Sam’s Club Taps Acosta as Merch Services Provider

Sam’s Club has chosen consumer packaged goods sales and marketing agency Acosta as its exclusive service provider for all merchandise services in the retailer’s 597 clubs across the United States and Puerto Rico.

The new Merchandising Services Program will centralize Sam’s Club merchandising activities, which are currently handled by various third-party agencies. Acosta will be the only merchandiser for non-DSD packaged goods and hardlines in U.S. Sam’s Club locations.

Starting this fall, Acosta will operate a Sam’s Club-dedicated service model in which trained and certified representatives will work exclusively at Sam’s Club facilities or on behalf of its suppliers. The agency will optimize sales performance through such merchandising activities as resets, feature and display installations, seasonal program execution, point-of-sale placement, new item cut-ins, stocking, and availability. Phase one of the program will create 600 new in-club merchandising jobs and provide career opportunities for existing retail continuity associates.

“Acosta has been proud to be one of five Preferred Service Providers for Walmart since 2017, and we are honored Sam’s Club selected us for their new Merchandising Services Program,” noted Ashley Taylor, COO, sales, North America at Jacksonville, Florida-based Acosta. “Our team is eager to put our technology and expertise to work to drive sales, increase efficiencies and improve the Sam’s Club member experience.”

A division of Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart Inc., Sam’s Club is No. 9 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumbles retailers in North America, while Walmart U.S. is No. 1 on PG’s list.