Pensacola, Fl
Walmart is introducing a fresh revamp of its mega stores, with a redesign that mimics its app so shoppers can easily find what they’re looking for.
In an effort to get more people to download its app and use it while shopping (read: not the Amazon app), Walmart encourages shoppers to download it before entering to help navigate the store, search for more options online and pay once they’re done. The redesign will roll out in 200 US stores by the end of the year and another 1,000 by the end of 2021.
Shoppers will also notice Walmart’s departments are more clearly organized and new, larger signage will be installed. Walmart said the new signs were inspired by airports because they are “the best-in-class examples of how to move between large groups of people,” especially in light of the epidemic that has prompted people to jostle to stock up on necessities.
The redesign began last year, before Covid-19, but it includes features that people have become accustomed to like contactless payments. For example, customers can use Scan & Go on their apps so that people don’t have to interact with others while paying. The redesign is inspired by customer feedback and may be modified depending on shoppers’ responses.
Walmart’s digital redesign is another way it challenges Amazon, its biggest competitor. Earlier this month, Walmart + introduced a $ 98-a-year membership plan that includes free shipping for items $ 35 or more, gas discounts and new payment gadgets. The service began in mid-September.
Its primary business is groceries, which accounts for more than half of its sales. But groceries have a reputation for having low profit margins. So Walmart has worked in recent years to develop its apparel and household goods offerings. It just launched a new clothing brand called Free Assembly, and the 55-piece kit ranges from $ 9 to $ 45.
Competitors have also had success with their clothing brands, including Target, Amazon, and even Costco.
