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By Giulia Carbonaro
Senior Reporter
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Sam's Club, the membership-only warehouse chain owned by Walmart, is making a major change to how customers pay for groceries.
The retailer plans to phase out all traditional and self-checkout lanes across its nearly 600 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Instead, shoppers will be required to use a new payment system.
According to several reports, customers will be swapping self-checkouts for the A.I-powered "Scan & Go" feature on the chain's mobile app, which would allow them to skip the line at the cashier and walk out of the store, with little to no direct contact with its employees.
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Why It Matters
Sam's Club's move is part of the chain's strategy to keep up with the times and make the experience of shopping in its stores easier, faster, and more efficient for customers.
However, the use of the "Scan & Go" feature has proven controversial, as it requires customers to download yet another app on their phones and uses a network of cameras and sensors tracking shoppers and their carts in order to work. On top of that, some customers have expressed doubts about whether the feature actually speeds up their shopping experience at all.
Why Is Walmart's Sam's Club Dropping Self-Checkouts?
Sam's Club announced the idea to boost the use of "Scan & Go" in its stores as part of its growth strategy discussed at Walmart Inc.'s 2025 Investment Community Meeting earlier this month.
The company confirmed the opening of 30 new locations across the country and said it plans to "remodel all 600 of its existing clubs, with the newly opened Grapevine, Texas, location setting the standard for the club of the future."
This future includes the elimination of traditional checkouts and self-checkouts, which would make space for "a powerful digital expansion." According to Sam's Club, "Scan & Go" would "elevate" the "member experience" while removing "friction from the shopping journey."
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Despite the fact that "Scan & Go" does not rely on human work to function, the company said that its "100,000" associates "remain central to the company's momentum" and Sam's Club will continue to invest in better wages, career progression opportunities and the adoption of AI tools "to streamline repetitive tasks have improved both operational efficiency and associate engagement."
Newsweek contacted Walmart for comment by email on Thursday morning.
What Is 'Scan & Go'? How It Works
With "Scan & Go," customers scan and pay for items as they shop through the Sam's Club mobile app. They enter a store as usual, pick up a cart, and start scanning the ingredients they want to buy. The purchase is then completed on the app, paying by card, and customers receive a digital receipt.
Shoppers would then exit the store through an airport-style security arch where cameras scan the cart from the top and the side to check the customers are being honest about their purchases.
An analysis of the app by Business Insider found that while "Scan & Go" has the advantage of cutting long waits at the checkout, the app may glitch and slow down the shopping experience. Additionally, weighed produce and alcohol must be bought separately.
What People Are Saying
A Sam's Club spokesperson told Newsweek: "At Sam's Club, we're constantly exploring ways to enhance the member experience by removing friction and making shopping more convenient. Our investment in computer vision and digital innovation, including Scan & Go and exit technology, is designed to deliver a faster, more seamless experience for our members.
"We've seen strong adoption and satisfaction from members using these technologies, particularly in our Grapevine, Texas, club. As we continue to revitalize our fleet, we're testing and learning in real time to ensure we're delivering solutions that meet the needs of our members. We also provide flexibility and options for how members choose to shop, and our associates are there to assist and help members new to tools like Scan & Go."
Sam's Club President and CEO Chris Nicholas said in a statement issued by Walmart earlier this month: "This is one of the fastest, most scalable transformations happening in retail today. We're investing with intention—in our fleet, our associates and the member experience—to become the world's best club retailer."
Grant Grisham, a Sam's Club member in Corpus Christi, Texas, told Kris TV: "That's probably the biggest concern, really. Older people are not really up to date on modern technology."
What's Next
In a press release about the new strategy, Walmart wrote that Sam's Club, now a $90 billion business "which began as a bold experiment over four decades ago, is entering a new era of transformation, with plans to double membership and more than double sales and profit over the next 8 to 10 years."
Sam's Club did not offer a timeline of when it will phase out its traditional checkouts and self-checkouts in all its stores.
Update 4/17/2025 10:45 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include a comment from a Sam's Club spokesperson.
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