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CNBC AI News, July 15 – Sam’s Club, the membership-only warehouse retailer, is facing a wave of customer criticism in China over its product selection, according to recent media reports.
Social media is buzzing with complaints as members lament the discontinuation of popular, high-value items like sun cakes, rice pudding, and low-sugar egg yolk酥 (a traditional Chinese pastry). These items, known for their high repurchase rates, have seemingly vanished from shelves.
Simultaneously, the introduction of a low-sugar Orion Pie has been met with skepticism, with some members questioning the overall decline in the quality of Sam’s Club’s curated offerings.
One disgruntled member reportedly penned a letter, expressing the sentiment: “I pay for a membership to shop at a curated supermarket, and you’re selling me things I can find at any corner store? Are you treating your consumers like chumps?”
The annual membership fee for Sam’s Club in China is 260 yuan (approximately $36 USD), granting access to the store and, ostensibly, a carefully selected range of goods. Consumers are essentially paying for a “premium selection” experience.
Beyond the Orion Pie controversy, the inclusion of mass-market brands like Weilong (spicy snack food), Hsu Fu Chi (confectionery), and Bestore (dried fruit and snacks) on Sam’s Club shelves has further fueled the discontent.
This shift comes as previously sought-after signature items, such as egg yolk酥, mango pomelo sago dessert, and caramel biscuit mille-feuille, have quietly disappeared.
In response, Sam’s Club customer service representatives have stated that product availability is subject to change as reflected in the Sam’s Club app and that they will strive to improve product quality in the future regarding the selection issues.
The “low-sugar” Orion Pie, the subject of much debate, was introduced in June of this year.
This updated version boasts an 80% reduction in sugar and a 30% increase in cocoa content, priced at 49.9 yuan (approximately $7 USD) for a box of 48.
However, the product’s online reviews tell a different story, with over 300 negative ratings and comments such as, “I bought it because it was supposed to be low-sugar, but it’s actually too sweet.”
Adding fuel to the fire, some consumers have pointed to Orion’s reputation. The brand was embroiled in a “double standard ingredient list” controversy in 2022, significantly damaging its image among Chinese consumers.
While Orion has stated that its global product recipes are uniform and that the “double standard” claims were a misunderstanding, this explanation has failed to quell all consumer concerns.
Similar sentiments are echoing across social media platforms, with some members even resorting to writing letters directly to Sam’s Club headquarters to voice their frustrations regarding product selection. One such post has garnered nearly a thousand comments.
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Original article, Author: Tobias. If you wish to reprint this article, please indicate the source:https://aicnbc.com/4760.html
