Sam’s Club Price Tags Have Secret Codes — Here’s What They Mean

The secret has been right there in front of us the whole time.

Sam’s Club offers great deals, but did you know that you could get even better deals just by knowing a set of secret codes that only the company’s employees know? 

According to TikTok content creator Sam Jarman, the codes can be found on the price tags. On the lower left-hand side, you’ll see a letter above the barcode and just after the serial number. 

The letter “N” means that the item is never going to stop being in stock. This applies to essential products like frozen meat, canned vegetables, and water. Meanwhile, the “A” means that the item is active, which further means that the product won’t be pulled out anytime soon, so you shouldn’t expect any markdowns. 

Now the more interesting codes. The letter “C” means it’s on clearance. If a product you like has this code, better grab it quick because it’ll be taken off shelves soon. But if you want to save money, you can wait until the store lowers the price as they encourage customers to snap up the remaining inventory.

The code “S” means seasonal. This applies to limited-time products such pumpkin spice foods in the Fall and Christmas décor in winter. For those hunting good bargains, try going to the store shortly before the season changes. A product that’s still available but will soon be out of vogue could get discounted!

And finally, the letter “O” means a one-time buy, which is labeled on items that have a limited run from the manufacturer or new products that are on trial. Once all stocks have sold, the shelves won’t be replenished. Much like the previous two letter codes, if you like something, buy it ASAP. And if you’re on a budget, you can wait until an unpopular item gets marked down to make room for newer releases.

So, in addition to your grocery list and membership card, the next time you head to Sam’s Club, don’t forget the letters C, S, and O.