BENTONVILLE, ARK. — Walmart plans to expand on-line grocery delivery to more than 40% of U.S. households through a new partnership with Postmates, a logistics company with a fleet of 160,000 couriers. The service will begin in Charlotte, N.C., with further expansion planned in the coming months, according to Walmart.
Walmart’s on-line grocery delivery service includes a $9.95 fee and a $30 minimum order, with no subscription or price markups. Customers may order fresh produce, meat, seafood and bakery items, pantry staples and more at walmart.com/grocery or through the Walmart Grocery app. Orders are picked by Walmart’s personal shoppers and delivered by a Postmates courier.
“Customers are busy, they are managing jobs, soccer practice, dance lessons and social schedules; so we are on a mission to do more than keep a little extra money in their pockets,” said Mark Ibbotson, executive vice-president, Central Operations, Walmart U.S. “With the help of Postmates, we’re making grocery shopping even easier by bringing the everyday low prices of Walmart right to the front door of customers in Charlotte with more areas to be added soon.”
Walmart offers on-line grocery pickup service in 1,200 stores and plans to add 1,000 more this year.
The announcement follows similar moves from Amazon and Whole Foods Market, which recently began testing two-hour delivery service to customers in select markets, and the Kroger Co.’s newly expanded partnership with Instacart to offer same-day delivery from stores in central Ohio.
