Why I'm cheating on Costco with its biggest competitor

"Sam's Club, which has some of the same benefits, often for less and with fewer restrictions... the Walmart Inc. division that's worth $90 billion is growing its 30-store footprint in California with two more locations this year in Lathrop and Visalia. It keeps improving on its nifty Scan & Go tech within the mobile app, which allows customers to bypass checkout lines entirely."

"Sam's Club also accepts all major credit cards, not just Visa, which is the only plastic that Costco takes in-store. People seem to like the convenience: For two consecutive years, Sam's Club has beat Costco as the warehouse retailer with the highest satisfaction rate."

"After I found that deal cutting the $50 annual Sam's Club membership (already $15 cheaper than Costco's basic tier) to a mere 15 bucks, I hightailed it to the Concord location, which is just over 2 miles away from a Costco store."

California grocery shopping increasingly involves visiting multiple stores to find the best deals on everyday items. Costco has long dominated the warehouse club market, but Sam's Club, a Walmart division worth $90 billion, is challenging its dominance through strategic expansion and customer-friendly features. Sam's Club offers memberships at $35 annually compared to Costco's $65, accepts all major credit cards unlike Costco's Visa-only policy, and features Scan & Go technology for checkout-free shopping. The company is expanding its California presence from two locations to four stores this year. Customer satisfaction data shows Sam's Club has outperformed Costco for two consecutive years, making it an increasingly attractive alternative for budget-conscious shoppers.

Read at SFGATE