Walmart Click-and-Collect Takes on e-Commerce Retailers

APRIL 19, 2017

As brick-and-mortar stores lose customers who typically shop online, retail giant Walmart click-and-collect strategy is stepping in. They offer something e-commerce giants such as Amazon can’t: physical stores to pick up their items.

Starting April 19, customers can access discounts on about 10,000 items on Walmart’s website, if they were willing to buy online and pick up in store. The world’s largest retailer hopes to extend that to more than a million items by June.

The move lets Walmart offer easy online shopping, cut costs, and take advantage of its 4,700 stores.

Last Mile Delivery

Using its fleet of trucks to deliver products directly to its stores, Walmart click-and-collect model cuts last mile delivery costs. It also passes on the savings to the consumers.

“We’re able to offer these savings by eliminating one of the most expensive parts of e-commerce,” said Marc Lore, CEO of Walmart U.S. e-Commerce.

By turning to the click-and-collect model, the company is setting itself apart from e-retailers. Using physical stores as distribution centers creates a unique benefit. Additionally, it hopes that customers stick around and purchase other items while there picking up an online order.

Walmart officials said that extra staff helps roll out its “Pickup Discount” program. Also, some Walmart click-and-collect locations use intelligent parcel lockers for consumers. Here, they walk up, scan a barcode sent to their smartphone and retrieve their package.

Check out Bell and Howell’s smart package locker solutions, which are emerging as a powerful new solution for 24×7 delivery, pick up and drop off.