Sam’s Club gets its app into the holiday spirit

Sam’s Club members can use the app to locate the nearest Sam’s Club store, check each store’s inventory and view their eValues.

Sam’s Club, the member-supported warehouse shopping arm of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., No. 6 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide, has launched a mobile app aimed at simplifying consumers’ shopping experiences.

The app allows shoppers to scan a product using 2-D barcode scanning, read ratings and reviews, and use the app’s Holiday Gift Finder to analyze a friend’s Facebook profile for potential gift ideas. The Holiday Gift Finder also enables shoppers to search gifts by gender, age and price.

Each day of the season the app will feature a Buy of the Day. Consumers can receive details about the items details, read reviews, e-mail links to the promotion or text it to their friends. The app will  preview the retailer’s day after Thanksgiving sale prior to Thanksgiving so shoppers can prepare.

Sam’s Club members can also use the app to locate the nearest Sam’s Club store, check each store’s inventory, and view their eValues, which are customized discounts loaded on a shopper’s membership card. The app alerts the consumer when a new offer is added to a shopper’s eValues.

The reason the retailer launched the app was due to the company’s recent research that showed nearly 40% of its customers shop from their mobile phone, says Cindy Davis, Sam’s Club executive vice president of marketing. “We are always listening to our members to find the next innovation and this app will help us improve our members’ shopping experience in a simple and uniquely Sam’s Club way.”