BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is commercializing its delivery service, helping businesses of all sizes deliver products directly to their customers’ homes as fast as just a few hours.
The nation’s largest retailer says it will use contract workers and even drones to pick up products directly from other retailers and then deliver them to customers’ doorsteps with Walmart GoLocal.
The shift pits Walmart against the likes of Uber, DoorDash and other delivery services.
It comes as Walmart increasingly moves to expand its sources of profits and revenues beyond its core retail businesses.
The creation of a new line of business extends its expertise in delivering goods to customers to businesses of all sizes.
“In an era where customers have come to expect speed and reliability, it’s more important than ever for businesses to work with a service provider that understands a merchant’s needs,” said John Furner, president and CEO, Walmart U.S. “Walmart has spent years building and scaling commerce capabilities that support our network of more than 4,700 stores and we look forward to helping other businesses have access to the same reliable, quality and low-cost services.”
This includes delivery on a range of assortment, including those with size and complex requirements, as well as the flexibility to meet varying timelines.
“We’ve worked hard to develop a reliable last mile delivery program for our customers,” said Tom Ward, senior vice president, last mile, Walmart U.S. “Now, we’re pleased to be able to use these capabilities to serve another set of customers – local merchants. Be it delivering goods from a local bakery to auto supplies from a national retailer, we’ve designed Walmart GoLocal to be customizable for merchants of all sizes and categories so they can focus on doing what they do best, leaving delivery speed and efficiency to us.”