The news: Sam’s Club and Weight Watchers announced a partnership that gives Sam’s Club Plus members a complimentary three-month Weight Watchers Core membership followed by ongoing access for $10 per month with no long-term commitment.

All Sam’s Club members can receive up to 50% off Weight Watchers Core+ and Med+ programs, which include support for consumers taking GLP-1 medications.

Zooming in: The Weight Watchers tie-up builds on wellness features that Sam’s Club rolled out earlier this year. In January, the retailer launched consultations and access to oral Wegovy, including free same-day delivery of doses for Plus members. All members also have access to digital wellness tools through a Sam’s Club-exclusive version of the Well health app.

Focusing on health and wellness is a sound strategy, as it’s one of the few categories where more US consumers plan to increase spending, per a recent CivicScience survey. Sam’s Club is positioning itself within categories where members already intend to spend more.

Zooming out: Sam's Club joins a growing list of retailers turning to outside partners to make membership fees feel worthwhile.

• Walmart+ bundles fuel savings at Exxon, Mobil, and Murphy stations with 25% off digital Burger King orders and a free Whopper every three months.
• Amazon Prime pairs a free Grubhub+ subscription with fuel discounts at more than 7,500 bp, Amoco, and ampm stations.

Sam's Club, which already offers lower-than-typical prices on fuel, is applying the same playbook to health and wellness.

Implications for retailers: The more benefits a membership program offers, the stickier it becomes. That’s why combining pharmacy services, a wellness app, and a well-known brand like Weight Watchers creates a bundle that’s likely to resonate with a broad set of consumers.

The partnership should also help Sam’s Club drive both retention and acquisition without cutting into its own margins, since Weight Watchers pricing sits outside its core merchandise business.