TAMPA, Fla. – June 1, 2018 – As Walmart continues to lead in retail innovation, the company is expanding the roll out of cutting-edge technology to select stores across the Tampa Bay area. Headlining the list is the installation of Pickup Towers at select stores.
“We’re moving faster than ever before to help busy customers save time and money,” said Ryan Reed, a market eCommerce manager for Walmart in the Bay area. “We’ve heard customer-centered innovations like our new Pickup Tower are changing the way customers shop with us – making it easier to shop whenever, wherever and however they want.”
The towers are part of an anticipated $200 million spend by Walmart in the state of Florida this year focused on expanding shopping options and empowering customers through new store construction, improvements and innovations.
New Technology: Pickup Towers
Pickup Towers are 16 feet tall and function like high-tech vending machines, capable of fulfilling a customer’s online order in less than a minute. They were recently installed at the following Walmart Supercenters:
· 5800 US Highway 98 N., Lakeland
· 6745 N. Church Ave., Mulberry
· 508 10th St. E., Palmetto
· 2602 James L. Redman Parkway, Plant City
Using Pickup Tower
· Simply choose from millions of items available on Walmart.com and select the “Pickup” option at checkout.
· When the item arrives at your local store, an associate loads it into the Pickup Tower and you will receive notification.
· When you arrive at the store, step up to the Pickup Tower and scan the bar code sent to your smartphone.
· You will receive your order in less than a minute.
New Technology: Online Grocery Pickup
Florida customers can order Walmart groceries online and pick them up without ever having to unbuckle their seatbelts. The service is free and prices through Walmart Online Grocery are the same as in-store.
Walmart currently offers Grocery Pickup at more than 100 Florida locations and plans to roll-out approximately 80 new Grocery Pickup locations at area stores in the coming year. The service was recently launched at the Walmart Supercenter in Bradenton at 6225 E. State Road 64.
Shop How, Where and When You Want: Convenience Offerings
Walmart is innovating the shopping experience like no one else – so customers can shop when and how they want.
· Customers can shop nearly 67 million items on walmart.com or through a new partnership with Google Express.
· Walmart also gives customers the power of choice; Pickup Discount gives customers a discount on select items if they choose to pick up their Walmart.com order at a store.
· In addition, free 2-Day shipping is offered with no extra cost for orders of $35 or more.
· The Walmart mobile app for iPhone and Android makes shopping easier than ever. By using the Walmart mobile app, customers can create shopping lists, search the location of items in their store, check weekly ads and prices, save e-receipts and shop walmart.com.
· Express Services is a new feature in the Walmart app that is combined with in-store Express Lanes in most stores to help expedite customers’ Money Services transactions and will soon include Pharmacy Services.
· With Online Grocery Pickup, customers select from up to 40,000 online grocery items, diapers, dog food and more, and choose the best time to pick their items up. A Walmart personal shopper loads the groceries into the customer’s car upon arrival – all at no additional cost.
About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, nearly 270 million customers and members visit our more than 11,700 stores under 65 banners in 28 countries and eCommerce websites. With fiscal year 2018 revenue of $500.3 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart.