Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP)
Sam's Club Connect is the advertising platform of Sam's Club, a Walmart Inc. subsidiary, enabling consumer brands to engage members through Scan & Go™ digital ads, in-club activations, and content sponsorships powered by 40+ years of first-party membership data and closed-loop measurement.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersBentonville, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) does
Sam's Club Member Access Platform, operating under the brand "Sam's Club Connect," is the advertising and member-engagement platform of Sam's Club, a warehouse club subsidiary of Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT; Sam's Club was founded as a Walmart division in 1983). Headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas, the platform is a B2B offering that enables consumer brands to engage Sam's Club's membership base through integrated physical and digital touchpoints. Its primary customer segment is consumer packaged goods (CPG), consumer electronics, and general consumer advertisers seeking access to high-value retail shoppers with closed-loop ROI measurement.
The platform's core technology rests on a first-party membership data layer spanning over 40 years of Sam's Club shopping behavior, integrated with Sam's Club's in-club digital infrastructure (Scan & Go™) and a proprietary closed-loop measurement system. Key product offerings include Scan & Go™ Display Ads (in-club digital advertising reaching approximately 40% of members), Offsite Ads (off-platform reach extension), in-club demos and sampling, Omni Experiences (seasonal and community activations), Expert Review Video content, and full-funnel Campaign Measurement from discovery to lifetime value. The platform recently incorporated generative AI to power on-site search functionality. Documented performance outcomes include a 36% average sales lift (Circana FY26, 1,440 campaigns), 54% average new-buyer acquisition, 82% incremental reach with Offsite Ads, and 65% incremental reach with Scan & Go™ Display Ads across 1,500+ campaigns.
Revenue is generated primarily through advertising (digital ad placements priced on reach, impressions, or performance metrics) and professional services (physical brand activations, demos, and experiential events such as the Race to the Club INDYCAR partnership). Distribution is exclusively domestic (United States) and relies on enterprise field sales targeting brand advertisers directly, supplemented by case-study-driven content marketing and large-scale experiential activations. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, dependent on campaign scope, reach, duration, and performance metrics. As an internal business platform within Walmart, the entity has no separate ownership, funding, or headcount disclosures, and operating results are reported at the Walmart corporate level.
Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP)
- Legal name
- Walmart, Inc.
- Website
- https://map.samsclub.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Sam's Club Connect is the advertising platform of Sam's Club, a Walmart Inc. subsidiary, enabling consumer brands to engage members through Scan & Go™ digital ads, in-club activations, and content sponsorships powered by 40+ years of first-party membership data and closed-loop measurement.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Retail Media Advertising
- NAICS
- Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising (7310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- E-commerce & Digital Membership Clubs (CRAEADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Private-Label-Heavy Membership Clubs (CRAEADAJ)
Keywords
Where Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bentonville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations
Revenue model
- Digital Advertising (Scan & Go™ Display Ads & Offsite Ads): Revenue generated from placing brand advertisements within the Scan & Go™ in-club experience and offsite advertising networks. Priced based on reach, impressions, or campaign performance metrics.
- In-Club Activations & Experiential Marketing: Revenue from physical brand activations including product demos, sampling programs, seasonal events, and immersive experiences (e.g., Race to the Club).
- Content Sponsorships: Revenue from branded content including Expert Review Videos and other sponsored editorial content featured across Sam's Club digital properties.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sam's Club Member Access Platform (MAP), branded as Sam's Club Connect, is a retail-media platform that sells Digital Advertising (programmatic display and AI-powered Sponsored Search), In-Club Activations & Experiential Marketing (sampling, demos, and brand events at Sam's Club locations), and Content Sponsorships (e.g., the Cookout Caboose video series) to consumer brands and agencies. All three channels are unified by a closed-loop measurement capability that maps advertising exposure to verified in-club and online purchases via Scan & Go™ and 40+ years of first-party member data.
Product overview
Sam's Club Member Access Platform (MAP) operates as Sam's Club Connect, a unified advertising and marketing platform that connects brands with Sam's Club members. The platform combines three core capabilities: first-party member data tied to real shopping behavior (with over 40 years of data), curated omnichannel experiences (combining Omni Experiences with in-club demos and sampling), and closed-loop campaign measurement. Key product offerings include Scan & Go™ Display Ads (in-club digital advertising), Omni Experiences (physical and digital brand activations), and Campaign Measurement (full-funnel analytics). The platform enables brands to reach high-value audiences in meaningful moments through integrated advertising solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sam's Club Connect — Digital Advertising Digital advertising offering comprising programmatic display ads and AI-powered Sponsored Search (including a generative-AI search model) bought through the Sam's Club Connect platform, designed for consumer brands and agencies targeting Sam's Club members across digital surfaces.
- Sam's Club Connect — In-Club Activations & Experiential Marketing On-site brand activation service at Sam's Club locations covering sampling, demos, and brand events, designed for consumer brands seeking physical, in-store engagement with Sam's Club members.
- Sam's Club Connect — Content Sponsorships (e.g., Cookout Caboose) Branded content sponsorship opportunities across Sam's Club's owned media, exemplified by the Cookout Caboose video series, offered to consumer brands for narrative-format brand storytelling to Sam's Club members.
Quantifiable outcome
- 36% average sales lift for brands (Circana FY26, 1,440 campaigns)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP)
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature4 records
Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Best Buy Ads: Best Buy's retail media business leveraging first-party shopper data across digital and physical. Comparable specialty-retail-meets-mass-market data monetization, albeit smaller scale and more focused on electronics categories.
- Macy's Media Network: Macy's retail media platform for monetizing first-party department-store shopper data with brand activations. Comparable first-party-data-driven retail media model though smaller in scale and more apparel-skewing.
Direct peers
- Instacart Ads: Instacart's grocery-anchored retail media platform with first-party cart data and closed-loop measurement. Comparable model (purchase-based targeting, omnichannel brand activations) targeting CPG brands buying for incremental reach.
- Kroger Precision Marketing: Kroger's retail media network monetizing first-party shopper data with closed-loop measurement across digital and in-store. Directly comparable business model — first-party grocery data, omnichannel ad placements, performance-driven CPG targeting.
- Albertsons Media Collective: Albertsons' retail media network monetizing loyalty data across banner grocery banners. Closely comparable first-party data + CPG activation model, though footnoted by a more regional grocery footprint.
- The Home Depot's Orange Apron Media: Home Depot's retail media business leveraging first-party purchase signals for closed-loop measurement on big-ticket and DIY categories. Comparable model — high-value shopper targeting through owned-and-operated surfaces.
- Costco Media: Costco's member-based retail media platform for advertising inside warehouse clubs. Most direct analog to Sam's Club Connect given parallel warehouse-club membership model, member-only access, and bulk-purchase CPG orientation.
- Target Roundel: Target's retail media network connecting brands with Target shoppers through owned-and-operated and offsite channels. Comparable offering targeting a similar North American CPG advertiser base.
- Walmart Connect: Walmart's overarching retail media network; nearly identical offering (first-party data, closed-loop measurement, in-store + digital ad placements) for the much larger Walmart shopper base. Operates as MAP's sister platform within the same parent company and competes for the same CPG advertiser wallets.
Broad incumbents
- Amazon Ads: Dominant retail media network spanning sponsored products, display, video, and DSP with first-party purchase data. Massive scale incumbent that consumes the largest share of advertiser retail-media budgets and sets pricing benchmarks for niche players like MAP.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) social profiles
Digital presenceSam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP)
What does Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) do?
Sam's Club Member Access Platform (MAP), branded as Sam's Club Connect, is a retail-media platform that sells Digital Advertising (programmatic display and AI-powered Sponsored Search), In-Club Activations & Experiential Marketing (sampling, demos, and brand events at Sam's Club locations), and Content Sponsorships (e.g., the Cookout Caboose video series) to consumer brands and agencies. All three channels are unified by a closed-loop measurement capability that maps advertising exposure to verified in-club and online purchases via Scan & Go™ and 40+ years of first-party member data.
Is Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) a public or private company?
Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) is a public company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) founded?
Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) was founded in 1983. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) based?
Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) is headquartered in Bentonville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Digital Advertising (Scan & Go™ Display Ads & Offsite Ads) is the primary driver. The others are in-Club Activations & Experiential Marketing and content Sponsorships.
Who are Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP)'s main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Best Buy Ads and Macy's Media Network. Direct peers are Instacart Ads, Kroger Precision Marketing, Albertsons Media Collective, The Home Depot's Orange Apron Media, Costco Media, Target Roundel and Walmart Connect. Amazon Ads is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP).
What industry is Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP) in?
Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP)'s product category is Retail Media Advertising. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAEADAF, E-commerce & Digital Membership Clubs, with a secondary code of CRAEADAJ, Private-Label-Heavy Membership Clubs. Its NAICS code is 5418 and its SIC code is 7310.