[Update 7/7/20: This is slated to launch later this month, according to Vox’s Recode report.]
Walmart currently has a membership program called ‘Delivery Unlimited’ where consumers can pay $13 monthly or $98 annually for unlimited grocery delivery. Walmart is planning to overhaul this program and replace it with something called Walmart+ (Walmart Plus) that is seen to be more of an Amazon Prime competitor. While Prime offers video streaming, Twitch & other benefits Walmart aims to entice customers with:
- Prescription discounts
- Fuel savings at gas stations
- Scan & go in system (something Walmart has tested before more than two years ago)
To begin with Walmart+ will launch a pilot program that is expected to go live sometime this month, it’s unclear how long that test will be currently. At this stage the annual fee is not clear and Walmart might try different price points during the pilot program.
Hat tip to Recode
Scan & Go is about the only useful feature that I’d want to take advantage of…but I wouldn’t pay for it. I love using said feature at Sam’s Club.
cant fuck w bezos, sorry wallyworld
Lol. This will be an epic flop.
Does anyone here remember Walmart ShippingPass 2-day delivery? I was a member of this program but they canceled it within a year.
I don’t really know how Walmart+ or the current delivery unlimited program is sustainable.
I currently just use the delivery unlimited program to buy staples like chicken, eggs, laundry detergent, milk and the like. I’m buying what’s mostly a loss leader at in-store prices with little temptation to buy impulse items, then having that sent to me for less than I could drive to and from the store for.
How they actually intend to make money on this is beyond me.
The items you listed are not loss leaders. Far from it. But yes, having it sent to you is not profitable. But it’s one less dollar you are spending at Amazon. That is the long game. Walmart sat around while Amazon got away from books and into their (Walmart’s) core businesses. Now all they can do it react because they can’t stop them. It’s too late.
Will they fail as bad as Target and ship everything sure post? Target sucks with it’s slow cheap ass shipping. Only companies that hate their customers use sure post!
Obviously a YMMV thing. Ive shifted more purchases from Amazon to Target over the last year or two as the Amazon experience has continued to decline with respect to slow shipping (incl waiting a week before they even bother to ship), empty package in the Amazon Locker with no item inside, more difficult returns (last time took 2 weeks to get approval for return as they kept lying to me and making it difficult), and increased prices. Target shipping is faster on average, has easier returns, and often has similar prices, plus the advantage of local order pickup for many items. I receive Target by UPS and USPS and both work well.
I agree SurePost and similar hybrid setups tend to not be a great experience with extended delivery times and problematic tracking, but Target doesnt seem to use that with my shipments.
yes, its a YMMV thingy., i now buy from Walmart and Target, and i have been impressed by Target.
Are they going to sit on my order for a week now before they ship it, just to make a point why I should buy prime?
Walmart.com is an extremely unfriendly user experience. However, Sam’s Club is great. No idea how they are ever going to make money on Walmart+. Plus with Walmart.com, you also have to worry about your stored credit cards getting hacked, this is a regular occurrence over the past few years with tons of DPs.
In small markets Walmart acts as the grocery store/gas station/home goods store all in one. So if you are shopping at Wal-Mart all the time simply because its your best option this could work. If you go to Walmart on occasion to pick up a screen protector for your phone or for a laundry basket and usually do your grocery shopping elsewhere I don’t see it worth an investment in a monthly subscription. The same with Target or Home Depot. Why go loyal with a big box unless in a rural area with the next store 10 miles away.
So for trendy subscription product names, –+ is the new i–.
Because no one wants to admit “iWalmart”!