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Walmart launches $120 annual membership bundle combining Walmart+ and Sam’s Club Plus

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 5 outlets across the spectrum.

5 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Hands hold a tablet showing the Walmart logo in a warm cafe setting.
Image via CBS NewsHow images are chosenReport this image

Walmart has launched a membership bundle that gives shoppers access to both Walmart+ and Sam’s Club Plus for $120 a year. Fox Business reports that the bundle costs nearly $100 less than buying the two memberships separately. Walmart says the bundle is available only as an annual membership, with no monthly option or free trial. CEO John Furner said the launch comes ahead of the holiday season, when many households are looking to save money and time. Walmart reported that membership fee revenue rose 17 percent on its August earnings call. One report says the bundle costs less than a Costco Executive membership.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Walmart is offering a joint membership bundle of Walmart+ and Sam’s Club Plus for $120 a year.

    Reported byLeft1Center1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    CBS News
    Center
    CNBC
    Right
    New York Post

  2. The bundle combines Walmart+ and Sam’s Club Plus into one membership.

    Reported byLeft2Center1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Business Insider, CBS News
    Center
    CNBC
    Right
    New York Post

  3. One report says the bundle costs less than a Costco Executive membership.

    One outletBusiness Insider· Left

  4. The bundle costs nearly $100 less than buying the two memberships separately, according to Fox Business.

    One outletNew York Post· Right

  5. Walmart says the bundle is available only as an annual membership, with no monthly option or free trial.

    One outletNew York Post· Right

  6. Walmart reported that membership fee revenue rose 17 percent on its August earnings call.

    One outletNew York Post· Right

How each side tells it

Compare views

All three sides report that Walmart launched a $120 annual bundle combining Walmart+ and Sam’s Club Plus. The left outlets stress rivalry with Amazon and Costco, the center stresses convenience and delivery, and the right stresses the nearly $100 savings and membership revenue growth.

  • the left

    2 outlets

    Headlines present the bundle as a price move and a competitive shot; one stresses rivalry with Amazon and Costco, the other the high-inflation backdrop.

    Walmart is taking shots at Amazon and Costco with a new membership bundle for Sam's Club
    Business InsiderLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    2 outlets

    The headline presents the launch as part of Walmart’s push into delivery and fuel discounts, with no mention of rivals or price comparisons.

    Walmart launches joint membership with Sam's Club as it leans into delivery, gas discounts
    CNBCCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    1 outlet

    The headline is a plain announcement of the bundle; this coverage is a Fox Business report written elsewhere, so the wording is Fox Business’s, not the outlet’s own.

    Walmart rolls out new bundle combining Walmart+ and Sam’s Club Plus
    New York PostRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left1

    not-so-subtle jab

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

In the outlets’ own words

  • Sensational language

    not-so-subtle jabMore neutral: a comparison with Amazon and Costco

    The phrase characterizes the CEO's statement as pointed and provocative, a judgement the reported words do not state.

    CEO John Furner took a not-so-subtle jab at Amazon and Costco in a statement announcing the news.

    Used byBusiness Insider (Left)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

2 outlets

Leads with

  • rivalry with Amazon and Costco
  • comparison with Costco Executive price
  • inflation backdrop
See the 2 headlines from the leftHide the headlines
  • CBS NewsLeft

    Walmart introduces discounted joint membership with Sam's Club

    Amid stubbornly high inflation, the retailer is offering a combined Walmart+ and Sam's Club Plus membership for $120 a year.

    Read at CBS News (opens in a new tab)
  • Business InsiderLeft

    Walmart is taking shots at Amazon and Costco with a new membership bundle for Sam's Club

    Walmart is offering a new membership bundle that combines Walmart Plus and Sam's Club Plus for less than the price of a Costco Executive membership.

    Read at Business Insider (opens in a new tab)

From the center

2 outlets

Leads with

  • delivery and gas discounts
  • convenience strategy
  • membership push
See the 2 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • MarketWatchCenter

    Walmart takes aim at Amazon and Costco with new membership program — but is it a good deal?

    Some analysts question whether people will actually take advantage of Walmart’s new bundle, and how easy it is to make sense of the benefits.

    Read at MarketWatch (opens in a new tab)
  • CNBCCenter

    Walmart launches joint membership with Sam's Club as it leans into delivery, gas discounts

    Walmart is now offering a joint membership with Sam's Club for $120 per year as the retailer further leans into convenience.

    Read at CNBC (opens in a new tab)

From the right

1 outlet

Leads with

  • nearly $100 savings versus separate plans
  • annual-only terms with no free trial
  • CEO on customer pressure
  • membership revenue growth

Leaves out

  • Costco Executive price comparison
  • delivery and fuel discount perks

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the headline from the rightHide the headlines
  • New York PostRightFox Business report

    Walmart rolls out new bundle combining Walmart+ and Sam’s Club Plus

    Walmart launched a new $120 annual bundle combining Walmart+ and Sam’s Club Plus, saving shoppers nearly $100 compared to separate plans.

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    4 hr 30 min later

    Its first report, Oct 20, 10:29 AM EDT

  • Center

    First to report

    CNBC, Oct 20, 6:00 AM EDT

  • Right

    6 hr 20 min later

    Its first report, Oct 20, 12:20 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. CNBCCenterOct 20, 6:00 AM EDT
  2. Business InsiderLeftOct 20, 10:29 AM EDT
  3. CBS NewsLeftOct 20, 10:42 AM EDT
  4. New York PostRightOct 20, 12:20 PM EDT
  5. MarketWatchCenterOct 20, 5:47 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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