Walmart is Paving the Way for the Future of Curbside Grocery Pick-Up

Like so many other areas of retail, the culture surrounding grocery shopping in the digital age is evolving. From delivery services to pick-up capabilities, the shopping experience is one that continues to cater to various lifestyles, tastes, and personal schedules. One franchise paving the way for curbside pickup is none other than Walmart. Taking the word “convenience” to a new level, 2,146 store locations now offer grocery curbside pickup, where Walmart employees load picked-and-packed orders into customers' cars, free of charge.

Projected to reach customers in 3,100 stores and account for 33% of digital sales by the end of 2020, Walmart’s curbside option requires a four-hour notice, with orders placed after 4 p.m. available for next-day pick-up. Still, this service is estimated to provide the franchise’s top line with an additional $7.4 billion in revenue. Even further, 40% to 60% of those sales are estimated to be increased from new Walmart customers, and many next-generation shoppers.

“We view Walmart as the best positioned retailer driving the evolution of the traditional shopping experience and blending the physical and digital channels,” said Cowen’s Oliver Chen, according to Forbes. “We expect the curbside channel will continue to grow in popularity given high levels of customer satisfaction as the service saves shoppers time, lets them stay in their cars and not enter the store and eliminates the friction of searching the aisles for products, as well as standing in line to the check out,” he concludes.

Learn more about Walmart's curbside pick-up here.

Photo credit: Walmart