If you are someone who is looking to save money while buying products in bulk, it is possible with the memberships at BJ’s. But the vital question is, is BJ’s membership worth it? And, in what situations should it be something that you should take up?

What Is BJ’s Wholesale Club?

Wholesale clubs are great places where people can buy a huge stock of products at discounted prices. The products take up considerable space, so the interiors are built like warehouses.

The prices are extremely competitive, but you need a membership to take advantage of them.

On the other hand, the annual memberships cost a bit more money but are relatively inexpensive when you look at the benefits. They are more focused on creating customer loyalty with their brand.

BJ’s is situated on the East Coast; its competitors, Sam’s and Costco, have more stores throughout the nation. There are two tiers to the BJ’s membership pricing. You can pay to be an Inner Circle Member or a Perks Rewards Member.

Below are the advantages of being a part of each one:

Inner Circle Membership

• Exclusive BJ’s coupons
• A free complimentary membership for an additional member of your house
• Access to the store to shop
• The cost of the Inner Circle Membership is only $55 a year

Perks Reward Membership

• 2% cash back on all purchases.
• The ability to earn double or triple cash back during special events
• Exclusive sales and events only for Perks Reward Members
• Access to shop the store
• BJ’s travel benefits
• The cost of the Perks Rewards Membership is $110 a year

How Does BJ’S Club Fare Against its Competitors?

BJ’s is grouped into the ‘the big three’ with competitors Sam’s and Costco, and when looking at all three, there aren’t many major differences between what they all have to offer.

BJ’s was found to have a more competitive price when compared with the others. Their basic membership is cheaper than its competitors as well.

However, the disadvantage with BJ’s is their lack of nationwide accessibility. While both Sam’s and Costco had more than 500 stores each nationwide, BJ’s has a meager 219 on the East Coast.

What Are the Advantages of Membership to BJ’s Wholesale Club?

Huge Savings

According to a report, the average household can save up to $205 on groceries by shopping at a wholesale club. BJ’s provides huge quantities at discounted rates and therefore can lead to bigger savings. They also offer essentials at low costs and additional services that the customer might need. BJ’s provides services such as eye care and tire replacement.

House Brands

Wholesale clubs such as BJ’s have house brands that are trustworthy and well liked by the customers. Therefore, they also provide the most savings and become a key reason to shop with wholesale club memberships.

Great Shopping Experience

Along with huge discounts, BJ’s also provides a comfortable and likable shopping experience for their customers. There are large aisles, excellent customer service, and free samples for new products. BJ’s exclusively offers customers “manufacturer coupons” that allow for additional savings. Any other store does not provide this.

Bulk Shopping

Buying for a large family becomes especially easy with wholesale clubs such as BJ’s. Any more than three family members would constitute buying a large amount of expensive groceries, which memberships can help greatly reduce. Large families would greatly benefit when looking at their potential savings versus the annual membership fee.

Disadvantages of Wholesale Membership Shopping

While saving is a great advantage, wholesale shopping isn’t necessarily for everyone. Below are a few reasons why.

Membership Is Mandatory

One of the most significant disadvantages is the exclusivity of the club, meaning that you can not enter the store unless you have paid a membership fee. Membership is checked regularly at the entrance.

Bulk Buying Isn’t for Everyone

Buying in bulk isn’t necessarily beneficial for everyone. If the customer is shopping for a family of two, perhaps stocking up on 20 rolls of toilet paper is unreasonably excessive.

In the end, it may be more costly for small families to buy in bulk than buying in units. You might also not be able to see the benefits that come from saving this way because a small group of people would only require a few items.

Gateway to Impulse Buying

Many can face a problem with bulk buying that leads to huge savings but can also lead to unnecessary impulse buying. You can easily overspend on things that you think you can buy because of savings from other products. But in the end, you’ll end up eating any savings you could have kept.

Getting a BJ’s Membership

Getting a membership is easy. You can sign up at the local store with help from customer service. Or you can sign up online and choose for yourself either the Inner Circle or Perks membership.

Can I Get a Trial on a Membership?

While getting a membership looks efficient, there can be some indecisiveness because of the extended commitment and membership fee.

If that is the case, one can always apply for a one-day pass for free. This is an option available exclusively at BJ’s and allows you to have a full-day shopping experience as if you were a member. This can help with the decision inertia.

Is a BJ’s Wholesale Club Membership Worth it?

Well, that depends. Nothing is the same for everyone, and you have to see if the benefits outweigh the cons. You should think about how often you’re going to use the membership. If you intend to shop at least once a month or shop for a large family, then chances are that your savings will be significant.

On the other hand, if you live alone or with one or two family members and prefer to shop in smaller quantities, then maybe the membership isn’t for you. You probably wouldn’t be able to see worthwhile savings like someone who buys in large quantities would.

Conclusion

If you can not find substantial benefits from shopping wholesale, but you feel as though you need to buy a few products exclusively found at wholesale clubs, there is a way to shop there without having to get a membership.

This can be done through any delivery service. You will have to pay delivery fees and a tip to the driver. In the end, though, you will most likely be buying these goods a few times a year, and therefore it would probably be much cheaper to just get the membership if you prefer.