BJ’s is a popular chain of warehouse stores that sell goods at wholesale prices. It requires customers to pay for membership in order to shop there. Annual fees range from $45-$80 depending on the type of membership and the services included. BJ’s offers typical grocery store and household items, as well as optical services, vacation packages and gasoline. Products and services may vary slightly depending on the store.
Upon entering the store, you will see products stacked in tall metal shelves. They are organized by category in spacious aisles. The price is clearly displayed under the product, along with dimensions and features. Prices are often below those of retail stores. Electronic goods are located in one section of the store, with an aisle for TVs, computers, and cameras. Another section is cleaning items, where you can find detergents, sprays, and mops. There is also a huge section for toiletries, appliances, and different kinds of packaged foods. Fresh meats, fruits, vegetables, dairy products and baked goods are also available.
BJs sells goods in bulk, unlike typical supermarkets. This is one of the reasons why the prices are kept low. Therefore large families are more likely to shop at BJs for food and other items. Because the quantities are larger, there is less packaging used for the products. There are also less customer representatives floating around the store to assist you with your purchase. People are expected to find the products on their own and drop them into their cart. Finally, there are no bags provided after checkout to carry the items. You are expected to bring your own bags or cart the purchases directly to the trunk of your car. All these factors reduce the store’s overhead costs and help maintain low prices.
To attract customers into the store, BJs often promote their membership with coupons for free trials. If you log on to their website at www.bjs.com, you can sign up for a one-day pass that is free of charge. However, a 15% surcharge will be added to your purchases unless you sign up for annual membership within a week, in which case it will be credited back to your account. Another coupon available on their website is for a free 60-day trial membership. That means you can shop at BJ’s for 60 days without paying for the membership. After the period is over, you have the option to continue membership by paying annual fees or discontinuing the membership. Sometimes BJ’s even offer free gift items for the day that you sign on for the trial membership.
Once you become a member, you can also get coupons on the company’s website. After you sign up and log into your account, click on “In-Club Coupons” on the left column of the page and select the coupons you want to print and use. The coupons are regularly updated, so check before you go to the store. In addition to the store’s coupons, you can also use manufacturer’s coupons clipped from newspapers and other online sites for discounts on products offered in the store. This is a major advantage that BJ’s has over competing wholesale club chains like Costco.