Sam's Club Bets On AI To Eliminate Receipt Checks And Enhance Retail
Sam's Club unveiled a vision for the future of retail at its recent 2025 Investment Community Meeting — a shopping experience free from traditional checkouts and receipt verifications. Central to this vision is the expansion of its AI-powered 'Just Go' technology, designed to streamline the exit process and enhance customer convenience.
Continuous Innovation of the Checkout Experience
The 'Just Go' system builds upon the previously announced AI-Powered 'Scan & Go' Exit Technology, allowing members to scan items using the Sam's Club mobile app as they shop. Upon exiting, AI-powered computer vision and digital receipt-matching verify purchases, effectively removing the need for manual receipt checks, a common pain point among club shoppers.
The company's new Grapevine, Texas, location serves as a real-world showcase for this technology. Described as a 'tech-forward flagship,' the store does not feature traditional checkout lanes. Instead, it's outfitted with intelligent exit gates and backroom robotics like automated forklifts and a vertical tire storage carousel. This signals Sam's Club's larger ambition to blend physical and digital retail infrastructure across its 600+ U.S. clubs.
'We're investing with intention, in our fleet, our associates, and the member experience, to become the world's best club retailer,' said Chris Nicholas, Sam's Club president and CEO.
Empowering Associates, Not Replacing Them
While automation in retail often raises alarms about job losses, Sam's Club is clear that it is not replacing associates with AI systems. 'Sam's Club's 100,000 associates remain central to the company's momentum,' as stated in the company's recent announcement.
Instead, the goal is to free associates from manual tasks like receipt checking so they can focus on higher-value, member-facing roles.
For example, AI-driven inventory systems can now autonomously track stock levels and trigger replenishments, which allows staff to prioritize personalized service and in-aisle engagement. This shift not only enhances the customer experience but also opens up internal opportunities for upskilling and advancement.
Retail Industry Still Experimenting with AI-Enhanced Experiences
In contrast, Sam's Club's main competitor, Costco, has been slower to adopt digital checkout alternatives. The wholesale giant still relies on physical receipts and exit greeters to manually verify purchases, a system many shoppers accept as part of the brand's in-store culture of savings and trust. Costco has made investments in warehouse automation and e-commerce, but remains cautious in replacing human oversight with AI.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Amazon Go, which pioneered the 'Just Walk Out' model. Amazon's convenience stores, and more recently full-sized grocery stores, use ceiling-mounted cameras and shelf sensors to automatically charge customers as they leave. However, the model remains niche. Despite the hype, Amazon recently announced it would pause further expansion of Go stores, citing high operational costs and complex scalability issues.
Sam's Club's approach that integrates receiptless exits into existing store formats and mobile-first tools may prove to be a more cost-effective and scalable version of the Amazon Go vision.
As Sam's Club's parent company, Walmart provides both a testing ground and strategic umbrella for AI innovation. The retail giant has made significant investments in automation, from intelligent shelf-monitoring robots to AI-powered delivery logistics, but has not yet rolled out widespread 'Just Go' checkout systems in its supercenters.
Instead, Walmart has focused on a hybrid model: self-checkout kiosks, scan-and-go options, and advanced mobile payment tools to offer flexibility. Sam's Club, with its membership model and controlled store environments, acts as an ideal incubator for cutting-edge tech that might later be adapted for the Walmart ecosystem.
Globally, other retailers are also experimenting with AI-powered checkout. Alibaba's Hema stores in China use facial recognition and app-based checkouts, blending physical and digital shopping with embedded loyalty programs. Meanwhile, Decathlon in France and Tesco in the UK have piloted RFID-based checkout-free experiences, although at a smaller scale than Amazon or Sam's Club.
Carrefour, one of Europe's largest grocers, launched an AI-powered 'Flash 10/10' store in Paris in partnership with tech firm AiFi. Like Amazon Go, it promises '10 seconds to shop, 10 seconds to pay,' though it's limited to select locations.
These examples underscore a key trend: while fully autonomous stores are becoming more common globally, most retailers — like Sam's Club — are pursuing hybrid solutions that balance tech innovation with operational pragmatism.
The Road Ahead for AI-Enhanced Retail
Sam's Club is not just automating for speed, it's rethinking the member experience for a digital-native generation. With plans to open about 15 new clubs each year and modernize dozens more, the retailer is setting a fast pace for the adoption of AI at scale. The appointment of Diana Marshall as Chief Experience Officer further highlights the company's prioritization of tech-enhanced personalization and data-driven service.
By aligning AI deployment with customer needs and employee growth, Sam's Club positions itself at the forefront of the next wave in retail transformation, aiming to not just build better stores, but a better way to shop.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
2 Top Dividend Stocks Duke It Out. Which Is Better?
Key Points On top of its regular dividend, Costco also occasionally pays out a much bigger special dividend. Both companies increased their dividend this year. Valuation is ultimately what makes one stock a better buy than the other. 10 stocks we like better than Alphabet › When investors think about dividend stocks, they usually start with high-yielding names. Utilities, telecoms, and big consumer staples often dominate the conversation. But sometimes the best dividend opportunities come from companies with low payouts. That's where membership-based wholesale retailer Costco (NASDAQ: COST) and Google parent Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL) come in. Both yield less than 1%, making them easy to dismiss for income. Yet, both are outstanding businesses with excellent dividend growth prospects. Costco, specifically, delivers incredible stability and even pays occasional special dividends on top of its regular dividend. Meanwhile, Alphabet has a brand-new payout and is one of the cheapest valuations among big tech. But which one of these two dividend growth stocks edges out the other when compared head-to-head? Costco: Dependable income at a high price Costco has a reputation for consistency, and its dividend reflects that. The company's payout is below 30%, leaving plenty of room for business reinvestment and steady dividend increases over time. Additionally, Costco has increased its dividend every year for more than two decades, with an annual growth rate of around 13% in recent years. The latest raise came this spring, when management boosted the quarterly dividend to $1.30. That puts the annual payout at $5.20 and the dividend yield at roughly 0.5%. Notably, Costco offers more than just its regular dividend. From time to time, the company pays special dividends, too. In early 2024, for instance, shareholders received a $15 special dividend. These extra payouts can make a big difference for long-term holders, even though they come only occasionally. The issue with Costco, however, is the stock's valuation. Shares trade at more than 50 times earnings, a very high multiple for a stock that grew its sales and earnings per share 8% and 13%, respectively, in its most recent quarter. That premium reflects both the quality of the business and investors' willingness to pay up for its reliability. But such a lofty valuation leaves little margin for error. Even though sales and earnings continue to grow at a healthy pace, today's stock price already bakes in years of strong performance. Investors buying now should expect modest returns from here unless Costco delivers upside surprises. Alphabet: Small yield, big upside Alphabet only started paying a dividend in 2024, so it doesn't have Costco's long track record. The payout is small, with an annual dividend of $0.84 per share and a yield of around 0.4%. But the payout ratio is less than 10%. That leaves huge room for growth if management decides to raise the dividend in future years. The company is also aggressively investing in its business (perhaps explaining why management increased its dividend by only 5% this year). Capital expenditures are surging as Alphabet builds out its artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud infrastructure. Sure, this has weighed on free cash flow in the short term. But investors should remember that these investments are aimed at capturing long-term growth opportunities. Making the case for Alphabet stock even stronger, the internet search and cloud computing company's growth story benefits from a diversified set of key revenue sources -- and they're all doing well. Alphabet's advertising business remains strong, YouTube continues to expand, and Google Cloud is gaining ground. Unlike Costco, valuation is a bright spot for Alphabet. Shares trade at about 21 times forward earnings -- a much lower multiple than tech peers like Microsoft and Meta and far below Costco. That's unusual for a company still posting strong double-digit growth in both revenue and profits. Revenue and operating income both increased 14% year over year in the company's second quarter of 2025. With earnings growth like this, Alphabet could ramp up its dividend in a big way down the road (though it might have to get through a period of high capital expenditures first as it invests aggressively in growth). A clear winner Costco and Alphabet may both look like low-yield stocks, but they represent two very different kinds of dividend investments. Costco is the steady option. It offers a safe payout, regular increases, and the occasional special dividend. But investors pay a steep price for that safety, which limits future returns. Alphabet, by contrast, has only just begun rewarding shareholders with dividends. The yield is tiny but could grow substantially over time. More importantly, the tech stock's valuation is much cheaper than Costco's. For investors willing to accept a small payout today in exchange for better long-term potential, Alphabet is the clear winner. Should you invest $1,000 in Alphabet right now? Before you buy stock in Alphabet, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Alphabet wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $668,155!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,106,071!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,070% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 184% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of August 13, 2025 Daniel Sparks and his clients do not have positions in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Costco Wholesale, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2 Top Dividend Stocks Duke It Out. Which Is Better? was originally published by The Motley Fool
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
PriceSmart, Inc. (PSMT): A Bull Case Theory
We came across a bullish thesis on PriceSmart, Inc. on Countervail Capital's Substack by Johann Colloredo-Mansfeld. In this article, we will summarize the bulls' thesis on PSMT. PriceSmart, Inc.'s share was trading at $111.29 as of August 7th. PSMT's trailing P/E was 23.43 according to Yahoo Finance. Copyright: stocking / 123RF Stock Photo PriceSmart, Inc. (PSMT), a U.S.-based operator of 54 membership warehouse clubs across Latin America and the Caribbean, has been financially resilient but largely ignored by markets. Despite consistent 7.3% revenue CAGR since FY 2020, margin expansion, and a strong balance sheet with no debt, the stock has remained flat for a decade, sharply underperforming U.S. peers like Costco and BJ's. PSMT's operations resemble a long-EM, short-dollar carry trade: it collects revenues in local currencies but sources and finances in U.S. dollars, making FX a primary driver of performance. Empirical analysis shows that a 1% local currency appreciation boosts annual revenue growth by ~3% and EBITDA margins by 0.57%. Valuation multiples tend to rise indirectly through these fundamentals during weak-dollar regimes. In such scenarios, simulations suggest PSMT equity could return over 5x within three years, albeit with elevated tail risk. In contrast, under strong-dollar regimes, outcomes are stable but muted, with capital preservation and a 1.5x median return. Currently, PSMT trades at steep discounts—79% on TEV/EBITDA and 68% on TEV/Sales—despite similar returns on capital and higher margins versus peers. It yields 1.2% on dividends and 1.8% on free cash flow, offering positive carry while acting as a leveraged hedge on USD weakness. With improving fundamentals, robust FX-driven upside optionality, and current valuation misalignment amid a weakening dollar backdrop, PSMT equity presents a rare opportunity: an attractively priced, positive-carry instrument offering asymmetric upside and capital protection—an underappreciated bet on dollar depreciation embedded in a fundamentally solid business. Previously, we covered a bullish thesis on PriceSmart, Inc. (PSMT) by Charly AI in April 2025, which highlighted the company's strong financials, regional expansion, and undervaluation. The company's stock price has appreciated approximately 9% since our coverage. This is because the thesis began to play out. Johann Colloredo-Mansfeld shares an identical thesis but emphasizes FX-driven upside optionality. PriceSmart, Inc. is not on our list of the 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 20 hedge fund portfolios held PSMT at the end of the first quarter which was 22 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of PSMT as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock. Disclosure: None.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Costco's New 'So Good' Sparkling Protein Drink Has Shoppers Clearing the Shelves
With a growing desire for protein-filled snacks, treats and beverages, manufacturers are crafting more options to please consumers. Whether that's a new puffy protein bar, oatmeal breakfast shake or protein-rich candy bar dupe, there is something for everyone. The latest to drop on the market is Genius Gourmet's Sparkling Protein Beverage. This new drink boasts 30-grams of protein and is a completely clear, crisp sparkling beverage thanks to the ultra-filtering process. The ingredients list contains carbonated water, whey protein isolate and collagen protein, with sucralose to add a bit of is carrying this new line. For $28.99, you'll get a 15-pack of 12-ounce cans in blue raspberry lemonade flavor. The company's website states there are also orange and fruit punch flavors, and we're eagerly awaiting the launch of those flavors. Genius Gourmet is a protein snack brand with an array of protein bars, protein crispy treats, protein cookie bites and protein nut roll bars. Based in Idaho, their brand mission is to bring delicious and healthy options to people around the world. Featured Story: Social media users seem delighted and excited about the launch of the protein sparkling water beverage in Costco stores. 'So excited for this!' and 'I want to try!' exclaimed a few Instagram followers. Others, who have tried the beverage, stated 'I've sampled these and they are SOOO GOOD! 30 grams of protein, great summertime drink!' And, 'it is soooo good. Got it today at Costco'. This seems to be one of the first protein-rich drinks that's clear, crisp and bubbly with no chalky or thick shake-like texture. That means we're willing to give it a try. Up Next:Costco's New 'So Good' Sparkling Protein Drink Has Shoppers Clearing the Shelves first appeared on Men's Journal on Aug 1, 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
