Sam’s Club and its two major competitors, Costco Wholesale Corp. and the privately held BJ’s Wholesale Club, are in a battle for customers. For many the choice comes down to cost. Price isn’t the only factor, but if one of the three were appreciably more expensive, customers would be scurrying for one of the others. Wholesale clubs don’t attract customers with frills — all are pretty stark with a warehouse-like environment — and having items for sale at the lowest possible price is the differentiator between these stores and traditional low-cost retailers like Wal-Mart or Target .

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