Arabfields, Farah Benali, Economic Correspondent in China — Sam’s Club has solidified its position as a dominant force in China’s retail landscape with the opening of its latest flagship store in Shanghai, marking a significant milestone in the company’s aggressive growth strategy. On December 16, 2025, the warehouse club giant unveiled its seventh location in the bustling metropolis, situated at 228 Lichuan Road in the Pudong New Area, bringing the total number of Sam’s Club outlets across mainland China to an impressive 62. This new store exemplifies the brand’s commitment to providing a premium shopping experience, featuring soaring ceilings of approximately nine meters, spacious main aisles wider than three meters, and an expansive parking facility with over 1,000 spaces, including 50 fast-charging stations and more than 100 standard chargers tailored for the growing fleet of electric vehicles in the country.

The journey of Sam’s Club in China began nearly three decades ago, when the company first planted its flag in Shenzhen back in 1996, introducing the membership-based warehouse model to a market ripe for innovative retail formats. The expansion gained meaningful traction over the years, with the inaugural Shanghai store opening in 2010 on Gaoke West Road in Pudong, setting the stage for deeper penetration into one of the world’s most dynamic consumer hubs. From 2019 onward, the pace quickened noticeably, particularly in Shanghai, where new openings transformed the city into the epicenter of Sam’s Club’s presence. By 2023, with the additions in Zhenru and Jiading, Shanghai had already claimed six stores, overtaking Shenzhen as the city with the highest concentration nationwide. The latest Pudong addition elevates that count to seven, underscoring Shanghai’s pivotal role in the company’s network and its near-complete coverage through express delivery services that now reach almost the entire city, save for the outlying Chongming district.

Financial performance further highlights why Sam’s Club has emerged as the powerhouse within Walmart’s China operations. In the fiscal year spanning February 2024 to January 2025, Walmart China reported net sales of around $20.3 billion, equivalent to 147.3 billion Chinese yuan, with Sam’s Club alone contributing more than 100 billion yuan, representing over two-thirds of the total. This disproportionate impact positions Sam’s Club as the undisputed primary growth driver for the parent company in the region, boasting average sales per store nearing 2 billion yuan, or approximately $284 million. Such robust figures reflect not only the appeal of the membership model, which offers exclusive access to high-quality imported goods, bulk deals, and private-label products, but also the loyalty of an expanding base of affluent Chinese consumers seeking value and variety in their shopping routines.

Looking ahead, the momentum shows no signs of abating, as Sam’s Club is poised to close out 2025 with yet another opening in Liwan, Guangdong, pushing the year’s new store count to a record-breaking 10, the highest annual total since the brand’s arrival in China. This unprecedented pace of expansion signals a deliberate shift toward rapid scaling, capitalizing on the proven profitability of each location and the untapped potential in tier-one and emerging urban centers alike. Given the record-setting achievements of 2025 and the outsized contribution to Walmart China’s revenue, it seems inevitable that Sam’s Club will maintain this accelerated trajectory into 2026 and beyond, potentially targeting double-digit annual openings as infrastructure and supply chains mature further.

With Shanghai already serving as a blueprint for dense market saturation, other major cities like Beijing, Guangzhou, and Chengdu could soon see similar clustering of stores, enhancing convenience and driving membership renewals through omnipresent access. The emphasis on digital integration, evidenced by the comprehensive express delivery in Shanghai, points toward a hybrid model where online and offline experiences blend seamlessly, attracting younger, tech-savvy shoppers and boosting same-store sales growth. As economic conditions stabilize and middle-class consumption rebounds, Sam’s Club is well-positioned to capture an even larger share of the premium grocery and household goods segment, possibly pushing its nationwide footprint toward 80 or 90 stores by the end of the decade.

This sustained push will likely reinforce Sam’s Club’s leadership in the membership warehouse category, outpacing competitors by leveraging Walmart’s global sourcing advantages and localized adaptations, such as curated selections of fresh produce, imported delicacies, and eco-friendly initiatives like extensive EV charging support. The brand’s ability to consistently deliver high per-store revenue suggests that future investments will yield strong returns, encouraging even bolder ambitions, perhaps including ventures into secondary cities or enhanced private-brand development to deepen customer loyalty. In an era where Chinese consumers increasingly prioritize quality, convenience, and value, Sam’s Club appears primed to evolve from a niche player into a household name, shaping the future of modern retailing across the vast and varied Chinese market for years to come.