No one knows a retailer better than its repeat customers — especially ones who pay a membership to shop at the store. That’s why warehouse retailer Sam’s Club is tapping its members for its recently launched creator network.

Any Sam’s Club member can register to be an influencer for the warehouse club to earn a small percentage-point commission on any products they drive sales for.

The retailer soft launched the program last year and after “great engagement,” officially launched the program at the end of Q1 2026, said Diana Marshall, Executive Vice President and Chief Experience Officer.

Influencers and content creators are a key part of the marketing pie in 2026, as shoppers listen to their social followings. Creators know they have to be authentic in order for their audiences to trust their recommendations, Marshall said. Sam’s Club wants to reward its members for sharing their finds and tips with their audiences, Marshall said.

Marshall said it sees “strong engagement” on posts when creators tie back why their recommendations matter. Marshall would not share any results, only that its main goal is growing the number of creators on its platform by 25 times in 2026.

“As we continue to accelerate, we think it will definitely drive financial results,” Marshall said.

Community Will Drive Repeat Buying at Sam’s Club

Because club retailers like Sam’s require an upfront investment in the form of a membership fee ($60-$120 at Sam’s depending on the tier), shoppers are expecting benefits and the merchant wants to ensure it is providing those, Marshall said. The creator community is a way of providing benefits and building a community with all of its members, Marshall said.

From Sam’s Club’s point of view, an influencer platform will help activate its current members to shop more and deepen the relationship the retailer has with its customers. This is important as consumers want to feel like they are a part of something, Marshall said. The brand will also learn what creators highlight in their posts, what resonates with members and take that as feedback, she said.

Sam’s Club does not have requirements for the creator’s audience size, only that they are Sam’s members and they follow the retailer’s general brand guidelines.

Walmart Inc. owns Sam’s Club, which allows the club store to tap into the mass merchant’s technology and already stood up platform. The soft launched allowed Sam’s Club to ensure it could scale the platform for its business, plus ensure that it was easy for creators to use, which it is, Marshall said. Sam’s stood up its own team of less than a dozen people to handle the new marketing arm, she said.

Walmart will continue to invest in the creator platform, allowing Sam’s Club to leverage all those tools, which Marshall said is an advantage.