Walmart launching two-hour delivery service
Retailer debuts new service that puts customers’ orders on their doorstep in less than two hours
Walmart has unveiled a rapid delivery service, known as ‘Express Delivery’, which has a two-hour delivery window and an expanded range of goods for its quick-turnaround e-commerce arm.
Walmart has accelerated the development of the service in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, piloting Express Delivery in 100 stores since mid-April. The service will expand to nearly 1,000 stores in early May and will be available in nearly 2,000 total stores in the following weeks.
Walmart says that160,000 items from Walmart’s food, consumables and general merchandise assortment such as groceries, everyday essentials, toys and electronics, are available on the service.
Walmart’s Express Delivery will utilise its existing system of 74,000 personal shoppers who will pick customers’ orders alongside additional personal shoppers hired specifically for Express Delivery.
Walmart will utilize its existing lineup of delivery providers to take orders from a store to customers’ doors.
The service will cost $10 on top of the existing delivery charge. Walmart’s Delivery Unlimited customers will pay a $10 fee per Express Delivery.
“We know our customers’ lives have changed during this pandemic, and so has the way they shop,” said Janey Whiteside, chief customer officer, Walmart. “We also know when we come out of this, customers will be busier than ever, and sometimes that will call for needing supplies in a hurry. COVID-19 has prompted us to launch Express Delivery even faster so that we’re here for our customers today and in the future.”
“We have an opportunity to serve our customers no matter what life calls for,” said Tom Ward, senior vice president, Customer Product. “Whether it be a last-minute ingredient, medicine when a fever hits, or the item you didn’t know you needed when checking off your chore list, time matters. Express is a solve for that.”