Walmart is testing six next-gen approaches in two recently opened supercenters in Tomball, TX, and Lake Nona, FL. These stores were fully reimagined from a new layout, to building and environmental enhancements, to added technology that all improve the shopping experience, according to a blog post written by Jeff Muench, senior director of Business Development.
“Walmart has always been willing to pioneer in new technology to grow the company, and the focus on in-store technology is telling,” says Stuart Aldrige, Principal, Columbus Consulting International. “Amazon may have web hits and clicks, but Walmart has breathtaking footfall numbers and with that they have an opportunity to create a whole new experience for the customer that will change their view on what shopping can be. They have also taken to heart the connection between online and in-store and are trying to blur the lines; largely because that’s how the next generation wants to shop. These may only be a couple of prototype stores in a global portfolio of bricks and mortar, but it’s as clear an insight as we are likely to see into how Walmart believes it can fend off the online competition.”