Walmart is rolling out a discount on more than 1 million items
Walmart customers will see soon see discounts on over one million online-only products if they pick them up in-store, Bloomberg reports. The new "Pickup Discount" program will launch April 19 with 10,000 initial price cuts as the company's attempt to keep up with Amazon's delivery juggernaut.
"Quite simply, it costs less for us to ship to stores," said Marc Lore, who heads Walmart's e-commerce business. "So, our customers should share in those savings."
Walmart has 4,700 brick-and-mortar stores, with a typical store carrying 120,000 items. The company's website, on the other hand, offers 35 million products. Amazon currently dominates the American e-commerce market, controlling 34 percent to Walmart's less than 5 percent. Analysts project Amazon is on track to control half of the market by as soon as 2021.
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Forthcoming discounts include a 5 percent reduction on Britax B-Safe 35 infant car seats, from $148.05 down to $140.65, or an 11 percent discount on the Lego City Great Vehicles Ferry, down to $21.44. Televisions, coolers, and other products will also see discounts if ordered online and picked up in-store, Bloomberg reports.
"Walmart is trying to move quickly and is stepping up its game," e-commerce analyst Robin Sherk said. "The idea of passing cost savings onto the shopper is something that could be quite disruptive."
