What is Sam’s Club Scan & Go? (& how to use it!)
Last time I was at Sam’s Club I noticed their Scan and Go feature and called me old school – but I was confused.
What exactly is Sam’s Club Scan and Go and how do you use it? We’ll walk you through it…
What is Sam’s Club Scan & Go?
Scan & Go checkout is a fast and efficient mobile payment service for use in Sam’s Club stores or at Sam’s Club gas stations. This service is accessed through the Sam’s Club app. Its introduction allows shoppers to select and scan groceries while shopping, eliminating the need to stand in line at checkout.
This article describes Sam’s Club Scan & Go mobile payment technology: what it is, how it works, how to use it, and what shoppers think about it.
How does Sam’s Club Scan & Go work?
Members simply scan items while shopping, pay through the app, submit the transaction to the cashier, and exit the club without removing the purchase from the cart.
Using personal smartphones (Android and iPhone) to scan barcodes on groceries, shoppers have downloaded the Sam’s Club app.This means you are completing the checkout process when you shop.
Your item is logged into the app, counted for payment, and the process is completed through the checkout screen. The shopper then presents the digital receipt to the cashier and leaves the store.
Sam’s Club Plus members have the option to deliver groceries and other retail items. This means that with Scan & Go (or Scan & Ship, an additional feature integrated in Scan & Go), members can purchase large, bulky items in-store without having to deal with them. They can typically deliver items within three to five business days, all in one digital transaction.
How do you use Sam’s Club Scan & Go?
First, you need to purchase a paid membership to Sam’s Club. There are two options: Club membership ($45 per year) or Plus membership ($100 per year). Then head to the app store and download the Sam’s Club app – you’ll need a smartphone.
With the Sam’s Club app you can:
- Using Scan & Go – In-store and at the fuel pump
- Pick Pickup – Shop in the app, then schedule a free pickup time and Sam’s Club will have your order ready for you when you arrive
- Access your shopping list – all your shopping lists are saved
- Pharmacy – transfer prescriptions, request refills and manage prescriptions for the whole family
- Membership – easy access to your membership card and details
- Shop and ship directly to your home or workplace – Plus members get free shipping, club members pay for shipping
So Scan & Go is just one of the Sam’s Club app features. So, once you have the app, use the following steps to access the Scan & Go service:
- Log in to your account – you need your email and password, and your membership must be up to date.
- You’ll then see a welcome message and the name of the club you’re shopping for.
- You should also see a scanner button. Tap this button to scan the barcode of each item you want to buy.
What does the Scan & Go login error message mean?
When you start the Scan & Go shopping experience, a number of error codes may appear. The most common error codes indicate that your login details do not match.
When this happens, for security reasons, you will try 3 times and then your account will be locked for 15 minutes. Sam’s Club recommends resetting your password – this will give you immediate access to your account and Scan & Go.
- There was a problem logging in – Caused by server problems. Sam’s Club recommends re-login or reinstall (latest version) of the application.
- Time is up, update today – Unfortunately, you will need to renew your Sam’s Club membership before you can log in and use Scan & Go. Sam’s Club recommends that you renew your membership immediately (you can do this online) before continuing with Scan & Go.
- Please use to register: Sorry, guest members cannot use Scan & Go – Sam’s Club members are shoppers without membership and are subject to a 10% surcharge. Guests are not eligible for delivery, store pickup or Scan & Go. In this case, the only solution is to buy a membership (Club or Plus).
- Your loyalty card was recently reported lost or stolen – This means that your account has been locked and you will need to contact a service person to reactivate it.
- Your membership is invalid.Please ask for help at the Member Service Desk– This means your membership has expired. (You can renew online.)
- Sorry, we no longer support this version. Try the new one! – That means Sam’s Club has a forced update, and shoppers need to delete their app and install a new one.
- Scan & Go is currently temporarily closed.Please check out today at the registration desk and try the app next time you come– Unfortunately, this happened! This time you have no choice but to use registers.
What do Scan & Go scan error messages mean?
You may receive error messages while shopping. This is pretty common and shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Common errors and solutions include:
- Item not added.Please scan again – This means that the Scan & Go app cannot read the barcode, the barcode scanned was incorrect, or the item is no longer in the system. Sam’s Club recommends that you scan the item again, look for a different barcode on the item, scan the shelf barcode instead of the item code, or manually enter the UPC (Universal Product Code) into Product Lookup.
- Try scanning barcodes on shelves or product signs – This means Scan & Go cannot find your item. When this happens, you may be trying to scan the shelf code of the item being weighed instead of the barcode on the product packaging.
- Please register using – Some items are restricted and can only be purchased at the cashier.
- Sorry, we’re having a little trouble. Please try again (code 504) – This means the server is not responding/timed out. Sam’s Club advised shoppers to try again, as the problem should only be temporary.
- Please use registration. Sorry for the inconvenience (code 01) – This means the system encountered a problem with your payment method. When this happens, you’ll need to change your payment method.
- Sorry, your payment was declined – Again, you need to try another payment method.
- Sorry, we’re having a little trouble. Please try again (code 3013) – Annoyingly, this happens all the time. Shoppers report that having to log out and back in is the only solution.
- Please see the marked items – This usually refers to the CVV number on your credit card (not entered or entered incorrectly).
- When you shop, your app scans a single item, multiple times, or items you didn’t try to scan (Android devices only). When this keeps happening, turn off the Continuous Scan feature (top right corner of the screen).
How do you pay with Scan & Go?
There are three payment methods you can add to the app, major credit cards, Sam’s cash, and EBT/SNAP funds.
You can’t pay with gift cards (though you can), and there’s a $750 maximum order per day, but there’s no minimum order total.
Non-members cannot use the service at all, and there are identity and age restrictions on alcohol purchases. So far, Scan & Go technology has only been used with smartphones, not with iPads or tablets of any kind, nor with Microsoft phones.
Your receipts are all stored in the app and can be exported and printed.
Can I use my EBT SNAP card to make purchases with Scan & Go?
Shoppers can use Scan & Go with a range of payment methods, including Sam’s Cash, EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards and all major credit cards.
Once you open the Scan & Go mobile app and finish scanning your items, you will be taken to the checkout screen. There you will see the “Add EBT Card” button. After adding your EBT/SNAP card, you can “swipe to pay”, verify your PIN, and show your transaction QR code at the cashier.
Please note that SNAP merchandise is clearly displayed on the Scan & Go checkout screen and SNAP purchased through Scan & Go is only available as an in-store purchase.
Will Scan & Go encourage theft?
The Scan & Go system is designed to save customers time and give them more control over the supermarket checkout system. However, it does allow theft, so Sam’s Club has “random checkout controls” in place at all stores.
Randomized checkout control uses an algorithm to randomly select shopping baskets to check before they leave the store. The selection is completely random and any shopper can be chosen. This check is not based on shopper behavior, basket content, or the customer’s skill with Scan & Go. Customers are not tracked around the store or censored when they shop.
If a customer’s basket is selected for random inspection, the Scan & Go mobile app will prompt them to go to the designated kiosk area, and the cashier will check that the contents of their basket (or trolley) match the count in the app.
The idea behind the random checkout control strategy is that regular checks will deter would-be thieves from trying to leave the store with items that have not been scanned and paid for.
Is Sam’s Club Scan & Go service good?
Sam’s Club developed and launched Scan & Go for a number of very specific reasons. Most importantly, the technology is designed to save customers time and give them more control over their shopping experience.
Other useful features include:
- Skip the checkout queue no matter how busy the store is
- Ability to use it to buy gasoline and alcohol
- Scan & Go tracks your spending with built-in budgeting tools
- The app helps stores comply with Covid evacuation regulations
- You can view total cost while shopping – no more total cost shocks at checkout
- You can edit while shopping – in other words, you can delete or change the quantity in the app
- You can easily return goods at customer service by showing your e-receipt
- All your receipts are kept in one place for easy retrieval
- Item scanning is quick and easy
- Useful Scan & Go deals for shoppers on a regular basis
- You can buy everything this way, including alcohol, fuel and gift cards
Features of interest include:
- Frustrated with error code
- Complains that it doesn’t work anymore when the app is upgraded
- Scan Questions While Shopping – Duplicate items or add unwanted items the shopper doesn’t know about
- Customers have to wait and check the basket/trolley Every The time they shop, which defeats the purpose of Scan & Go in the first place
- Problems with the app charging card no default card
- Apps load slowly or not at all
- Update not downloaded
- It feels like the app keeps showing error codes and issues making the shopping process more than…
