Latest news with #ChrisNicholas
Business Wire
18-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Walmart, Sam's Club and the Walmart Foundation Commit $750,000 to Support Tornado Relief Efforts
BENTONVILLE, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Walmart Inc., along with Sam's Club and the Walmart Foundation, is actively supporting impacted communities in Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri following severe storms that have left thousands with damage to their homes and many others without electricity. Together, they are committing $750,000 to support relief efforts across the impacted areas. Following the devastating storms—particularly in St. Louis, MO, and London and Somerset, KY—Walmart and Sam's Club have been working with nonprofit organizations to provide essential resources, including: In St. Louis: Walmart supported Annie Malone Children & Family Services to deliver two truckloads of supplies to residents. In London, KY: At the Walmart Supercenter (Store #1113), Walmart is offering free hot meals through the support of Operation BBQ Relief. Additionally, Tides Loads of Hope laundry service and showers provided by Matthew 25: Ministries, Procter & Gamble and Walmart will be deployed to the area. Across the impacted areas: With the loss of homes and power, Walmart and Sam's Club have worked with ITDRC to provide wi-fi services and charging stations to those areas. 'We're thinking of our friends and neighbors in Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri who were impacted by the devastating storms and tornadoes Friday night. The loss of life and the damage to these communities is heartbreaking,' said John Furner, President and CEO, Walmart U.S. 'Our teams are working closely with local leaders and first responders, and we're actively coordinating efforts across Walmart to provide support where it's needed most.' Earlier this year, Walmart, Sam's Club, and the Walmart Foundation provided assistance to several communities in Kentucky and Missouri following severe storms and flooding. 'Our thoughts are with our associates, our members, and the families who have been impacted by the tornadoes in the communities Sam's Club calls home,' said Chris Nicholas, President and CEO, Sam's Club. 'We are moving quickly to provide the support these communities need as they recover from the severe weather.' For those associates, customers, and communities affected, Walmart is providing the support you need through this challenging time. For more information, visit Walmart Disaster Response. About Walmart Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer helping people save money and live better — anytime and anywhere — in stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, approximately 255 million customers and members visit more than 10,500 stores and numerous eCommerce websites in 19 countries. With fiscal year 2024 revenue of $648 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.1 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy, and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting on Facebook at on X (formerly known as Twitter) at and on LinkedIn at About Sam's Club Sam's Club, the $86 billion division of Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is a membership club that is pioneering the future of retail experience, providing exclusive access to value, convenience and modern omnichannel shopping options to millions of members in 600 clubs across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. With over 40 years of innovating in the category, Sam's Club continues to redefine club membership shopping with its curated assortment of quality fresh food and Member's Mark® items, in addition to market leading technologies and services like Scan & Go™️, curbside pickup and home delivery. Visit the Sam's Club Newsroom, shop at or connect with Sam's Club on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest. About Philanthropy at Walmart represents the philanthropic efforts of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. The team works to tackle key social and environmental issues relevant for the retail sector in collaboration with others to spark long-lasting systemic change.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sam's Club to remodel stores in Oklahoma, US as part of 'register-free' move: What to know
Sam's Club is remodeling each of its 600 locations, including all 13 stores in Oklahoma, with a focus on both physical and digital expansions. CEO Chris Nicholas said during Walmart Inc.'s 2025 Investment Community Meeting on April 9 that the company is emphasizing a strategy based on improving membership numbers and expanding physical and digital capabilities. 'This is one of the fastest, most scalable transformations happening in retail today,' said Nicholas in a news release on April 11. 'We're investing with intention — in our fleet, our associates and the member experience — to become the world's best club retailer.' Renovations are set to begin soon, but there is no information available on whether the stores will need to be closed during the process. Check with your local Sam's Club to see if your store will close during renovations. Here's what remodels will do to Oklahoma's 13 locations. The remodeled Sam's Club stores will follow the model of a store that reopened in Grapevine, Texas in late 2024 after it was damaged in an EF-1 tornado in December 2022. After "extensive renovations," the location introduced the company's transition to a "register-free shopping experience." "High-top tables near the showroom and entrance are staffed by member specialists ready to assist anyone new to Scan & Go," the company said in news release in December 2024, adding that the register-free experience was "met with enthusiasm, with the majority of members preferring the streamlined system in its first week." With the new design, customers can explore online exclusives, use Scan & Go to add items to their cart, and ship purchases directly to their doorsteps. All of Sam's Club's locations nationwide will be remodeled, which includes 13 locations in Oklahoma: 1117 W. I-35 Frontage Road, Edmond 802 NW Sheridan Rd, Lawton 6521 SE 29th St, Midwest City 1705 S. Broadway Ave, Moore 3400 W. Main St, Norman 5510 SW Fifth St, Oklahoma City 4101 N. May Ave, Oklahoma City 1900 W. Memorial Rd, Oklahoma City 9000 NW Passage, Oklahoma City 12905 E. 96th St N, Owasso 6922 S. Mingo Rd, Tulsa 4420 S. Sheridan Rd, Tulsa 7757 S. Olympia Ave W, Tulsa This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Sam's Club to remodel in Oklahoma, US as part of 'register-free' move
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Sam's Club to open in San Joaquin County
( — A new Sam's Club is coming to San Joaquin County and local leaders are calling it a 'win for the community.' Sam's Club is a leading national membership retailer with nearly 600 locations throughout the United States. The company selected Lathrop as the site of its newest location in California. It will be located in Stanford Crossing, a new commercial shopping center by Saybrook Fund Advisors along Interstate 5. Camping World location closes amid controversy over flying American flag 'Lathrop's position as California's fastest-growing city makes it an ideal location for retailers,'said Lathrop Mayor Paul Akinjo. 'This is a major win for the community, and we are excited towelcome Sam's Club with open arms.' Sam's Club President and CEO, Chris Nicholas, recently detailed the company'snationwide growth strategy. According to a press release, Sam's Club plans to open about 15 new clubs per year while remodeling all of its locations. It is unclear when the Lathrop location will open, however, officials said a timeline for construction will be released within the next few months. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Business Mayor
21-04-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Sam's Club Bets On AI To Eliminate Receipt Checks And Enhance Retail
AI promises to enhance the retail checkout experience getty 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.
Forbes
21-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Sam's Club Bets On AI To Eliminate Receipt Checks And Enhance Retail
AI promises to enhance the retail checkout experience At its recent 2025 Investment Community Meeting, Sam's Club unveiled a vision for the future of retail: 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. '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. 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. 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. 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. 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.
