Sam’s Club: Changing The Way People Shop In Shenzhen


Cian   |   July 4, 2019

Shopping in China can be challenging at times. It can be tough to find a place that sells the products you used to buy back home, especially from a reliable source you can trust. It’s harder still to find such items at a reasonable price, while delivery can be a headache too. If this sounds anything like you, it might be time to join Sam’s Club, a high-end members-only store for buying groceries, home appliances, and whatever else you might need in your daily life. Now Shenzhen tried out their app so we could give you the lowdown.

What is Sam’s Club?

First opened 36 years ago in 1983 in the United States, Sam’s Club was created by Walmart to be a members-only retail warehouse. It was a place where customers could buy quality and reliable products in bulk at great prices.

Sam’s Club model was a success and it quickly grew in popularity. More locations opened up around the world and the membership numbers blew up. Today, there are over 800 clubs worldwide with a combined membership of around 50 million.

The first location opened right here in Shenzhen in 1996, and since then they have been adding more and more clubs around the country. With their awesome app and three locations in Shenzhen, it felt like the right time to check out Sam’s Club and see if – like the slogan says – life really is better in the club.

Pastries from Sam's Club Shenzhen

How do I become a Sam’s Club member?

To make purchases from Sam’s Club, you first must become a member. The great thing we discovered about the membership is that once you have it you can use it in other countries too. So if you take a trip or even move back home, you can continue to enjoy all the Sam’s Club benefits.

We thought that becoming a member might be complicated and would involve us heading into a store, but it can all be done over the app without fuss. Just download the app on the app store by searching “Sam’s Club”. Once the app is installed, add a delivery address and purchase a membership.

There are two types of membership: Advantage membership for those using Sam’s Club for personal use, and Business membership for those using Sam’s Club for work use. Make sure to choose the one that applies to you. Once you have set up an account, you are ready to make an order.

English App screenshot from Sam's Club

What can I buy from Sam’s Club?

Sam’s Club is not limited to just groceries. You can buy a whole host of products for your home and family. Anything from premium beef for a barbecue and milk powder for the baby, to twelve year single malt whisky and top imported facial creams. They even have electrical appliances from televisions and mobile phones to air purifiers and rice cookers. Sam’s Club says they import from over 32 countries, so you are bound to find something for you. On the app, you can find the following categories:

  • Fresh Food
  • Grain, Oils, & Dry Goods
  • Snacks & Milk
  • Beverages
  • Mom & Baby Supplies
  • Health & Beauty
  • Home Appliances
  • Mobile & Digital
  • Household & Cleaning
  • Office & Outdoors
  • Bedding & Luggage

There is even a special category called 1 Hour Delivery, which includes a large selection of food and drinks items that can be delivered to your home in just one hour from placing your order. We spent over RMB99 and we received free delivery also!

Kiwi fruit from Sam's Club Shenzhen
Steak from Sam's Club Shenzhen

Where can I find a store in Shenzhen?

If you are interested in visiting a Sam’s Club in person, there are currently three locations in Shenzhen:

  • Location 1: 1st Floor, Shenguotou Square, No. 69 Nonglin Road, Futian (福田区农林路69号深国投广场F1)
  • Location 2: Xinghe Shopping Park, No. 1 Huangge South Road, Longgang (龙岗区黄阁南路1号星河时代购物公园内)
  • Location 3: Yucheng Center, No. 1111 Meilong Avenue (梅龙大道1111号壹城中心)

Shop online as well.

Sam’s Club provides people in Shenzhen a reliable way to shop for the kind of quality goods they are used to from back home. Their prices are hard-to-beat and their delivery times are second to none. It turns out that life is really better in Sam’s Club.

To download the Sam’s Club app, scan the following QR code.

Download the Sam's Club QR code

To register to the Sam’s Club WeChat mini program and join their community groups, scan the following QR code.

Scan to use the Sam's Club WeChat min program