Design
Like other warehouse clubs, Sam's Club sells most of its merchandise in bulk and directly off pallets. The clubs are arranged much like warehouses, with merchandise stocked in warehouse-style steel bins. As of January 31, 2009 (2009 -01-31) there were 602 Sam's Clubs in the United States. Products sold include jewelry, designer goods, sunglasses, crystal and collectibles, electronics, floral, apparel, food and meats. Most locations have Pharmacy, Tire and Battery, Photo, Bakery, Optical, Café and Floral departments. Sam's Club markets items under the private labels Simply Right (Formerly Member's Mark), Bakers & Chefs, and Sam's Club — including products by Richelieu Foods, a private label manufacturer of frozen pizza, salad dressing, sauces, marinades, condiments and deli salads. Sam's Club does not sell the Sam's Choice or Great Value brands, that are available in Walmart stores. However Sam's Club is now changing some of the Member's Mark items, such as baby wipes to the name Simply Right. The Member's Mark Deli products is also changing names to Artisan Fresh. Another notable feature in most locations is the presence of stands at which Shopper Events employees prepare various food products for members to sample before purchasing.
Sam's Club has more than 47 million U.S. members and operates more than 580 clubs nationwide, as well as more than 100 international locations in Brazil, China, and Mexico. There are also stores in the U.S. commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
A typical Sam's Club stands between 71,000 square feet (6,600 m2) and 130,000 square feet (12,000 m2). The Sam's Club division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. had total sales revenue of US$46.9 billion for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2009. Sam's primary competitor is Costco Wholesale.
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—François, Duc De La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680)
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“The reason American cars don’t sell anymore is that they have forgotten how to design the American Dream. What does it matter if you buy a car today or six months from now, because cars are not beautiful. That’s why the American auto industry is in trouble: no design, no desire.”
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