Try before you buy – a membership – at Sam’s Club

Back-to-school shoppers get a free three day pass at Sam’s Club beginning August 2, as part of an initiative to increase membership at the warehouse club.

Sam’s is inviting shoppers to visit its more than 600 clubs beginning Friday, August 2, without paying any type of membership fee or non-member surcharge. The retailer has conducted similar open house events in the past as a means to expose shoppers to the Sam’s Club experience and hopefully convert a meaningful number to dues-paying members, at either the $45 base membership level or $100 Plus member level.

To accomplish that objective, Sam’s requires non-members to visit the club’s member services desk upon entering the building to receive a temporary membership pass. Non-members accessing SamsClub.com will be asked for their email address prior to checkout. And since it is back-to-school season, Sam’s also is offering collegiate membership that essentially the same as a basic $45 membership, except students and school organizations who sign up receive a $15 gift card.