Walmart Inc operates hypermarkets, discount department stores, and grocery stores worldwide. Their stores specialize in clothing, technology, office supplies, entertainment products, and food and beverages for shoppers’ everyday needs. Their headquarters can be found in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Walmart stands out in an industry focused on shipping speed by being foresighted about its store network, enabling it to launch grocery pickup even during a pandemic.
1. Omni-channel retailing is working
Robust omnichannel retail strategies are vital to online marketplace success, as customers expect seamless shopping experiences across channels. Walmart is capitalizing on its physical stores and legacy online presence to expand omnichannel services such as ordering online, pickup in-store, and home delivery, which are crucial to its growth plans.
Walmart has also taken advantage of a growing consumer trend toward one-stop shopping. Consumers seek retailers offering an assortment of merchandise with easy return policies; online-only companies don’t enjoy the same advantages with returns/shipping options in-store.
As much as we may prefer digital, physical locations remain critical components of eCommerce success. Walmart has made great strides to leverage its physical assets to provide online shoppers with flexible delivery and pickup options – including grocery pickup, which has proven pivotal for its success.
2. Consumers are looking for value
Walmart is one of the world’s premier retailers for good reason and knows precisely how to satisfy consumers’ desire for value. While everyone talks about same or next-day delivery services, customers care about finding their dollar’s worth; thus, many opted for their grocery pickup service, which offers same-day delivery for orders of $35+.
Consumers desire an efficient and convenient shopping experience. Walmart excels by offering one-stop shopping with brands such as Jet and Costco, enabling consumers to order groceries and household essentials in one trip.
COVID-19’s loyalty shakeup continues as more consumers report making switches between brands and retailers than ever before, not solely driven by price considerations; shoppers increasingly desire brands that reflect their values – 82% say this when asked which values match up best with those they share in common with a company they want to support.
3. Free nationwide two-day shipping
Walmart’s two-day free shipping has long been one of its hallmarks in meeting customer expectations, and this service helps fulfill this element of its mission statement: saving people money by giving customers this option for saving and expanding shopping freedom.
Fast shipping increases consumer trust in a brand and drives repeat purchases – something motherhood accessory company Kids N’ Such took advantage of by tripling its sales on Walmart using fast shipping features.
Sellers can leverage Walmart+ by promoting their items on the platform and enrolling them in WFS to ease fulfillment demands. By marking products with fast delivery tags, sellers become more visible to buyers searching and filtering results frequently used by these options; additionally, this tag reduces competition in searches by limiting how often specific terms will return listings; additionally, its user interface makes setting up shipping templates and maps in line with customers’ needs a simple task.
4. Curbside pickup
Walmart’s curbside pickup service allows customers to save time and effort when shopping at its stores by ordering online and selecting a time slot to pick up their orders at a designated curbside area. Currently available at over 4,700 stores nationwide.
Customers can use Walmart’s service to shop for groceries and other essential items at convenient locations. Their goal is to provide customers with superior convenience and service; employees should put this value at the center of their actions and work to fulfill it to delight customers.
Walmart meets its mission statement’s “help people live better” component through low selling prices. This can be accomplished through competitive pricing strategies and purchasing low-cost imported products; however, whether these prices remain sustainable over time is unknown.