Image source: Walmart Inc
Walmart Inc (NYSE: WMT ) announced Monday it will be removing the $35 minimum order requirement to qualify for its two-hour Express delivery service.
The retail giant said the change is effective immediately, but customers will still have to pay a $10 fee on top of the existing delivery charge in order to receive orders within a two-hour window.
With more customers avoiding in-person shopping due to the COVID-19 pandemic and flocking to grocery delivery and curbside pickup services, Walmart expanded its Express delivery service last May.
The service, which is available in nearly 3,000 stores, gives shoppers access to more than 160,000 items, including groceries, everyday essentials, toys and electronics, Walmart said.
Walmart’s senior vice president of customer product Tom Ward said, “Many customers use Express delivery for when they’re in a pinch, whether it be a missing ingredient for a weeknight dinner or a pack of diapers.”
Ward said the change was made in response to shopper feedback and aims to make it “even easier for customers to get what they need when they need it.”
A $35 minimum purchase will still apply for the company’s contact-free curbside pickup and other delivery options. For Walmart+ members, there is no order minimum and free grocery delivery in certain areas.
Walmart’s latest move comes as it continues to compete with rival Amazon.com Inc (Nasdaq: AMZN ).
In December 2020, Walmart removed the $35 free shipping minimum on its annual subscription service Walmart+.
Amazon has offered Prime Now, a rapid delivery service for Prime members that offers a combination of grocery, daily essentials and merchandise, since 2016. There is a $35 minimum order requirement for free same-day or free one-day delivery for the service.
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Source: Equities News
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