Sam's is more upscale than Wal-Mart, but in my experience it is very much the "Wal-Mart of warehouse stores" in that it feels less nice than Costco in the same area. I'm sure it varies, that's just based on the ones I've been to.

It is literally the Walmart of warehouse stores.

Sam Walton is the originator of both Sam's Club and Wal(ton)mart.

Sam's competes more with stores like BJ's and Brandsmart than Costco, which is really in a league of its own.

Yeah, maybe it varies, but the local Sam's has gone way downhill over the last couple decades (I don't think income-demographics have changed much in the area over the same time-span, which makes that really odd) along with the three nearest Wal-Marts. Sam's is now firmly in the same relation to CostCo as Wal-Mart is to Target: basically the same thing, except everything about it is anywhere from a little to a lot worse (except, sometimes, the prices)

The parking lot at the costco near me is insane. Everytime I went there, I felt like I was going to get hit. Sure enough, an oldy was killed in the parking log shortly after I stopped going.

Let me restate that: upscale and hip targeted at middle and upper middle/aspirational in urban and proximate suburban enviros.

Upscale urban areas won't let Walmart even try to build something. Target worked really hard pitching their upscale "City Target" sub-brand to get San Francisco to let them in.

Walmart is experimenting with something they call “Walmart Neighborhood Market” but I think they’d have done better to leave the Walmart name off it.

People who don’t like Walmart won’t try it and people who do like Walmart will be pissed it’s not a Walmart just a grocery store.

I had one right by my college apartment and was really happy with it. Very clean and always had what I needed, but not 'everything.' If they rebranded & incorporated them into suburban neighborhoods with a focus on walkability it could be a smart move to capture the wealthier 'conscious' shopper.

I like how you say ""Walmart is experimenting with something they call “Walmart Neighborhood Market” and they have had these for over a decade. I come from the area around the home office and they make the stores run quite a bit better there. The further away the store is the more likely there is less innovation or management issues. When I moved to the east cost I could clearly see certain loss prevention measures that made me not buy products.

Yep , I agree. They don’t need that boat anchor of a brand for something like that. New name, new colors, new atmosphere and of course, charge a bit more for the frills.

They could have called it Waldi and started an amusing trademark war.

I wouldn’t say Sam’s Club is upscale…at all

Costco is like Sam’s Club, but without the tattoos.