As the company makes a closing holiday pitch to consumers, Walmart is touting its technical abilities as a means to better serve consumers navigating the last weeks of the year.
Walmart asserted that its fulfillment strategy is front and center during the holiday season, one that has been enhanced by ongoing investments in data, intelligent software and automation. The company pointed out that more than half of Walmart’s fulfillment center volume is now automated, double what it was at the same time last year, offering greater access to next or two-day shipping on a broader assortment of items.
Now, shoppers can order by 4 p.m. local time on December 24 for Express Delivery, which can convey orders from stores to doorsteps in as little as 30 minutes. In a targeted perk, Walmart+ members are eligible for one free Express Delivery through December 31.
Consumers also can order by 12 p.m. local time on December 24 for standard same-day delivery made from store assortments or for pick-up at their designated Walmart location.
In another tech advance, Walmart is partnering with Google’s Creative Works to craft shoppable ambient rooms featuring four seasonal scenes: The Chic Chalet, The Technicolor Holiday Party, The Reindeer Flight and the iconic Luke’s Diner in Star’s Hollow from Gilmore Girls. Customers can shop directly from YouTube, YouTube TV and Roku by scanning a QR code on the screen.
Even as it touted its tech advances, Walmart unveiled an assortment of Last-Minute Gifts with two weeks of deep discounts on gifts from top brands and the company’s marketplace sellers across its lineup of electronics, toys, fashion, home and beauty, including:
- Nutribullet Blender Combo, a special buy at $59
- Squishmallows Official Cam Bean Bag Chair, $4.90 off at $49.98,
- Piezano Pizza Oven, $40.55 off at $94.99
- L’ange Hair Le Duo 360 Airflow Styler, Titanium Flat Iron Hair Straightener, $56.70 off at $62.30
