Sam's Club Master Card Changes

[JamP]

If they nerf the 5% cashback, it may be time to get a different card or get rid of Synchrony completely.

I would need to replace my Amazon also, $50k cli gone, pretty sure I cannot replace that cli quickly with Chase.

1% to 3% cashback for Plus Membership at Sam's club and reduced travel cash back from 3% to 1%.

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/small-changes-to-sams-club-mastercard-earning-rates/

[Anonymous]

Doesn't sound good.

And I've haven't heard of a $50k Chase Amazon limit.  I'm sure it's possible and they are out there, but probably not nearly as easy to come by than the Synchrony version.

[Loquat]

The Wells Fargo Propel has a broad travel category that offers 3% without the need of a membership. I think the Sam's Club card (as it relates to travel) is easily replaceable.

[UncleB]

Looking at the image on DoC's site, for those (like myself) who only have a 'regular' Sam's Club Membership it looks like the card will be 5% gas and 1% everything else, assuming the memo is correct of course.

Definitely not a change in the right direction.

[UncleB]

Quick update... it's official:

Since I only have a 'regular' membership my Sam's Club Mastercard is now 5% gas, 3% dining, and 1% everywhere else, so notably it still makes no sense to use it for purchases at Sam's Club. 

Going forward I'll use it for gas but probably not much else.  I originally got the card for the 3% travel cash back - I was rebuilding at the time and it was the best option available to me - but thankfully I now have other/better options.

[Remedios]

Pretty soon they'll be nerfing plastic and sending you a paper card.

Then you will get an offer for 1% back on laminating. 

[UncleB]

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@Remedios wrote:

Pretty soon they'll be nerfing plastic and sending you a paper card.

Then you will get an offer for 1% back on laminating. 

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I know, right?

A reasonable person would have thought they would have wanted to remain competitive with Costco, but in this case that person would be mistaken. 

Of course for some folks this will be better, specifically those who have the "Plus" membership.  They are really pushing that hard these days... trying to keep up (or rather, catch up) with Amazon (Prime) I guess. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Anonymous]

They push it big at my local Sam's Club. There's a dedicated employee at the registers who comes up as soon as I put my card in to try and goad me into upgrading to Plus. I haven't seen anything in that membership to make it worth the money to upgrade.

[UncleB]

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@Anonymous wrote:

They push it big at my local Sam's Club. There's a dedicated employee at the registers who comes up as soon as I put my card in to try and goad me into upgrading to Plus. I haven't seen anything in that membership to make it worth the money to upgrade.

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Same here... anytime you don't use the self-checkout they try their best to get you to upgrade (there must be a SPIF involved).  I just don't shop there enough to justify it (the cash back wouldn't cover the extra $55) and I have no need for 'early bird' hours, either.

There is one thing that might get my attention if my circumstances were different... if I lived further from the store, the free shipping might (???) make the math work.  Used to if you ordered a minimum amount (I think $35?) you could get free shipping, but now you have to have "Plus" for that regardless of the amount (with very few exceptions).  If one places a few online orders per year I can see how it would easily be a 'wash', but if you live near the store like I do there's seldom a reason to order online.

Edited to add:  Here's an interesting side note, even if you have a "Plus" membership, you would only get 3% cash back for using the Sam's Club Mastercard for online orders, since the other "2% for Plus Members" is only for in-store purchases (not online).

[FinStar]

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@UncleB wrote:

Quick update... it's official:

Since I only have a 'regular' membership my Sam's Club Mastercard is now 5% gas, 3% dining, and 1% everywhere else, so notably it still makes no sense to use it for purchases at Sam's Club. 

Going forward I'll use it for gas but probably not much else.  I originally got the card for the 3% travel cash back - I was rebuilding at the time and it was the best option available to me - but thankfully I now have other/better options.

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Interesting update @UncleB - just got around to reading the info I received by mail as well.  I've been a Plus member for a while, and the recent travel cash back nerf was...anticlimactic at best, especially for a non-AF card 🥴

Another update that I heard, although not confirmed yet, they're upgrading select Plus members that have the WMC to WEMC.  Not sure how much that matters since I haven't seen any additional DPs or information on what, if anything, the WEMC may offer as far as extra benefits.  Probably just one annual complimentary flight on magic broom 🧹 

 This would be, if confirmed, SYNCB's first [WEMC] silver balls version.