Background
Walmart's biggest strength was thousands of stores close to its customers. Instead of treating online and in-store as separate businesses, it used its stores to make online shopping faster and more convenient.
The challenge
Shoppers increasingly wanted to buy online, and online-only competitors were growing fast. Walmart needed to compete on convenience, not just price.
What they built
- Expanded online grocery ordering with curbside pickup
- Offered home delivery from local stores
- Grew its online marketplace with third-party sellers
- Improved its app and website for faster ordering
- Connected store inventory to online orders
The results
In fiscal 2021 (the year ending January 2021), Walmart U.S. eCommerce sales grew 79%, with 69% growth in the fourth quarter alone. Its stores became a competitive advantage online rather than a cost.
Sources
Public examples compiled from company reports, with sources on each page. Vozile is not affiliated with these companies and did not work on these projects. Trademarks belong to their owners.
