughed and said that the merchant would lose the $2 and be charged a $20 fee.

 

My only regret is not being able to get that pizza again.

[cv91915]

Sam's Club customers:

 

 

[clutchcargo]

They're rotisserie chickens are good

[creditcaper1]

If you paid for the new membership at the store location, it's not unreasonable for you to have to go back there to get a refund. I don't know if SAMS gives you a physical membership card, but they would probably want that back before issuing a refund.

[Zobelle]

If you paid for the new membership at the store location, it's not unreasonable for you to have to go back there to get a refund. I don't know if SAMS gives you a physical membership card, but they would probably want that back before issuing a refund.

They can deactivate the card remotely!

[jennik]

Sam's Club customers:

 

 

 

Does it make you feel good to disparage the hundreds of millions of people who shop at places you deem low class?

[creditcaper1]

 

If you paid for the new membership at the store location, it's not unreasonable for you to have to go back there to get a refund. I don't know if SAMS gives you a physical membership card, but they would probably want that back before issuing a refund.

They can deactivate the card remotely!

 

Sure they could, but there are some reasons why they wouldn't want someone without a membership to have one of their cards. Costco for example ask you to show your card to enter the warehouse. So if you don't have a card you can't come in.

[Zobelle]

 

 

If you paid for the new membership at the store location, it's not unreasonable for you to have to go back there to get a refund. I don't know if SAMS gives you a physical membership card, but they would probably want that back before issuing a refund.

They can deactivate the card remotely!

Sure they could, but there are some reasons why they wouldn't want someone without a membership to have one of their cards. Costco for example ask you to show your card to enter the warehouse. So if you don't have a card you can't come in.

Sam's doesn't check, at least not around here.

 

If you check out without it, you get hit with a surcharge.

[cv91915]

If you paid for the new membership at the store location, it's not unreasonable for you to have to go back there to get a refund. I don't know if SAMS gives you a physical membership card, but they would probably want that back before issuing a refund.

 

It's completely unreasonable.

 

I read the "Membership Terms & Conditions" (linked above) before I requested a refund in writing.

 

The Ts and Cs specifically state that certain things need to be done in-store (and they sloppily and interchangeably use the terms "Member Service Desk" and "Member Services Desk").

 

This is all it says about membership fee refunds, grammar error and all:

 

"The Sam’s Club Membership has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If at any time a member is not satisfied with their membership, Sam’s Club will refund the entire membership fee."

[cv91915]

 

Sam's Club customers:

 

 

 

Does it make you feel good to disparage the hundreds of millions of people who shop at places you deem low class?

 

 

Thank you for asking.

[Cappy]

Are BJ's any good? Amex offering free member with offer.

 

Don't have a SAMs club around me.

 

Anyone have experience with a BJ around them?

[Zobelle]

Are BJ's any good? Amex offering free member with offer.

 

Don't have a SAMs club around me.

 

Anyone have experience with a BJ around them?

BJ's are often good.

[Surreal Awakening]

 

Even the grammar is wrong.

 

• The Sam’s Club Membership has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If at any time a member is not satisfied with their his or her membership, Sam’s Club will refund the entire membership fee.

 

 

I totally get where you're coming from. My wife and I bond over picking apart spelling and grammar errors. It's actually what got me that first date!

 

Are BJ's any good? Amex offering free member with offer.

 

Don't have a SAMs club around me.

 

Anyone have experience with a BJ around them?

 

Even a bad one is a good one!

[Cappy]

 

Are BJ's any good? Amex offering free member with offer.

 

Don't have a SAMs club around me.

 

Anyone have experience with a BJ around them?

BJ's are often good.

I guess it all depends on the location. YMMV.

 

As with anything else.

 

I mean it's free. Can't go wrong.

[Cappy]

 

 

Even the grammar is wrong.

 

• The Sams Club Membership has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If at any time a member is not satisfied with their his or her membership, Sams Club will refund the entire membership fee.

I totally get where you're coming from. My wife and I bond over picking apart spelling and grammar errors. It's actually what got me that first date!

Are BJ's any good? Amex offering free member with offer.

 

Don't have a SAMs club around me.

 

Anyone have experience with a BJ around them?

Even a bad one is a good one!

I take it it's better than SAMs Club?

 

Costco is probably the best from all them.

 

I'm sure BJ's do suck, but FREE is FREE