WINNING AT 
CLUB
What is Club?
Sam’s Club has the most locations of the 3 retailers, 
and also has a larger presence in Middle America 
Sam’s Club 620 Costco 460 BJ’s 200
Costco is the largest in terms of revenue, while 
Sam’s is second & BJ’s is a small regional player. 
Sam’s Club Costco BJ’s 
$56B $75B $13B
Costco has the lar gest stores, and the least SK U’s. 
BJ’s has the smallest stor es and the most SK U’s. 
Sam’s Club Costco BJ’s 
113KSQ/FT AVG 
143KSQ/FT AVG 
AVG 
134KSQ/FT
How does BJ’s stock so many SKU’s in a small space? 
By merchandizing half pallets among other things. ? 
Sam’s Club Costco BJ’s
The goal with the club stor e experience? 
to make you feel like a kid in a candy stor e 
CANDY
EDUCATION 
HOUSEHOLD SIZE 
FEMALE 
RACE 
AGE 
35-54 
GENDER 
SAM’S: 51% 
COSTCO: 49% 
BJ’S: 45% 
COSTCO: 51% 
HHI 
3-5+HH 
CAUCASIAN 
THE CLUB 
STORE SHOPPER 
COLLEGE + POSTGRAD 
SAM’S: 22% 
BJ’S: 31% 
COSTCO: 33% 
$100K+ 
SAM’S: 38% 
BJ’S: 56% 
*Scarborough research, 2014
COLLEGE + POSTGRAD 
HOUSEHOLD SIZE 
FEMALE 
RACE 
AGE 
35-54 
GENDER 
SAM’S: 51% 
COSTCO: 49% 
SAM’S: 38% 
BJ’S: 45% 
3-5+HH 
CAUCASIAN 
THE CLUB 
STORE SHOPPER 
BJ’S: 56% 
HHI 
SAM’S: 22% 
BJ’S: 31% 
COSTCO: 33% 
$100K+ 
EDUCATION 
COSTCO: 51% 
*Scarborough research, 2014
RULE THE
At retail, 80% of r evenues come from 20% of 
the products. Club stores turned that r atio on 
its head. Club stores stock only the best selling 
20%, and offer them at deep discounts.
Why Should You Care?
You Can’t 
You Can’t 
NOt To!!! 
NOt To!!!
MISC CHANNEL X% ANNUALLY 
E-COMMERCE X% ANNUALLY 
MISC CHANNEL X% ANNUALLY 
MISC CHANNEL X% ANNUALLY
100% 
90% 
80% 
70% 
60% 
50% 
40% 
30% 
20% 
10% 
88.6 % 
EXPECT SALES GROWTH In The 
69.4 % 
% OF CPG Execs THAT 
Following Channels 
49.3 % 
WAREHOUSE CLUB DOLLAR GROCERY 
*Deloitte Consulting, 2013
Designing For Club
Club Store packaging should be designed 
like billboard advertising
Club packaging should visually communicate 
within 5 seconds fr om 5 feet away
Different club retailers merchandize differently. 
Costco merchandizes on 48” side of pallet , while BJ’s 
& Sam’s merchandize on the 40” side of the pallet .
48” 40”
4Best 
Practices
Color Blocking
Billboarding
We define “Billboarding” as designing 2 (or mor e) 
package facings to cr eate a continuous design consisting 
of product photography, color, patterns and/or other 
elements that overlap multiple facings.
Billboarding is a technique commonly used in gr ocery and 
other channels
Billboarding is particularly relevant at club
Lead with Icons
If you have substantial equity with the look of y our product, or 
your packaging, logo, or some other distinctiv e characteristic... 
Lead with that distinctiv e imagery!
Shoppable from 5 sides
When designing Club Store Packaging, your 
designs should work and communicate clearly 
when your packages are stacked on pallets, 
from all 4 sides as w ell as the top of the pallet .
4Design 
Trends
Simplicty
Value
Optimism
Experience
For more insight on club stor e design & 
strategy, visit us online at worksdesigngroup.com, 
or give us a ring at 856.665.4774

Club Store Packaging and Design Strategy

  • 1.
  • 2.
  • 4.
    Sam’s Club hasthe most locations of the 3 retailers, and also has a larger presence in Middle America Sam’s Club 620 Costco 460 BJ’s 200
  • 5.
    Costco is thelargest in terms of revenue, while Sam’s is second & BJ’s is a small regional player. Sam’s Club Costco BJ’s $56B $75B $13B
  • 6.
    Costco has thelar gest stores, and the least SK U’s. BJ’s has the smallest stor es and the most SK U’s. Sam’s Club Costco BJ’s 113KSQ/FT AVG 143KSQ/FT AVG AVG 134KSQ/FT
  • 7.
    How does BJ’sstock so many SKU’s in a small space? By merchandizing half pallets among other things. ? Sam’s Club Costco BJ’s
  • 8.
    The goal withthe club stor e experience? to make you feel like a kid in a candy stor e CANDY
  • 9.
    EDUCATION HOUSEHOLD SIZE FEMALE RACE AGE 35-54 GENDER SAM’S: 51% COSTCO: 49% BJ’S: 45% COSTCO: 51% HHI 3-5+HH CAUCASIAN THE CLUB STORE SHOPPER COLLEGE + POSTGRAD SAM’S: 22% BJ’S: 31% COSTCO: 33% $100K+ SAM’S: 38% BJ’S: 56% *Scarborough research, 2014
  • 10.
    COLLEGE + POSTGRAD HOUSEHOLD SIZE FEMALE RACE AGE 35-54 GENDER SAM’S: 51% COSTCO: 49% SAM’S: 38% BJ’S: 45% 3-5+HH CAUCASIAN THE CLUB STORE SHOPPER BJ’S: 56% HHI SAM’S: 22% BJ’S: 31% COSTCO: 33% $100K+ EDUCATION COSTCO: 51% *Scarborough research, 2014
  • 11.
  • 12.
    At retail, 80%of r evenues come from 20% of the products. Club stores turned that r atio on its head. Club stores stock only the best selling 20%, and offer them at deep discounts.
  • 13.
  • 14.
    You Can’t YouCan’t NOt To!!! NOt To!!!
  • 15.
    MISC CHANNEL X%ANNUALLY E-COMMERCE X% ANNUALLY MISC CHANNEL X% ANNUALLY MISC CHANNEL X% ANNUALLY
  • 16.
    100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 88.6 % EXPECT SALES GROWTH In The 69.4 % % OF CPG Execs THAT Following Channels 49.3 % WAREHOUSE CLUB DOLLAR GROCERY *Deloitte Consulting, 2013
  • 17.
  • 18.
    Club Store packagingshould be designed like billboard advertising
  • 19.
    Club packaging shouldvisually communicate within 5 seconds fr om 5 feet away
  • 20.
    Different club retailersmerchandize differently. Costco merchandizes on 48” side of pallet , while BJ’s & Sam’s merchandize on the 40” side of the pallet .
  • 21.
  • 22.
  • 23.
  • 27.
  • 28.
    We define “Billboarding”as designing 2 (or mor e) package facings to cr eate a continuous design consisting of product photography, color, patterns and/or other elements that overlap multiple facings.
  • 29.
    Billboarding is atechnique commonly used in gr ocery and other channels
  • 30.
  • 32.
  • 33.
    If you havesubstantial equity with the look of y our product, or your packaging, logo, or some other distinctiv e characteristic... Lead with that distinctiv e imagery!
  • 36.
  • 38.
    When designing ClubStore Packaging, your designs should work and communicate clearly when your packages are stacked on pallets, from all 4 sides as w ell as the top of the pallet .
  • 39.
  • 40.
  • 41.
  • 42.
  • 43.
  • 44.
    For more insighton club stor e design & strategy, visit us online at worksdesigngroup.com, or give us a ring at 856.665.4774