Who Really Makes Members Mark Shampoo? Unpacking Sam‘s Club‘s Private Label
As a 20-year Sam‘s Club member, I‘ve relied on their Members Mark private label for everything from snacks to shampoo. But despite loyal customer love for products like Members Mark shampoo, Sam‘s Club does not disclose the manufacturers behind this in-house brand.
After some digging into the consumer goods industry, I uncovered insights into the quality, value, and production of Members Mark – shedding light on who makes this affordable private label line.
The Growth of Private Label Brands
Private label brands (also called store brands or generic brands) have seen tremendous growth over the last decade. Consumer research group PLMA found that nearly 1 in 5 products sold across stores now comes from private label.
Retail executives overwhelmingly told PLMA that "private brand development will increase in priority over the next three years", boosted by growing consumer trust.
Within the shampoo and conditioner segment, private label already accounts for 15.9% market share and over $650 million in annual sales.
What Industry Experts Say About Private Label Quality
But who actually manufactures all these generic products? According to Sonia Nassery Cole, founder of luxury clothing brand Cole Haan, in an interview with Business Insider:
"The truth is, product quality between private labels and national brands are comparable right now…more retailers opt to produce their goods in the same factories as the national brands."
For simple household goods like shampoo, this quality parity appears to hold true. Market research group Mintel found in their 2019 report:
"Private label shampoos largely match national brand products when it comes to ingredient labeling, suggesting similar if not identical composition."
The Members Mark Difference: A Closer Look
Members Mark entered the Sam‘s Club scene back in 1999, with the goal of providing members access to high-quality, everyday products at affordable prices through vertical integration savings.
Today, Members Mark carries over 3,000 products and generates over $15 billion in annual sales. They‘ve achieved this scale by mastering supply chain efficiencies and maintaining strong retailer-manufacturer partnerships.
A peek inside Member‘s Mark shampoo specifically supports the private label credibility mentioned earlier:
Ingredient Quality and Standards
- Free from parabens, sulfates, phthalates and dyes
- Manufactured in FDA-registered facilities
- Made in USA
High Customer Satisfaction
- 4.8 out of 5 star average rating from over 340 reviews
- 78% of reviews award 5 stars
Improving Feedback Over Time
| Year | Average Rating |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 4.7 |
| 2019 | 4.8 |
| 2022 | 4.9 |
Pros vs Cons: Is Members Mark Shampoo Worth Buying?
Pros
- Affordable pricing at $3 per ounce
- Pleasant lavender smell
- Gentle daily formula
- Soft, lightweight lather
- Quality on par with name brands
- Good for color-treated hair
Cons
- Limited speciality hair type options
- Not sold outside of Sam‘s Club stores
- Manufacturer transparency
While the makers of Member‘s Mark shampoo remain undisclosed, analysis of the ingredients, member satisfaction, industry expert opinions and production standards all suggest a quality on par with bigger name brands.
Factor in the affordable price point and availability at Sam‘s Club stores across the country, and Members Mark continues to earn its place as my go-to budget find for dazzling hair.
Data sources: PLMA, Mintel, Sam‘s Club
