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10 Things Everyone Needs to Know About Sam's Club ‘Scan & Go’ Feature

Learn how to make the most of this unbeatable Sam's Club feature.

Sam's club store entrance
Updated Sept. 24, 2024
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The convenience of the Sam’s Club “Scan & Go” feature is unbeatable. You grab your items, scan them, and then you're on your way.

It’s a process that has caught on with Sam’s Club buyers, who feel like it’s one of the best Sam’s Club hacks. Customers are in and out quickly, regardless of how busy the store is. The retailer says 30% of Sam’s Club members use Scan & Go regularly — a 50% increase over the past three years.

Want to try out this feature for yourself? Here are 10 things you need to know.

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The Scan & Go feature makes shopping easier

Robert/Adobe Sam's Club brand logo

Scan & Go is your ticket to skip the checkout line. You scan items as you shop around the store, then pay in the Scan & Go app and leave the store.

Scan & Go has extra features to enhance your shopping experience, including a running total as you shop. That means you won’t have to face the sudden surprise of a $150 receipt popping up.

Being able to track your expenses in real-time might even help you save money on groceries. The technology also provides reminders for items you may have forgotten based on previous purchases.

Scan & Go is easy to use

JHVEPhoto/Adobe Sam’s club store Saint Louis

Scan & Go is designed to be simple and easy to use. After downloading the app, you can scan an item’s barcode or use the “Find an Item” feature.

The item is then added to your checkout cart. Once you have finished shopping, you pay in the app. On the way out of Sam’s Club, you show your digital receipt to a store employee.

Look for the green rectangle when scanning items

jetcityimage/Adobe sam's club sign outside store

When you see a green rectangle appear over the item’s barcode, you know that it’s been added to your cart.

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You really can just walk out of the store once you pay in the app

Robert/Adobe Sam's Club retail store at night

This is what makes Scan & Go so convenient: Once you pay in the app, you can walk out of the store. There is no need to stand in the checkout line.

However, you will need to show your receipt to a Sam’s Club employee before you leave the store. This is a way for Sam’s Club to make sure you have actually paid for the items in your cart.

You can use gift cards and Sam's Cash with Scan & Go

Игорь Головнёв/Adobe sam's club logo on tablet

You can use Sam’s Cash as one of your methods of payment in the app. You can do the same with gift cards, which you can easily add to your payment methods.

There is a dollar limit on Scan & Go purchases

Tim/Adobe Sam's Club entrance with pharmacy

You can only buy up to $1,000 of items daily using Scan & Go as your payment method. That likely means you can use the feature for the vast majority of shopping trips.

Scan & Go returns are like other returns

cabuscaa/Adobe Sam's Club building in Brazil

You return items purchased with Scan & Go the same way you would return anything purchased via the checkout line.

Open up the app, then go to “Account” and “Purchase History.” This is where you’ll find your Scan & Go receipts, and you can return items to the Member Services desk at Sam’s Club using these digital receipts.

You can’t use a tablet to pay via Scan & Go

Игорь Головнёв/Adobe tablet screen with sam's club logo

If you want to use Scan & Go, you will have to bring your phone: Scan & Go is not available on tablets or any screens larger than 600 dpi.

You might be able to purchase alcohol with Scan & Go

Joni/Adobe wines and champagnes at sam's store

In some states, you can purchase alcohol by bringing your cart and the app to a store employee to confirm your birth date.

If this is allowed, you will click “Pay” as soon as the employee confirms your age within the app.

Scan & Go has been around for a little while

John Hanson Pye/Adobe sams club trolley inside store

Scan & Go has been around since 2016. The technology really began to shine as a contactless way of shopping in 2020.

Now, Scan & Go is the most convenient way to shop at Sam’s Club. There’s no need to wait in line. You also no longer have to wonder how much the items in your cart are going to add up to when you make it to the register.

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Bottom line

jetcityimage/Adobe sams club warehouse

When you shop at a big-box store, it can be easy to lose track of how much you are spending. Impulse purchases add up quickly, and before you know it, your cart is filled with items you didn’t exactly need.

Scan & Go is a smart way to save money by keeping a running tally of how much you are spending as your cart fills up. You see the impact of each item on your bottom line, and you know whether you are starting to break the bank.

This app keeps you accountable for every penny you spend — and that’s a great way to spend less.

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