Sam's Club is closing 63 stores - here's what will happen to your membership

AP

Sam's Club is issuing refunds to customers affected by store closings.

• Sam's Club is closing 63 stores.
• The closings shocked many customers and left them wondering what would happen to their membership fees, which cost $45 annually.
• To get a refund, shoppers must call customer service at (888) 746-7726 and cancel their membership.
• Refunds will be issued in the form of a check or a gift card to Sam's Club or Walmart stores.

Walmart is closing 63 Sam's Club stores and laying off thousands of employees.

The company abruptly shut down some of the stores on Thursday. The rest will close within the next couple of weeks.

The closings shocked many customers and left them wondering what would happen to their membership fees, which cost $45 annually.

"I went to the Orange, Connecticut location, and was shocked to learn from an employee, crying in the parking lot, that the club was closing permanently on the 26th and was closed the whole day today," a Sam's Club customer told Business Insider on Thursday. "It really caught everyone off guard, especially the people that needed to pick up their prescriptions. What a mess."

The company told Business Insider that it would refund customers' membership fees for the affected stores.

To get a refund, shoppers must call customer service at (888) 746-7726 and cancel their membership. Refunds will be issued in the form of a check or a gift card to Sam's Club or Walmart stores.

Customers also have the option of transferring their membership to another Sam's Club store.

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