Sam's Club extends the hours of all its stores in the US.
Listening to its customers, Sam's Club will open longer hours on Sundays and also expand the hours of its gas stations across the US, starting October 12
Sam's Club announced an important change to the hours of operation of all its stores in the United States. Starting Sunday, October 12, its stores will extend their operating hours, allowing members longer to do their Sunday shopping.
The adjustment comes after what the company described as a direct response to customer requests.
"This change is being implemented due to the overwhelming feedback we've received," explained Steven Zapata, director of corporate communications for Sam's Club, in an interview with USA TODAY.
With this change, stores will be open on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., compared to the previous hours of 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. This represents two additional hours of customer service, which can be greatly beneficial for those who typically shop on the last day of the week.
In addition, Sam's Club Plus members will continue to have exclusive access one hour earlier, meaning they will be able to enter at 8:00 a.m., according to their store's local time.
Gas Stations Expand Service Too
The change isn't limited to stores. Sam's Club gas stations will also see a significant expansion in their hours.
Previously, they operated between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Now, starting October 12, they will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., providing a much wider service window for members who need to fuel up early or later in the day.
Holiday Hours Changes
The new hours will also affect certain holidays. Sam's Club has confirmed that on Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, and New Year's Eve, stores will close at 8:00 p.m. instead of the previous 6:00 p.m. This gives customers two additional hours to shop on peak dates.
However, other key dates will remain unchanged. Stores will continue to close at 6:00 p.m.on December 24 (Christmas Eve) and will remain completely closed for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
A trend in the retail sector
This announcement comes shortly after Costco, its main competitor, announced a similar measure. In June, Costco informed its employees about the reinstatement of exclusive hours for Executive members, offering early access to its warehouses, as revealed by the specialized media Costco Insider.
These types of adjustments seem to respond to a greater demand for flexibility on the part of consumers, who are looking for more options and time to do their shopping amid increasingly demanding work routines.