Sam’s Club is implementing its largest checkout modification ever: a shift to a Scan & Go-only business model. Members scan items in the app, pay with their phones, and leave rather than standing in line.

The Walmart-owned company presents this as a retail technology advancement that eliminates the need for receipt checks by using artificial intelligence at the checkout to validate purchases.

The “club of the future” is a renovated club in Grapevine, Texas, and customers in Tempe, Arizona, and Springdale, Arkansas, are noticing similar changes. The strategy highlights app-first shopping while cutting back on self-checkout and traditional lanes.

Target and Costco are keeping an eye on things, even as Walmart+ and the rest of the Walmart ecosystem continue to promote easier, faster ways to shop. While fans like skipping lines, critics worry about the learning curve for people who would rather not use a phone.

Making the shift to self-checkout

The goal is simple: Self-checkout and manned registers will be replaced by Scan & Go in the Sam’s Club app. You pay with a smartphone, scan as you shop, and exit through gates that use artificial intelligence to automatically validate your cart.

Since these changes are new, the transition isn’t complete at all the clubs yet:

• Grapevine (Texas): Scan & Go–only for shopping and café, setting the standard.

• Tempe (Arizona): The pharmacy, member desk, and optical still have some staffed points, but the transition is under way.

• Springdale (Arkansas): Reduced to a small number of self-checkout stations recently as it moves toward app-only.

According to some members, their local club is becoming “app only.” “Just heard an employee mention going app only in store… They said the registers are all being removed and they want everyone to use Scan & Go. It’s a great system.” one customer wrote. With the goal of minimizing the learning curve and facilitating a seamless transition, Sam’s Club pairs the change with associates at the exit to assist.

Member reactions: love the speed, worry about access

Many customers applaud the simplicity: “Honestly, Scan & Go is one of the best things about Sam’s Club. In fact, I wish they allowed people to do it in Walmart as well.” “The Grapevine, TX location is Scan & Go only… I honestly love it!” “For the life of me, I can’t figure out why more people don’t use it.”

However, some members claim that app-only checkout can be a barrier for people with limited tech access or comfort, and not all items are yet eligible for Scan & Go. “Keeping some form of a cashier helps people who didn’t grow up behind a screen,” one customer stated.

Employees with iPads are set up close to the exit to help with checkout when necessary in order to ease the transition. Although some clubs currently maintain staffed locations in delicate areas (such as pharmacies), the trend is clear: more online shopping.

Sam’s Club’s direction of retail technology

The direction of retail technology, which includes app-first navigation, mobile payments, and the substitution of artificial intelligence for manual steps, is shown by Sam’s Club’s push for Scan & Go. Members benefit from speed—no lines, no paper receipts, and quick departures. It could result in cleaner data and more efficient business operations. The real test of inclusion is keeping assistance visible in-store to avoid technology becoming a barrier for people who don’t use apps.

The “no-fuss” store is the new standard in a market where Walmart is expanding its benefits through Walmart+ and Costco and Target are also experimenting with checkout. Sam’s Club can provide a quicker trip for many without abandoning others if it combines its app-only business model with simple support and obvious exceptions in locations like pharmacies and optical shops.