Core Viewpoint - Sam's Club is facing a public relations crisis due to product selection issues, with topics related to "downgraded product selection" and "removal of popular items" trending on social media, accumulating over 140 million views [2][3] Group 1: Product Selection Controversy - The controversy began when consumers reported that Sam's Club removed high-repurchase-rate products like sun cakes and rice puddings, replacing them with common supermarket brands such as low-sugar snacks, leading to customer dissatisfaction [3] - The most criticized change involved domestic brands being rebranded with English names to create a false "high-end imported" image, which angered many members who felt betrayed [3] - A specific product, "Low Sugar Haoliyou Pie," received over 300 negative reviews for not meeting its advertised sugar reduction claims, raising concerns about its ingredients and contradicting Sam's Club's "strict quality" promise [3][5] Group 2: Quality Control Issues - Sam's Club's quality control has come under scrutiny, with multiple complaints about products like organic milk showing signs of spoilage, leading to urgent product recalls [6] - In 2024, Sam's Club was reported to have faced five incidents related to food safety within ten days, including issues with meat products and labeling discrepancies, resulting in administrative penalties for selling substandard goods [7][8] Group 3: Membership and Customer Experience - Complaints about Sam's Club have exceeded 11,579, with over 1,000 related to poor after-sales service, highlighting a growing dissatisfaction among members regarding customer support [10] - Members have expressed frustration over the perceived lack of value in their membership, with some considering switching to competitors like Costco due to unfulfilled promises of benefits [10] Group 4: Strategic Changes and Market Competition - Sam's Club has recently undergone organizational changes and is accelerating its expansion strategy, with plans to open 8 to 10 new stores in 2025, despite the challenges of maintaining product quality and selection [11][12] - The competitive landscape is intensifying, with rivals like Costco and Hema aggressively targeting Sam's Club's customer base through differentiated product offerings and pricing strategies [13] Conclusion - The impressive membership numbers, exceeding 5 million, mask an imbalance between rapid expansion and quality assurance, indicating that Sam's Club must refocus on its core promise of quality to retain customer trust [14]