Walmart Shopping and Policy Updates

Following in the footsteps of companies like Walmart and Amazon, DoorDash is the latest company testing drone deliveries in the U.S. 

The company has been working with Wing, a drone delivery provider that also works with Walmart in Australia, where drones have successfully been delivering DoorDash orders in Queensland since 2022. Now, DoorDash has started testing the drone delivery system in Christiansburg, Virginia. 

“We are excited to expand our partnership with Wing in the U.S. to integrate drone delivery into DoorDash’s ecosystem,” said Harrison Shih, senior director of DoorDash Labs. “At DoorDash, we are committed to advancing last-mile logistics by building a multi-modal delivery platform that serves all sides of our marketplace." 

Wendy’s is the first test subject

DoorDash’s pilot drone delivery program is officially underway in Christiansburg, Virginia, and the local Wendy’s is the first restaurant to take part in this phase of testing. 

Customers in the area who place a DoorDash order from Wendy’s will have the option to choose drone delivery when they’re confirming their orders. Once confirmed, the rest of the delivery process will take place as usual. 

Wendy’s will pack up the order, and a Wing drone will pick it up and deliver it to its final destination. Wing explained that its drones travel 65 mph, and once they reach the delivery address, orders are lowered from the drone via tether onto customers’ doorsteps. 

Consumers also shouldn’t worry about the quality of their food with drone deliveries. Wing says that deliveries typically take 30 minutes or less, and because of how quickly they’re able to deliver, quality is never compromised by travel time. 

Small, short deliveries

The goal of drone delivery is to make small, short deliveries faster and more convenient for DoorDash customers. 

Another primary goal is sustainability. Drone delivery allows for fewer drivers on the roads and an overall smaller environmental footprint. 

“Wing has now made over 350,000 deliveries across three countries, and looking ahead, we are focused on providing a fast, affordable, and safe service to our partners so they can better serve their customers,” said Cosimo Leipold, head of partnerships at Wing. “This moment continues our meaningful expansion of this service in the U.S. and advances our shared goal to better the last-mile delivery ecosystem.” 

To get a better idea of how drone delivery works, watch this video: 

Even with inflation, dollar stores are having trouble attracting shoppers. Dollar Tree, which owns the Family Dollar chain, has announced it will close 970 Family Dollar stores after a disappointing fourth quarter.

Budget-conscious shoppers will still have plenty of options. Walmart has gotten more aggressive on prices and even Target has made a play for discount shoppers, launching its dealworthy discount brand.

In an earnings call with analysts, Family Dollar CEO Rick Dreiling said dollar stores, in general, are facing changing shopping habits, and Family Dollar is hampered by the macroeconomic environment.

“Our biggest problem right now is getting enough merchandise into the stores fast enough so the consumer can respond,” Dreiling said. 

Because of inflation, the company said consumers are focusing their spending on necessities and not discretionary items, which make up a significant portion of dollar store inventories.

The announcement follows a record fine

Less than a month ago Family Dollar and its parent company agreed to pay $41.675 million in connection with a rodant-infested product warehouse in West Memphis, Ark. Food, drugs and cosmetics were among the products held in unsanitary conditions.

The companies entered a guilty plea to criminal charges and as a result, received the largest fine in a food safety case.

The plea deal also requires Family Dollar and Dollar Tree to meet robust corporate compliance and reporting requirements for the next three years.

In February 2022 Family Dollar temporarily closed 404 stores served by the warehouse after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) discovered the rodent infestation. It’s not clear whether those stores will be among those that will be closed. The company did not release a list of stores targeted for closing.

Company officials say they plan to shutter 600 Family Dollar stores in the first half of the fiscal year and close another 370 at a later time. They said they also plan to close 30 Dollar Tree locations when leases expire. There are currently 16,774 Family Dollar stores in the U.S.

For the last few months, Walmart shoppers have been able to place orders for delivery through 10:00 p.m. 

Now, the retailer is once again expanding same-day delivery services, but this time, for the morning hours. Starting in mid-March, shoppers can set-up orders to be delivered to their doorsteps starting at 6 a.m. Prior to this announcement, 8 a.m. was the earliest orders were delivered. 

“Starting at 6 a.m., earlier than ever before, customers can enjoy the convenience of on-demand delivery,” the company wrote in a statement. “This expanded timing offers them peace of mind knowing they can get things they need at their doorstep to kickstart the day.” 

Fast, early morning deliveries

Whether it’s a last minute grocery order, school supplies that you forgot to pick up, or diapers, Walmart’s early morning deliveries can be on your doorstep within 30 minutes. Baby essentials, work attire, home appliances, and outdoor supplies are all part of the possibilitiesw. 

This new delivery feature is for consumers who can’t miss their early morning meeting, need supplies before a road trip, need to prep breakfast, or just want their orders as soon as possible. 

How it works

Shoppers will be able to start placing orders for early morning deliveries in mid-March. 

To take advantage of early morning deliveries, shoppers can either go to Walmart’s website or mobile app and start creating an order the way they normally would. From there, there are two express delivery options: delivery within an hour or delivery within three hours. 

For one-hour delivery, there is a $10 delivery fee, while the three-hour delivery window comes with a $5 delivery fee. However, for those with a Walmart+ membership, there is no delivery fee. 

“As we continue to innovate and accelerate, the message is clear: shopping should be personal and as tailored to fit your lifestyle as those freshly-delivered work shirts,” Walmart said.

“With Walmart’s On-Demand Early Morning Delivery and a suite of other convenient options, we’re making sure you have what you need, when you need it, so you can reclaim your time no matter what the clock says.” 

Easter is just a few weeks away, and as consumers continue to battle inflation and rising prices, Walmart is rolling back prices for the upcoming holiday meal. 

The retailer is removing inflation from its 2024 Easter meal offerings and meal items will be priced lower than they were in 2023. 

“Saving customers money is central to Walmart’s mission, and that’s never more in focus than during important holiday celebrations,” said John Laney, executive vice president of food at Walmart. “We’re proud to offer an Easter meal priced even lower than last year, so our customers can celebrate without sacrificing the essentials this holiday season and deliver on our promise of helping them save money and live better.” 

Save on your Easter meal

Walmart has curated a full Easter meal for consumers that can run less than $8 per person. It includes everything from side dishes, to appetizers, and desserts. 

The full shopping list features:  

• Sam’s Choice Bone-in Spiral Cut Ham 8-14.6 lbs: $26.56

• Dole Pineapple Slices 20 oz can: $1.97

• White Dinner Rolls, 12 count: $1.38

• Caesar Salad Kit Family Size: $4.48

• Betty Crocker Scalloped Potatoes: $2.68

• Sweet Potatoes: $1.14 each

• Sweet Corn on the Cob: $3.48

• Green Beans: $0.98 

• 18-Count Large Brown Eggs: $3.92

• Paprika: $1.12

• Mayonnaise: $3.34

• Yellow Mustard: $0.98

• Marie Callender’s Dutch Apple Pie Frozen Dessert: $6.97

• Vanilla Dessert Shells: $1.84

• Frozen Whole Strawberries: $2.24

• Frozen Whipped Cream: $1.07

To feed up to 10 people, the total price of the meal comes in at under $73. Consumers can add the entire grocery list to their Walmart shopping cart for easy meal planning. 

Save on Easter baskets too

On top of savings on your Easter meal, Walmart is also offering savings on Easter baskets for kids of all ages. Similar to the curated meal, the retailer has put together a list of Easter basket items for shoppers that come in at under $20. The deal includes everything from candy, to decorations, and even paper grass. 

Additionally, Walmart has a selection of pre-made Easter baskets that range in price from $15-$25. Or, consumers can build their own Easter baskets, with a number of deals on Easter candy, toys, accessories – and even additions for pets. 

Consumers can shop the special Easter deals on meals and baskets through Easter Sunday – March 31. 

Walmart announced its plans to acquire TV company Vizio, as well as its SmartCast Operating System, for over $2 billion. 

The move pushes Walmart forward in the battle with competitors like Amazon, especially where ads are concerned. While Walmart has always been a major seller of Vizio’s TVs, the acquisition also gives the retailer more opportunities for ad placements. 

“The acquisition of Vizio and its SmartCast Operating System would enable Walmart to connect with and serve its customers in new ways, including innovative television and in-home entertainment and media experiences,” the company said in a statement. “It would also create new opportunities to help advertisers connect with customers, empowering brands with differentiated and compelling opportunities to engage at scale and to realize greater impact from their advertising spend with Walmart.” 

What does this mean for the future?

With the acquisition, Walmart is setting up to expand its media company, Walmart Connect. Through Connect, Walmart is able to work with advertisers to get their products in front of shoppers, whether that’s in stores, online, or through sponsored media content. 

“Our media business, Walmart Connect, is helping brands create meaningful connections with the millions of customers who shop with us each week,” said Seth Dallaire, Walmart’s executive vice president and chief revenue officer. “We believe the combination of these two businesses would be impactful as we redefine the intersection of retail and entertainment.” 

In working with Vizio, Walmart will be able to grow that reach even further. Vizio’s SmartCast Operating System currently has over 18 million active accounts, and the company has over 500 advertising partnerships. 

Every Vizio TV comes loaded with SmartCast, which gives Walmart the chance to place ads in these systems. 

A new streaming service? 

Looking to the future, experts predict that Walmart could use this partnership to develop a streaming network, much in the same way Amazon did with Prime. 

“Longer term, Walmart can use the Vizio platform to develop more of its own entertainment content – something it might link with the Walmart+ membership scheme,” Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, told CBS News. 

Walmart’s drone delivery service is expanding to the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area. 

The company has announced that nearly 75% of the DFW population will be able to order via drone delivery by the end of 2024. Including previous drone delivery locations in Frisco and Lewisville, the addition of DFW will give Walmart the edge as the retailer with the largest drone delivery footprint in the U.S. 

“This expansion will bring the ultimate convenience of drone delivery to communities across the DFW area,” said Prathibha Rajashekhar, senior vice president, Innovation & Automation, Walmart U.S. “Customers will have access to a broad assortment of items from Walmart available for delivery to their home in just minutes. 

“Drone delivery is not just a concept of the future, it’s happening now and will soon be a reality for millions of additional Texans.”

A more convenient delivery method 

The expansion of drone delivery services in the DFW area is possible due to Walmart’s partnership with two drone delivery providers – Zipline and Wing. With their help, more than 30 towns across DFW will be able to get their favorite Walmart products delivered via drone. 

The primary reason to order goods via drone delivery is convenience. Walmart says that customers can expect to see their deliveries arrive in as few as 10 minutes, or as many as 30 minutes. 

Consumers can place drone delivery orders for just about anything – grocery items they forgot for their dinner, a snack they’re craving late at night, cold medicine that they need in a pinch, etc. 

These types of deliveries aren’t just for one-off items either. Shoppers will be able to select multiple items to be delivered – quickly – via drone. 

Safety is key

As convenient as drone delivery will be for consumers, Walmart is also reassuring shoppers that the new delivery system is equally as safe. 

The company explained that they’ve been testing the technology over the last few years, and in that time, 20,000 safe deliveries were completed. On top of that, both Wing and Zipline have a history of safety and efficiency with delivering goods via drone. 

How it works

When ordering from Walmart, customers will place their orders as they typically do, and select “drone delivery” at checkout. From there, the delivery will be boxed up and loaded onto an aircraft for delivery. 

Much in the same way that shoppers track packages they order online, consumers will be able to track the flight of their drone delivery. Shoppers will get notifications when the drone is approaching, and a tether will drop down from the drone, unclipping the package at the final destination. 

Consumers will be eligible for drone delivery from stores within 10 miles of their addresses, and more information on eligibility will be available in the coming months. 

While the clock on holiday shopping is certainly ticking, Walmart is offering consumers last-minute shopping opportunities through Christmas Eve. 

The retailer announced that consumers can guarantee gifts get delivered for Christmas Day even if they wait until later in the week to place their orders. In addition, there will be a number of sales on last-minute gift ideas running throughout this week. 

“It’s been an exciting holiday season, and we’ve been busy delivering the kind of holiday magic only Walmart can,” the company wrote in a statement. “But we’re not done yet! We’re finishing the season strong – giving customers new ways to save and convenient delivery solutions on last-minute gifts.” 

Get gifts delivered, or pick them up

If the holiday season got away from you, it’s still not too late to finish your shopping. Walmart has shared its final shipping deadlines for consumers to ensure they receive their gifts in time for Christmas. 

Here’s what to know: 

• Delivery deadline: Thursday, December 21. If consumers place their orders by 2 p.m. local time, delivery is guaranteed for December 25 – just remember to look for gifts that are eligible for next-day and two-day shipping.

• Curbside Pickup & Delivery (from store): Sunday, December 24. Shoppers can place orders by 12 p.m. local time on Christmas Eve for either same-day pickup or delivery through 4 p.m. Walmart will have extra pickup and delivery time slots available for the extra orders expected during the holidays. 

• Express Delivery: Sunday, December 24. Shoppers will be able to place orders for Express Delivery – which get delivered within two hours of being placed – through 4 p.m. local time on Christmas Eve. Walmart+ members receive one free Express Delivery order in the month of December, and non-members can get Express Delivery for a $10 fee. 

Sales are still available

For those looking for deals on popular holiday gifts, Walmart will be running sales through Thursday, December 21, at 2 p.m. ET. 

Some of the thousands of offers include: 

• LEGO Super Mario Penguin Family Snow Adventure Expansion Set: $19.97

• Philips 50” 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart TV: $198

• Barbie Doll and Mountain Bike Bundle with Barbie Car: $34.97

• Farberware 20-piece Aluminum Cookware Set: $59

• Lenovo 14” IdeaPad: $349

More last-minute holiday sales can be found on Walmart’s website, in the mobile app, or in stores. 

Walmart has announced that it will be bringing sensory-friendly shopping hours to all of its stores, every day of the week. 

The retailer piloted these special hours during back-to-school shopping, but they were limited just to Saturdays. 

Now, as holiday shopping is ramping up, Walmart will have sensory-friendly hours every single day, at all stores, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. local time. 

“Earlier this year, we took a step in making shopping in our stores more inclusive for those with sensory disabilities by taking measures to create a less stimulating environment for a couple of hours each Saturday,” the company wrote in a statement.

“We changed the TV walls to a static image, turned off the radio, and lowered the lights where possible. These changes may have seemed small to some, but for others, they transformed the shopping experience.”  

Listening to consumers’ needs

After testing out sensory-friendly hours for one day a week during the back-to-school season, Walmart has decided to listen to its customers. The company explained that the large majority of feedback it received has been geared towards bringing back sensory-friendly shopping hours. 

The change went into effect on November 10, and currently, there is no end in sight for this more inclusive shopping experience. All Walmart stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico will follow the new sensory-friendly schedule. 

The goal is to make the shopping experience more comfortable for consumers with sensory disabilities. Less noise, lowered lighting and fewer flashing images around the store will make it easier for all shoppers to make the most of their shopping trips. 

“In our stores during sensory-friendly hours, customers will have a calmer shopping experience,” Walmart’s COO Cedric Clark said in a statement to Good Morning America. “Where we’re able, our stores will turn off the radio, change our TV screens to still images and dim the lights. 

“We’re always open to more feedback from our customers and associates, and listen to what else can help create a less stimulating environment during those times.” 

One would think that with Aldi, Walmart, Target, and now Lidl all throwing their hat in the discounted Thanksgiving deals, that all is well in Thanksgiving Dinnerland. But all is well for now, and not guaranteed if you decide to go shopping the weekend before Turkey Day 2023, suggests Datasembly.

New data from the grocery price tracking company indicates that Thanksgiving dinner will cost American consumers even more this year. For instance, the cost of turkey is up 8.3% this November compared to 2022, with no signs of slowing down. 

Datasembly researchers told ConsumerAffairs that, year over year (YOY), frozen whole turkey prices from the first until the last week of October went up 11.3%, similar to what happened from 2021 to 2022. “It also appears that promotions kicked-in earlier last year as prices started to drop on 10-22 in 2022 but in 2023, we have yet to see lowering of prices,” a spokesperson for Datasembly said.

If turkey is a must, Datasembly says the window on good deals will close around November 15 and, then, start rising again.

Frozen turkeys are also going to be priced lower than fresh ones and fresh bird prices are expected to continue at a higher price point, so keep that in mind. 

This means you might want to savor your turkey like it’s a fine wine

Cargill, the food – and turkey – production giant suggests that with turkey possibly coming under the “premium” banner, this year, consumers are desirous of finding ways to stretch the value of their bird so that they get the best return on investment they can.

In order to help home chefs maximize the value of their whole turkey purchase this Thanksgiving, Cargill Corporate Chef Janet Bourbon shares two tasty tips.

Maximize turkey meat: “Carve the turkey and store the meat in sealed containers to keep it fresher for longer. Explore endless possibilities for your leftover turkey meat, from mouthwatering sandwiches to hearty soups and turkey chili,” Bourbon said. “Don’t forget to consume leftovers within three to four days to ensure food safety and quality or freeze them to be eaten later.”

Check out the potential of giblets: Giblets? Yeah. A lot of older Americans remember giblet gravy when they were having their Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving dinner, but Bourbon thinks the under-60 crowd should give giblets a chance, too. “The giblets, including the heart, liver, gizzard, and sometimes the neck, are flavorful treasures often neglected and thrown away,” she said.

To create giblet gravy, all you have to do is simmer the turkey neck, wing tips, half an onion, carrot, and celery in water. Next, strain and reserve the liquid for your gravy, then sauté the chopped gizzard, liver, and heart in butter until browned and add them to your gravy.

Another use of giblets is to treat your pets. There’ve been lots of back-and-forth about what “people food” pets can have, but Bourbon says that cooked giblets can also serve as a delightful treat for your furry friends, especially dogs.

For more information and recipe ideas, including how to thaw, prep and cook a whole turkey and make the most of your leftovers, visit the “Guide to Good,” found on Cargill’s Honeysuckle White and Shady Brook Farms turkey brand websites.

Walmart+ members are used to getting perks with their memberships: free delivery from Walmart stores, nationwide gas discounts, returns from home, mobile scan and go, a Paramount+ subscription, free shipping with no order minimum, video streaming with Pluto TV, early access to online sales, and Walmart rewards. 

Now, the retailer is adding to that list: travel benefits. 

Walmart has partnered with Expedia Group’s White Label Template to offer Walmart+ members exclusive deals on their next getaway. 

“We’re bringing together the ultimate savings membership and vacation booking site to deliver a first-ever travel-focused benefit for Walmart+ members,” said Venessa Yates, senior vice president and general manager of Walmart+.

“Combined with our other efforts – including free delivery, streaming, and savings on fuel – we’re creating a membership that saves customers time and money, whether they’re at home or having fun at their favorite vacation destination.” 

Earn Walmart Cash for booking your next trip

Walmart+ members can book their next vacation with Walmart+ and immediately start earning as much as 5% Walmart Cash for their trip. 

The booking site has a wide range of options for hotels, airlines, and car rental companies, both in the U.S. and overseas. There are offers for last-minute hotel deals, hotel specials by the beach, family-friendly options, popular road-trip destinations, tours and activities, and more. 

The amount of Walmart Cash varies depending on what members book. Reserving a hotel, car, vacation rental, or activity yields 5% Walmart Cash, while flights offer 2% cash back.

When booking both a hotel and a flight, Walmart+ members will receive each respective Cash Back percentage – 5% for the hotel and 2% for the flight. 

Walmart Cash is the latest version of Walmart Rewards, which members accumulate when they purchase certain items that are flagged with a Walmart Cash icon. That Cash can be redeemed towards future purchases in-store or online, or those with at least a $25 balance can receive cash at their local Walmart store. 

A seamless booking experience

The partnership with Expedia makes it easy for Walmart+ members to navigate the booking process. This includes making changes to their itinerary, answering travel questions, or assisting in the reservation process. 

“We’re connecting Walmart’s customer base with Expedia Group’s extensive array of travel supply partners from around the world,” said Ariane Gorin, president of Expedia for Business. “What’s exciting is that with this collaboration, Walmart customers will benefit from Expedia’s ongoing innovation through TravelOS, our AI-powered travel operating system, as we continue to add new products and feature updates to drive the best traveler experience.”

Walmart+ members can book their next getaway straight from the Walmart app or at WalmartPlusTravel.com. Once they officially book their vacation, the Walmart Cash balance will reflect the changes, and members can utilize their rewards 30 days after their trip. 

With consumers currently balancing several days of huge sales from three of the biggest retailers – Target, Walmart, and Amazon – the summer sale frenzy is still heating up. 

Walgreens is the latest competitor to enter the race. The pharmacy announced that it will host a week full of sales and discounts, myW Days, starting on July 23 and running through July 29, exclusively for myWalgreens rewards members. 

“We’re launching myW Days to thank myWalgreens members and show how much we appreciate them,” said Linh Peters, chief marketing officer at Walgreens. “We know health and wellness is personal and needs change and vary, so our loyalty program is designed to provide valuable and flexible rewards across any Walgreens purchase."

Up to $100 in myWalgreens Cash is available

While Walgreens plans to unveil its full list of sales and specials for myW Days on July 13, the retailer explained that myWalgreens rewards members should expect to see discounts and benefits that are tailored to their specific purchases.

With the primary goal of the sale being to reward shoppers, consumers will be able to earn rewards and score their favorites at lower prices, the company said. 

In addition, rewards members should look forward to earning myWalgreens Cash rewards. According to the retailer, each member can earn up to $100 in myWalgreens Cash rewards over the course of the week of savings. 

During the sales events, shoppers will have the chance to earn extra rewards to double up on their rewards balance. This will translate to Walgreens Cash rewards – which ultimately save consumers money on every visit. 

To get the most out of the sales event, and earn the most possible Walgreens Cash, rewards members are encouraged to take advantage of the deals going on every day of the week. 

Consumers must be myWalgreens rewards members to participate in the savings, and they can join in any Walgreens store or online at walgreens.com/mywalgreens. 

For many Americans, Memorial Day Weekend serves as the official kickoff to summer, which usually means gathering your friends and family for a barbecue. 

While costs of all the major essentials continue to creep up, Walmart and Kroger have announced efforts to keep party supplies cost-friendly for consumers this Memorial Day. 

“As families come together in tribute on this day of remembrance, we join our customers in honoring our heroes, and we are here to make their gathering extra special with holiday staples that are affordable, fresh, and delicious,” said Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s chairman and CEO. 

Walmart’s BBQ sale will get you through July 4

Between now and July 15, Walmart is offering shoppers discounts on everything barbecue-related – and the prices are actually lower than last year. 

Shoppers can get everything they need for a barbecue in one of Walmart’s summer grilling baskets. They include everything – hot dogs, hamburgers, buns, lettuce, tomato, cheese, ketchup, pasta and potato salad, corn on the cob, drinks, chips, dessert, and more. 

The price to serve 12 people comes to $6.15 per person, or a total of $73.76. Whether you’re hosting for Memorial Day, Father’s Day, July 4, or any weekend in between, there are deals on all the summer barbecue necessities.

If you’re in need of a grill or new briquettes before the start of the summer, Walmart is also offering sales on those: 

• Expert Grill’s 14.5’’ Portable Charcoal Grill: $14.97 ($3 savings)

• Blackstone’s 2-Burner 28” Griddle with Air Fryer: $447 ($50 savings) 

• 12 lbs of Instant Charcoal Briquettes from Expert Grill: $6.97 (Originally $7.88)

• 16 lbs of Kingsford Original Charcoal Briquettes (two-pack): $17.92 ($2 savings)

All items and sales are available in-store, online, or with curbside or in-store pickup. 

Choose your budget at Kroger  

Ahead of Memorial Day, Kroger is offering three tiers of menus for consumers looking to stock up for their barbecues: the red menu ($5 per person), the white menu ($7.50 per person), and the blue menu ($10 per person). Each menu comes with options for grilling, sides, and snacks, with the option to also add on a s’mores kit for dessert. 

With the red menu, shoppers get Kroger-brand quarter pound burgers and Nathan’s hotdogs, hotdog and hamburger buns, Colby Jack cheese slices, tomato, southwest chopped salad kit, cole slaw, strawberries, and party size cheddar and sour cream potato chips. 

The white menu offers St. Louis-style pork spare ribs, boneless and skinless chicken breast marinated in applewood smoked honey maple BBQ, corn on the cob, sweet kale chopped salad kit, southern-style potato salad, watermelon, party-size wavy potato chips. 

Lastly, the blue menu includes Private Select Angus Beef Boneless flank steak marinated in steak marinade, frozen cooked shrimp and kebabs made with yellow squash, onions, bell peppers, zucchini, sliced baby bella mushrooms, ultimate caesar salad kit, cole slaw, and party size sweet and mesquite BBQ potato chips. 

Kroger is also offering a $9 bundle for a full s’mores kit, plus other deals on barbecue essentials, like propane tanks, sunblock, briquettes, and more. Shoppers can access all of these deals however they choose to shop -- pickup, delivery, or in-store. 

Prices for BBQ items are going up, experts say

According to DataAssembly’s Grocery Price index, which collects and tracks weekly grocery store prices from over 150,000 stores across the country, the cost of hosting a barbecue this summer is going to be more than it has been in recent years – making these store discounts all the more valuable. 

Overall, barbecue goods will cost consumers roughly 9% more than in 2022, with the biggest price hike coming to condiments. Ketchup alone is nearly 30% more expensive than it was a year ago, and mustard and relish aren’t far behind, with the former seeing a 13% price increase, and the latter seeing a 12% price increase since last year. 

In terms of popular grill items, ground beef is marginally down in price since last year (0.4% price decrease), and hotdogs have gone up in price by 3%.

Like many retailers, Walmart is putting more emphasis on health services and a weekend Wellness Day promotion at over 4,600 pharmacies is a good example, offering customers immunizations and free health screenings. 

“It’s not only the free screenings and the affordable immunizations that make a difference, but also the opportunity for connections between our pharmacists and the communities we serve, said Kevin Host, senior vice president of pharmacy at Walmart.

Available health resources

Here’s what consumers can expect at their area Walmart pharmacies on Wellness Day:

• Free COVID-19 vaccines

• Wellness resources

• Free screenings for: body mass index, glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, and vision (at select locations)

• The following vaccines: whooping cough (TDAP), measles, mumps, Hepatitis A & B, chicken pox/shingles, tetanus, flu, pneumonia, HPV, rubella (MMR), and more 

• Time to talk with pharmacists

In addition, consumers can expect their specific Walmart store to handle Wellness Day with different in-store giveaways and freebies. Some stores will have samples of vitamins, nutrition items, or supplements, while others will demonstrate the benefits and uses of different wellness products. 

There are several goals for Wellness Day. For starters, it's an opportunity for consumers to learn more about their own personal health, better manage and track their health, and access resources that are available to them. 

Additionally, Walmart hopes to increase awareness and access to health and wellness services and products. By offering vaccinations and screenings for free and reduced prices, more consumers will have access to important health resources. 

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, Walmart is gearing up to honor new moms in the coming weeks. 

The company is launching a new campaign dubbed, the “Mother of All Savings Memberships,” in which it will donate one year of a Walmart+ membership to as many as 20,000 new mothers during the month of May. 

“Walmart+ brings together benefits that will help save moms precious time,” said Seth Dallaire, executive vice president and chief revenue officer of Walmart. “Whether it’s getting diapers delivered straight to their door or saving on gas for the carpool, we’ve got their back. To celebrate moms, we’ve committed to gifting 20,000 Walmart+ memberships to some of our most important customers, making life a little easier for them.” 

Partnering with Pampers and famous moms

Walmart will be working with a group of celebrity moms as well as the Pampers company to help bring 20,000 new mothers a year of Walmart+ for free. During the month of May, mothers giving birth at hospitals across the country will receive goodie bags that include important newborn and postpartum necessities – and the chance to redeem 12 months of Walmart+ for free. 

Some of the perks of Walmart+ that could be the most beneficial to new moms include: 

• Free shipping with no order minimum

• Returns from home

• Free delivery from your local store

• Walmart rewards for members 

• Mobile scan & go 

In addition, Walmart air commercials and other media items including a group of celebrity moms – Jenny Slate, Stephanie Beatriz, Cardi B, and Janelle James. The women will share their parenting hacks with mothers across the country, as well as explain how they make the most of a Walmart+ membership. 

“The beauty of motherhood is that it brings moms together with a bond regardless of where they are in their lives,” said Courtney Carlson, senior vice president of retail marketing atWalmart. “Every mom loves to trade their parenting hacks, and we’re excited for this campaign to showcase the biggest hack of all being ‘The Mother of All Savings’ – a Walmart+ membership.” 

Getting a gift

While a year of Walmart+ typically costs just under $100, Walmart is also running special deals and offering gift guidance in advance of Mother's Day. The Walmart website has a special page dedicated to gift ideas for moms, aunts, grandmas, sisters, cousins, etc. 

There are gift sets, options for gifts in different price ranges (as low as $15 and under all the way to $100 and under), help with creating themed gift kits, options for different interests like cooking or gardening, ideas for splitting gifts among a group, and more.

Shoppers can choose based on different activity ideas – movie night, paint and sip, breakfast in bed, and more – or “more ways to make her day” – like mommy & me, brunch, or baking. 

After a four-year marriage, Walmart says it’s had all of Capital One it can take. The big box retailer is suing the credit card company over customer service.

According to sources who've seen the lawsuit, Capital One “was consistently unable to meet the customer-service standards” in five “critical” categories over a 12-month period.  Those standards included issuing replacement cards and processing payments and posting transactions in a timely fashion – standards that Walmart alleges the bank admitted in writing that it failed to meet just two months ago.

In a statement provided to ConsumerAffairs, Walmart said it looks forward to bringing its customers a new credit card option "that provides meaningful benefits and rewards soon."

But is it something cardholders should be worried about or is it just a corporate squabble? In comments emailed to ConsumerAffairs, Capital One offered this: "Walmart’s lawsuit is an attempt to renegotiate the economic terms of the partnership it agreed to just a few years ago, or end the deal early.  These servicing issues were immaterial and cured by Capital One pursuant to the terms of the agreement, without harm to customers, the program, or Walmart."

The impact on cardholders

Despite Capital One doing well in the customer service category in a recent J.D. Power satisfaction survey, the company suffered among ConsumerAffairs reviewers regarding customer service.

Some Capital One credit card holders who had Walmart-branded cards have had all they can take, too. One ConsumerAffairs reviewer called the company “a bunch of clowns.” Another said their service was “pathetic.” 

Nonetheless, consumers who have one of the Walmart-branded Capital One cards have to carry on at least for a while. Walmart told ConsumerAffairs that cardholders should not experience any disruptions in service and can continue to use their existing Capital One Walmart credit cards.

Can Walmart get all the eggs in one basket?

This whole ordeal may be part of Walmart’s desire to have every penny coming from someone using one of its credit cards directly into its pockets. Walmart has made noise about offering financial services products for years, and in January, announced plans to acquire two companies that signal a definite move in that area.

One of those companies specializes in earned wage access, a benefit that allows employees to receive part of their paycheck before payday. The other is a neo bank, basically a tech company/online banking services combo that partners with an existing, traditional bank.

However, the biggest component of Walmart’s fintech reveal is credit cards. Even though it had a pre-existing deal with Capital One, the retailer is currently testing “One,” a banking platform it offers its employees with hopes of eventually offering the service to customers. 

Walmart's plans are pretty much like shooting fish in a barrel.

“They don’t need to go acquire customers, they already have them,” David Donovan, executive vice president of financial services for the Americas at digital consulting company Publicis Sapient, told BankingDive. “They just have to roll that service out and make it really easy and simple. It’s like, build it, and they’ll come.”

Walmart shoppers are about to get a special deal on mountain bikes. The company has announced a new partnership with Ozark Trail that will bring the typically high-priced bikes to consumers for a lower cost. 

“We have developed a bike for the weekend warrior that is ready to hit the trails,” said Maddy Johnson, associate merchant for adult bikes at Walmart U.S. “Many of the bikes in this sport come with a high price point. We wanted to offer our customers a more affordable option while maintaining the quality and versatility that the sport requires, and I think we’ve done that with the Ozark Trail bike.” 

Finding the right bike at the right price 

Because mountain bikes are designed to cross different kinds of terrain and hold up under the demands of the sport, that usually means they come with a high price tag. However, Walmart said it partnered with Ozark Trail to bring consumers a durable mountain bike at a better price. 

The new line of mountain bikes with Ozark Trail will be available at Walmart in varying price ranges, and shoppers will have the option to customize and upgrade their bikes to best suit their needs. 

Customers can choose between a 27.5-inch wheel or a 29-inch wheel, and there’s an option for kids that comes with 24-inch wheels. In addition, there are different options for frame sizes, so riders can find the option that best suits their size and needs. The bikes are also equipped with mechanical disc brakes, groupsets from Microshift and Shimano, and short-travel suspension forks. 

Kids’ bikes are priced at $198 at Walmart, while adult bikes start at $298 and can go up to $398 for the most premium option. Walmart will also carry accessories for the bikes, including both youth and adult helmets (priced at $19.96 and $24.96, respectively), a universal bike water bottle cage ($9.96), and 27-piece bike repair tool kit ($29.96). 

Sensing that consumers may forgo a traditional Easter dinner to save money that inflation is otherwise eating up, Walmart is offering ingredients for an entire Easter meal for less than $100.

The company did the same last Thanksgiving and says it was such a hit that it’s doing it again. Starting with the cornerstone of every Easter occasion – eggs – the big box retailer said that instead of cutting the prices on eggs, it’s going to lower the cost of other Easter food traditions instead. 

When ConsumerAffairs took a look at Walmart’s Easter deals, it certainly had everything covered. There are essentials of ham, green beans, pie, and 17 fixings in between appetizers and dessert: including pineapple slices, salad dressings, mayo, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, and Cool Whip. 

“At Walmart, our purpose is to help customers save money and live better. We’re committed to keeping prices low, so families can spend less time worrying about the cost of coming together and more time celebrating with their loved ones,” John Laney, Walmart's executive vice president, of Food, said.

“To ensure our customers can do just that, we’re continuing to invest in the moments that matter this year by offering a Walmart-curated Easter meal and Easter basket at last year’s price.”

Not just green beans, either

The promotion is a double-headed deal, too. On top of grocery staples, Walmart is offering an assortment of Easter basket must-haves at last year’s prices.

“With the savings, you can easily assemble an Easter basket packed to the brim with decorative grass, a Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bunny, Reese’s Eggs, toys and more, perfect for the little ones,” Laney said.

The new prices are available now both online and in-store and the orders are also available for curbside pickup and delivery. They’ll be good until April 15.

If there’s a buck to be made, consumers can trust Walmart, Target, and Costco to make it. But, according to one big box shopping guru, if there’s a buck to be saved, consumers can get one back from the retail giants if they just pay attention.

When ConsumerAffairs lucked upon Kyle James at Rather-Be-Shopping, it was immediately evident that what he has uncovered is buried treasure, for sure. So good that he should rent out his services as a personal shopper.

Snooping and receipts = savings @ Walmart

“Did you know you can tell if a clearance item at Walmart is about to go even cheaper simply by looking at the price tag?,” James threw out as an example. And, according to one of James’ “anonymous” blue-vested Walmart employee’s tip, all you need to know to crack the price tag code is this:

• Price ending with a 7 is typically the original price. Examples include $2.97 or $5.57. Know that you’re paying full price if you see a price ending in 7.

• Price ending with a 5 or 0 is the 1st markdown price. Examples include $3.25 or $45.00. This price is better than the above obviously, but not the cheapest the item may potentially go.

• Price ending with a 1 is the FINAL markdown price. Examples include $4.91 or $57.01. This is the holy grail at Walmart and is the cheapest price the item will go.

Another gem James says that Walmart has tucked out of the way are clearance deals. Yes, we know, clearance deals should be in the clearance section, but James says that’s not a guarantee – especially for consumer electronics.

“Instead, look down low in the glass cases/cabinets in your local Walmart’s electronics section,” he shared, saying he got this tip from a current Walmart employee who told him, “Most marked down, high-end electronics are held in cabinets near or under their respective items.”

Bonus hint: Most reduced items are not displayed and rarely have price tags.

When ConsumerAffairs asked James for an exclusive tip, he told us that any consumer can make money off their Walmart receipt just by using two cashback apps, Ibotta and Fetch.

“All they require you to do is scan your paper receipt once you get home and you'll quickly build up points depending on what you bought. You'll even get points on generic items like milk, bananas, and bread. I use them both consistently and turn my rewards into $100 Amazon gift cards every Christmas,” he said.

Ask Costco for what… a better price?

Not to be greedy, but ConsumerAffairs also asked for an insider tip for Costco shoppers. James said that members can actually negotiate a better price on some items.

Really?

“Have you ever seen the last of a particular item at Costco? Nothing left but the display floor model, which still works great, comes with the same warranty, but might have a scratch or a couple wear marks on it. Often you’ll find these in the electronics and computers section. They want to get rid of these things, and while they might already be marked down, there is still room to negotiate an even better deal,” he said. “Politely ask for 15% off and settle for 10%. Sometimes all you have to do is ask.”

And, lastly, a little-known Costco fact is that you don't have to be a full-fledged Costco member to actually shop there.

James said that he heard from a Reddit user that Costco sells gift cards that give non-members access to the store. “A friend can buy them for you and even reload them for you online,” he said, pointing us to this link where you do that. 

However…

“Be aware that when using a Costco cash card you’ll be hit with a 5% surcharge on purchases from Costco.com. This applies to non-members only,” he cautioned.

Now that consumers aren’t as nervous about shopping in-store as they were during the pandemic, are retailers pulling back on curbside options? It depends on the retailer.

Target and Walmart are still committed to offering curbside pickup as an option to shoppers. In fact, Target just added curbside delivery for Starbucks Café beverages and food in 240 locations – adding a food component to curbside delivery.

However, curbside delivery is dropping precipitously at other retailers. A recent report found that the offering of curbside pickup dropped from 34% in 2021 to 25% in 2022. And while some retailers are continuing to offer the service as a holiday shopping perk, it’s possible that the number offering it could drop further after the first of the year.

It may make customer service sense, but not necessarily economic sense

Even though customer service is king, the pluses and minuses of curbside delivery depend on several factors. For some customers, it’s a no-brainer, but for retailers who have to set up special holding sections and people to take orders to the cars, it can be a burden. 

It’s also a buzzkill for retailers who count on foot traffic perusing their aisles and maybe doing some added impulse shopping. 

Then, there’s the issue of returns. Not being able to go in-store and look at the products in person could increase the chance of returns and with returns now costing 21% of the value of the order, curbside may not be the best choice. 

“During the pandemic, employees were available to run items out to customers’ cars. Today, the situation is the opposite. Brands are struggling to hire and retain associates, meaning there is rarely enough staff to ensure the curbside process runs smoothly,” Rick Berger, president of NewStore, told ConsumerAffairs.

What are customers missing not shopping in-store?

In terms of experience, is there anything shoppers miss by not going in-store? Berger thinks there is.

“Curbside isn’t ideal when shoppers are looking to purchase higher-price, specialty items. Brick-and-mortar offers a much better experience in these scenarios because shoppers can touch and try out products before they buy,” he said. Walmart was probably thinking the same thing when it recently rolled out its in-store Netflix "experience."

The other plus Berger sees is that at the same time, shoppers can consult with store employees. Something you can’t get from someone who’s delivering an order and putting it in your backseat.

“Associates aren’t just there to bag up items and take shoppers’ money. They are product and brand experts,” he said.

As an example, he used skiing equipment – a product category that shoppers rely on the expertise of their store guides to help them find the right board, bindings, or boots for them.

“Many factors go into this decision, such as skill level, age, body type, riding conditions, and more,” he said, things where personal and professional insights can benefit a shopper.

As another example, Berger said his company’s researchers found that 72% of the brands they looked at in the luxury segment – such as jewelry – don’t offer curbside pickup because it simply takes away from a curated in-store experience certain retailers pride themselves on. 

“In both cases above, shoppers are making significant, long-term investments that require the personalization that can only happen from an in-person shopping experience. It all comes down to the brand and the products it sells,” he added.

Walmart and Netflix have teamed up to create a new movie-watching experience for customers at the Netflix Hub, which is now available in over 2,400 Walmart stores nationwide. 

What was previously just an online store that sold clothes, toys, and games from popular Netflix shows and movies, has now transitioned to include an in-store component that has more goodies for families to pick up before movie night. 

“I have so many fond memories of perusing the movie aisle looking for the perfect film to watch with my family on movie night, sometimes sneaking a bag of candy or popcorn into the cart along the way,” said Frank Barbieri, vice president of content and digital at Walmart. “This is something I thought my kids would never experience, until now."

Themed snacks, gifts, and collectibles

The in-store version of the Netflix Hub will have more movie and TV show offerings than the online store. Shoppers can expect to find themed snacks, toys, gifts, collectible items, and music from some of the most popular things on Netflix. 

The offerings will also change depending on the season and time of year. As Walmart prepares for the holiday season, shoppers can find advent calendars or holiday cards related to shows like Stranger Things or Squid Games. However, these items will be consistently updated throughout the year to keep the offerings as updated as possible. 

With the holiday season fast approaching, the Netflix Hub will also be full of potential gift ideas for the avid movie or TV watcher in your family. Shoppers can pick up t-shirts, board games, or jewelry -- everything from Cocomelon to Cobra Kai. 

To make the movie-watching experience more personal at home, shoppers can purchase new Concession Kits. These are also themed to your favorite movies and TV shows and can include a combination of snacks, drinks, or even collectible cups to enjoy while streaming. 

Walmart will also offer a Netflix Streaming Gift Card, which will allow customers to start streaming the latest movies and shows without needing to link a credit card to a Netflix account. 

Sam’s Club recently announced that it would be raising its membership prices. The membership club owned by Walmart hiked basic memberships from $45 to $50 per year and top-tier memberships from $100 to $110 per year. 

However, in recent news from rival club Costco, the company announced that membership fees won’t go up right now. Currently, consumers can get an annual basic membership at Costco for $60 and an annual higher-tier membership for $120. 

Richard Galanti, Costco’s Chief Financial Officer, recently announced that the company’s fourth-quarter sales were higher than expected. This in turn translates into members’ annual fees staying put for a while longer. 

Galanti said that while the company typically raises membership fees every five and a half years, with the last increase coming in 2017, there’s no rush to do so right now. During a time of inflation when not many things are going down or even maintaining the same price, the news is certainly positive for consumers.

However, consumers shouldn’t expect to get too comfortable with the current prices. Galanti explained that prices are likely to go up again – but the timeline of the increase remains unknown for now. 

“In terms of membership fees and a possible increase, there are no specific plans regarding a fee increase at this time,” Galanti said in an earnings call. “We’re pleased with our growth in both top-line sales and membership households over the last several quarters and in member loyalty as reflected in increasing member renewal rates. We’ll let you know when something is about to happen.” 

Saving money with membership clubs

A recent report from ConsumerAffairs showed that buying in bulk at membership clubs tends to be worth the annual fee. With groceries and gas costing consumers more than usual, going to Costco, Sam’s Club, or BJ’s can be an affordable way to stock up on the necessities – and fill up your tank. 

The report found that something as basic as toilet paper can cost nearly 5.5% more per roll at smaller retailers compared to buying larger quantities at a membership club.

While shoppers with lower incomes tend to not be able to afford to buy in bulk, there are savings to be found when doing so – especially when looking at the costs of these items in smaller grocery or convenience stores. 

The big increase in inflation this year has sent more people to warehouse membership clubs where, for a fee, consumers can buy in bulk and sometimes save money. As demand for these memberships grows, one warehouse – Sam’s Club – is increasing its membership fee.

The retailer, owned by Walmart, is increasing the annual membership fee from $45 to $50 – still less than rival Costco’s $60 annual fee. Sam’s Club’s top-tier membership is also going up from $100 to $110.

The new fees take effect Oct. 17.

It’s the first fee increase for Sam’s Club in nine years and the first for the top-tier membership, known as “Sam’s Club Plus.” The retailer, along with its competitors, has benefited from inflation. Budget-conscious shoppers have increased their memberships, especially as gasoline prices hit a record high in June.

According to CNBC, Sam’s Club CEO Kath McLay disclosed the fee increase in a message to members, saying the company is mindful of the economic pressures that many families face. Because of that, McLay said the company will reimburse members the amount of this year’s fee increase in the form of “Sam’s Club Cash” that can be used in stores.

Membership income is growing

Sam’s Club operates about 600 stores in the U.S. and in Puerto Rico. The company does not report the number of members it has but has apparently seen the membership rolls grow this year. In its most recent quarterly earnings report, Sam’s Club said income from membership fees rose nearly 9% during the quarter that ended July 31.

In addition to food and gasoline, warehouse clubs like Sam’s Club, Costco, and B.J’s Warehouse sell home furnishings, apparel, and electronics. Faye, a Sam’s Club member from Warren Mich., uses the store as a place to purchase hearing aids.

“I came in on April 19, 2022, and he spent a long time preparing my hearing aids and be sure they worked well,” Faye wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “I left (the) same day and I could hear. I would recommend him to anyone.”

A 2021 study found that members of warehouse clubs do save money if they can afford to buy in bulk. The study found that more affluent consumers shop at these warehouses because they can afford to buy in bulk while lower-income consumers end up paying more for smaller quantities at other retailers.

Chris Cracchiolo, senior vice president and general manager of Walmart+, has announced that Walmart has created a new rewards program for members of Walmart+ – Walmart Rewards. The program is aimed at helping Walmart+ members save more money at the store, which has recently expanded to include discounts on gas and prescriptions. 

“At Walmart, everything we do is in service of the customer,” Cracchiolo wrote. “Sam Walton used to say, ‘Give customers what they want, and a little more.’ This is our ambition with Walmart+ – to offer a suite of benefits that are additive for our members. And as the needs of members evolve, we evolve right alongside them.” 

What can shoppers expect?

The new rewards program is designed to offer Walmart shoppers discounts and special offers on a wide range of products – groceries, pet supplies, and home needs. Right now, the program is only offering rewards on specific items, though future evolutions of Walmart Rewards may include other features. 

To start saving money, consumers simply start shopping. When scrolling through the Walmart app or website, members will see the option to add a reward to a specific item.

The example shown in a video available on the Walmart company blog is the option to add a $0.75 reward to a bottle of ketchup. Once the reward is selected, it will be added to the Reward Center, which is available in the Walmart wallet in the app and online.

These rewards can then be used towards lowering the price of future Walmart purchases, both in-store and online. The more that customers shop, the more rewards they’ll rack up, company officials say.

For current Walmart+ members, this rewards program is live, and no extra steps are necessary to start saving money. If you’re logged into your Walmart account, either on the app or the website, you’ll start seeing items eligible for discounts. 

Currently, Walmart+ members receive:

• Unlimited free delivery on any items ordered online
• Scan and go, which allows customers to use their phones to scan items in the store and pay for them digitally
• Most recently, a subscription to Paramount+.

This latest effort is geared towards saving customers more money on items they’re already buying. 

“We’ve always been committed to saving members time and money, and with Walmart Rewards, we’re rewarding members for shopping with us through added savings on the items they want and need most,” Cracchiolo said. “It’s a little more that adds up to a lot.” 

Just about every online retailer will offer a few products – mostly computers – that are refurbished. The price is usually a lot less than if the item was new.

Walmart has taken the concept a step further by setting up Walmart Restored, a section of Walmart.com that only sells used or refurbished products. In addition to computers, Walmart Restored offers TVs, smartphones, cameras, audio gear, large and small appliances, and video games.

Walmart has struggled recently because consumers have shifted much of their spending away from products and toward food and gasoline because of inflation. The retailer says it is offering a portfolio of refurbished products to counter rising prices.

“In a year when customers are looking for ways to save money, like-new refurbished products have become an increasingly popular way to cut down on costs without sacrificing quality,” the company said in a statement.

Walmart says all products listed on Walmart Restored have been professionally inspected, tested, and cleaned. It offers a 90-day free return policy to help boost customer confidence in the used products.

Example of the savings

The savings from the new offering can be significant. Walmart Restored currently offers a 50" 4K Roku Smart LED TV for $218. The same TV sells for new at a competitor for $300.

In the small appliance category, a refurbished Panasonic 2.2 Cu. Ft. countertop microwave oven is priced at 169.95. It generally sells new for upwards of $210.

Walmart says it works with sellers and suppliers who are committed to refurbishing top-quality products and preparing them for resale at a fraction of typical costs. Walmart Restored will increase their number and put them together in one place to make shopping easier. Brands included in the section include Apple, Samsung, and KitchenAid.

How reliable will these products be? It may depend on the product. The experts at TechPenny.com say the reliability of refurbished TVs can be hit or miss. One answer may be to purchase an extended warranty, but that cost has to be weighed against the savings from buying a refurbished product.

Back-to-school shopping is underway, and despite inflation that is running at 9%, shopping at major retailers is producing a surprising number of bargains. Food and gasoline may cost more, but shoes, apparel, electronics, and school supplies are getting marked down.

When it reported second-quarter earnings this week, Walmart disclosed that it is feeling one of the many distortions caused by the pandemic. It aggressively ordered inventory over concerns about supply chain bottlenecks.

The goods arrived in abundance at just about the time consumers shifted from buying products during the pandemic to spending more on services and travel. Walmart executives said that left the retailer with piles of inventory that it will need to mark down to sell.

Good timing for back-to-school shoppers

The timing couldn’t be better for parents who are getting their children ready to return to school. Justice girl T-shirts that usually sell for $17 have been marked down to $6.80.

A refurbished Apple 13.3-inch MacBook Air that was originally priced at $269.99 is now selling for $219. It comes in a bundle that includes a headset, case, and wireless mouse. 

Walmart.com is promoting a big sale on apparel, with savings of up to 60% off. The deals are only available to online shoppers.

Walmart isn’t the only major retailer in the position of having to liquidate merchandise, almost at any price. Target announced in May that it was overstocked in a wide range of inventory, with many items now on sale. Kids' shoes are now 20% off, kids’ jeans have been marked down by 30%, and the retailer is selling school supplies starting at 25 cents.

A package of pencils is 50 cents, and a package of three pens is 99 cents. Binders also start at 99 cents.

Savings on electronics

When it reported earnings this week, Best Buy said its inventory levels are about the same as during the pandemic. But the company said it is seeing slower sales because of inflation and is marking down some items to move them.

A check of the Best Buy website shows that a stainless steel Cuisinart air fryer toaster oven has been marked down by $100, to $129.00 – a discount usually reserved for Black Friday.

The best deals are offered to Best Buy Members, who can save up to $370 on select Windows laptops. Inflation-weary consumers may find other bargains at other stores.

"There are [pricing] problems in apparel, home furnishings, furniture and, to a certain extent, electronics," Neil Saunders, the managing director of GlobalData, told NBC News "Those three areas going to be the ones where you'll see the most discounting."

The Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit against Walmart, accusing the retailer of allowing its money transfer services to be used by scammers who require untraceable methods to take money from their victims.

In its complaint, the FTC charged that Walmart has “turned a blind eye” while scammers instructed their victims to use the company’s money transfer services to send them cash that could not be retrieved once the victim realized it was a scam.

The agency claims Walmart failed to properly train employees to recognize that a customer was sending cash to a criminal or to warn customers when employees suspected they were about to become scam victims. The FTC said the retailer had a financial incentive to allow the crime.

“While scammers used its money transfer services to make off with cash, Walmart looked the other way and pocketed millions in fees,” said Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Consumers have lost hundreds of millions, and the commission is holding Walmart accountable for letting fraudsters fleece its customers.”  

Walmart pushes back

Walmart strongly pushed back against the charges, calling the suit “factually flawed and legally baseless.” In a statement, the retailer said that even the U.S. Justice Department declined to sign on to the complaint.

“Claiming an unprecedented expansion of the FTC’s authority, the agency seeks to blame Walmart for fraud that the agency already attributed to another company while that company was under the federal government’s direct supervision,” the company said. “Walmart will defend the company’s robust anti-fraud efforts that have helped protect countless consumers, all while Walmart has driven down prices and saved consumers an estimated $6 billion in money transfer fees.”

A decade ago the FTC brought a similar action against Western Union, charging the company was negligent in allowing scammers to use its money transfer services. A court ordered the company to pay millions of dollars to victims who used Moneygram to send money to scammers. In fact, victims can still make a claim – the new deadline is Aug. 31.

In its suit, the agency said it is asking the court to order Walmart to similarly compensate scam victims.

Red flag

The reason scammers prefer a money transfer service to receive money from their victims is simple. Once the money is sent it cannot be retrieved or traced, leaving the victim with no way to get their money back.

Scammers also instruct their victims to put money on gift cards and give them the numbers. Once a scammer has drained the funds from the gift cards, there is no way to get it back.

Both requirements — to pay someone with a money transfer or gift card and not a credit card — should be a huge red flag. In nearly every case it is a telltale sign of a scam.

Walmart says there’s a path for everyone at the company – especially students.

On top of traditional part-time roles for high schoolers and college students, the company just announced a new pilot program called College2Career that gives young professionals a way to kickstart their professional lives by managing a Walmart store. Those positions could eventually lead to a lucrative career that earns graduates over $200,000 per year as an annual salary.

We aren't quite halfway through 2022, but Walmart’s hiring efforts are already making it a banner year. The company recently said it would hire more than 50,000 workers in a new business push, and it hiked wages for truckers to as much as $110,000 a year to address a driver shortage.

Program specifics

The new pilot program is for recent college graduates and current college students, including existing Walmart employees who graduated within the previous 12 months. 

Those who sign up for the program will reportedly gain hands-on experience, classroom training, and one-on-one mentoring with company leaders – everything the company feels is necessary to learn the ins and outs of Walmart and qualify to be a salaried member of management at a local store. 

When all is said and done at the end of the program, Walmart said the top performers in the program would be offered the newly created management job of “emerging coach,” complete with a starting wage of at least $65,000 a year. College students will be able to step into the role after they graduate, while recent grads will start immediately.

“That’s just the beginning,” the company said in announcing the program. "We see the emerging coach role as an additional pipeline to develop high-potential talent into future store managers, the latter role with an average wage of approximately $210,000 in 2021. With College2Career, we are aiming to move emerging coaches to store managers within two years."

In an effort to sign and retain more members of its subscription service, Walmart is offering an extra discount on gasoline.

Starting today, Walmart+ members will get a 10 cents a gallon discount when they fill up at participating gas retailers. The company has added 12,000 Exxon and Mobil stations across the U.S. to its promotion, raising the number of outlets where the discount is available to more than 14,000.

Gas discounts are also available at Walmart and Murphy’s gas pumps, as well as at more than 500 Sam’s Club locations.

“Ninety-one percent of our customers are aware of the increased prices at the pump and nearly half of those told us they are changing behaviors because of them,” said Chris Cracchiolo, senior vice president and general manager of Walmart+. “More access to a bigger discount will make a difference for our customers.”

Walmart+ launched 18 months ago as an answer to Amazon Prime. For $98 a year or $12.95 per month, subscribers receive free shipping on online orders, free grocery delivery on orders of at least $35, and discounts on prescription drugs.

Inflation strategy

In late 2021, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon told CNBC that the retail giant planned to use rising inflation to its competitive advantage, offering consumers relief. Since then, nowhere has inflation been more evident than at the gas pump. The war in Ukraine sent gas prices to a record high in March before pulling back slightly.

The company says the new gas benefit will provide real savings on something most consumers have to buy. It also hopes the benefit will attract new Walmart+ subscribers and retain consumers who have already signed up.

Walmart does not report the number of subscribers to Walmart+, but it has said the subscription service is a key part of its strategy to grow online sales. 

To use the new fuel discount, Walmart+ subscribers are instructed to find their nearest Exxon/Mobil location using the location map. Upon arriving at the pump, subscribers sign into the Walmart+ app on their smartphone.

If location services are turned on, customers will get a popup asking if they are ready to fuel. They then enter the pump number and begin fueling.

To make sure its supply chain keeps up with the rest of its business, Walmart is raising wages for its in-house truck drivers. In an announcement, Walmart announced that it's raising its starting salaries for truck drivers to a range between $95,000 and $110,000 a year – up from the current first-year average salary of $87,000.  

Truckers are in high demand, and the industry as a whole is facing a very tight labor market. To ensure that segment stays healthy for the long haul, Walmart is expanding a program to train workers to become drivers. 

For employees who decide to take advantage of that program, all that's required is a 12-week course commitment to become fully certified. After that, those drivers will also have the potential to make up to $110,000 in their first year with the company. And that’s just to start. Walmart said drivers who have been with the company longer can earn even more, depending on factors like tenure and location.

Walmart has been doing a lot of hiring recently, but compared to its other job roles, it says its trucking gigs are “destination jobs.”

“The investments in pay and training build on multiple recent driver bonuses and improved schedules that enable drivers to spend more time at home,” the company claims. “There’s never been a better time to join our fleet. Once drivers are on board, this is a job many leave only for retirement.”

Other companies also likely to raise pay

The carrots that Walmart is dangling are certainly enticing. Compared to the $48,978 average salary a long-haul trucker makes per year, Walmart’s offer is nearly twice as high. However, the company might not be the only one trying to romance drivers to join its ranks.

“To attract and retain drivers, fleets must increase pay, which is now happening at extraordinary levels,” said the American Trucking Association (ATA). “We’re witnessing unprecedented pay increases across the industry, with weekly driver earnings surging at a rate more than 5x their historical average—up more than 25% for long-haul, truckload drivers since the beginning of 2019.”

The ATA said trucking fleets are also offering substantial, five-figure sign-on bonuses and full benefits to compete for the same limited pool of drivers.

Walmart is going on a massive hiring spree. By the end of April, the big-box retailer says it will hire more than 50,000 workers – a push that will make it the largest private employer in the U.S.

In addition to the 3,000 jobs it recently announced for its home delivery service, the new jobs will cross other company lines. That includes more store employees, personal shoppers for the company’s advertising and health businesses, and positions in its expanding direct-to-refrigerator grocery delivery service. 

One of Walmart's biggest employment pushes will happen in its technology sector, Walmart Global Tech, where the company plans to hire more than 5,000 associates globally. Many of those jobs will be located in Toronto and Atlanta, two cities with an abundance of tech talent and large numbers of existing Walmart employees.

Increasing wages to compete for workers

Walmart is not alone in looking for employees; consumers can hardly drive a couple of miles without seeing a few “now hiring” signs. But it might have to increase its pay rate if it’s going after the same pool of job seekers that Amazon, Target, and Costco are.

At present, workers start out at. $16 per hour at Costco, $15 per hour at Amazon, and up to $24 per hour at Target. In comparison, the base rate at Walmart is $12 per hour.

Not withering away from its competitors' wage hikes, Walmart spokeswoman Anne Hatfield told CNBC that the company's magnitude gives employees the chance to move into higher-paying roles. She said hourly pay is as much as $26 per hour for “team leads” at company stores. At distribution and fulfillment centers, pay starts at $16 per hour for supply chain workers’ but can rise as high as $30 per hour.

Because competitors are upping their benefits game, Walmart is stepping up its benefits too. Like Target, Walmart recently added a college tuition perk via its Live Better U program.

In a move that’s certain to ruffle some feathers at Lowe’s, Best Buy, and other competitors, Walmart has announced that it will now be offering installation services. 

The big-box retailer is entering into a new arrangement with in-home services provider Angi (formerly Angie’s List) to help homeowners do everything from setting up electronics to flooring, painting, plumbing, electrical, and assembly services for furniture.

By the time everything is in place, Angi said its services will be available in nearly 4,000 Walmart stores across all 50 states. For the moment, the Walmart-Angi deal is exclusive for a limited time. 

“Since the start of the pandemic, the home is in focus and people across the U.S. are doing more home improvement, maintenance and repair work and they are often turning to Walmart to find the tools and materials needed to start those projects,” said Angi CEO Oisin Hanrahan.

"Things like sprucing up an entertaining space by installing a new smart TV, painting a nursery for a family addition, and transforming an outdoor space and adding a patio are now projects that Walmart customers can get done seamlessly with the help of an Angi pro as part of the Walmart shopping experience.”

Good deal for consumers

If Angi and Walmart can stick to their guns on pricing, what they’re offering looks like a pretty good deal. As an example, ConsumerAffairs did an apples-to-apples comparison on what Best Buy’s Totaltech charges for a flat TV installation vs. what Angi is pitching. Best Buy lists its price for that service at $199.99. Angi says its starting price for the same service is $79. HomeAdvisor estimates that the price range for installing a TV is between $159 and $361, or an average of $260.

The cost of furniture assembly appears to be another plum for Angi. Target lists a price of $76.99 for its “large furniture assembly powered by Handy;" the price Angi/Walmart announced starts at $49. 

There are several things consumers should keep in mind when looking at installation prices, though. One of those is the phrase “starting price” – a factor that a consumer would have to ask for more specifics on before moving ahead with ordering an installation.

Another thing consumers should watch out for is the possibility that Angi’s prices are “introductory” and could change after a certain period of time. Thirdly, advertised prices may not include labor, the TV mount, or reflect the complexity of the job. Smart consumers should be prepared to ask a lot of questions before agreeing to use the service.

Depending on the item, purchasing a service can either be done when buying it in-store at Walmart. For more complicated installations like flooring, consumers can go online to Walmart.com.

Angi’s pitch to consumers is that the process is as easy as purchasing any other item at Walmart. Once the item is purchased, Angi will reach out to coordinate booking and ensure that the service is completed to the customer’s satisfaction.

Empty store shelves, a fixture during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, are back. Consumers around the country report that many items are once again hard to find.

In the Dallas area, over-the-counter (OTC) medications are harder to find. The Dallas Morning News reports that spot checks at eight Walmart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, and Sam’s Club locations in northeast Dallas found many empty shelves. 

In the nation’s capital, a number of stores are offering reduced supplies of products. According to Fox 5, a Washington, D.C. TV station, grocery shoppers are encountering reduced supplies of beef, pork, eggs, and maple syrup. 

Trader Joe’s customers have taken to Reddit to report bare shelves in stores throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. 

Reduced workforce

Industry insiders point to several factors contributing to shortages. While normal supply chain functions have slowly improved, snowy weather along the East Coast in the last couple of weeks made supply chain problems worse.

A bigger factor may be the fast-spreading Omicron variant of COVID-19 that is sidelining thousands of workers who normally load trucks and restock shelves. Helen, of Milwaukee, tells us that she encountered this problem when she attempted to pick up her prescription at a CVS drive-thru.

“Get to the pharmacy, the drive-thru is closed,” Helen wrote in a ConsumerAffairs post. “Call the pharmacy and they said they were short-handed and could not give me my paid prescriptions through the drive-thru, that I had to come in and pick up my drugs. I stated that I am a high risk for COVID. That's why I use the CVS drive-thru. She said she couldn't help me.”

A report by Slate suggests that the latest shortage of consumer goods could last for a few more weeks. It notes that supermarkets have been hard-hit by the Omicron variant at a time when staff levels were already low.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports that cases of the virus have surged among the staff of SpartanNash, a major Midwest grocery chain and supplier. It reports that about 1% of the company’s employees have tested positive in the last few weeks.

Walmart ramped up its grocery delivery service during the pandemic, and it paid off. Now, the retailer is putting more resources into that part of its business by hiring more than 3,000 more drivers to make deliveries.

Walmart’s InHome service is currently available to an estimated six million U.S. households. Once the expansion is completed, Walmart says 30 million households will be able to receive store-to-refrigerator grocery deliveries.

“Now you’ve got this ultimate convenience where you get home, the refrigerator is restocked and other items like video games, clothing, toiletries, and other non-perishables are on the countertop,” Tom Ward, senior vice president of last-mile delivery at Walmart, told CNBC.

There is no doubt that grocery delivery has been popular with consumers, but some posting reviews at ConsumerAffairs have suggested there are a few bugs in the system. Dave, of Atchison, Kan., said one of his recent orders never arrived but that he received a text informing him that it did.

“Contacted support via text and was told order was canceled and refunded,” Dave wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “Next day USPS delivers Campbells Chicken Soup then delivery driver brings toilet paper, tissues, ketchup, relish, gum, stuffing, chips and chocolate syrup... ALL other items missing.” 

Susan, of Cape Canaveral, Fla., tells us she was very happy with the delivery service the first few times she used it. Lately, she says it has been unpredictable.

“Even with grocery delivery, they have started sending ordered items different days through the mail,” Susan wrote. 

A bigger stake in the delivery business

Walmart stated that additional staffing may be able to help iron out those wrinkles. According to CNBC, the company’s investment is making it a major player in the delivery business, competing with the likes of DoorDash, Instacart, and Amazon Fresh.

Walmart will charge $19.95 a month, but there will be no additional fees. Amazon Fresh is included with a $12.99 a month Prime membership. A DoorDash subscription costs $9.99 per month but requires a minimum of $12 for restaurant orders.

Target makes deliveries through its subsidiary Shipt. A Shipt membership costs $99 a year and provides free deliveries for members. Non-members pay $9.99 per delivery.

The State of California has filed a lawsuit against Walmart, alleging that the company improperly disposed of products that are considered hazardous waste.

Attorney General Rob Bonta says Walmart has been filling local landfills that are ill-equipped or authorized to handle alkaline and lithium batteries, pesticides, aerosol cans, toxic cleaning supplies, electronic waste, latex paints, and LED light bulbs for the last six years. He cited data from Walmart’s own inspections that show the company unlawfully disposes of more than one million hazardous waste items in California each year.

While typical hazardous waste is bad enough, Bonta’s team said Walmart may have also thrown out customer records with personal information. 

“When one person throws out a battery or half-empty hairspray bottle, we may think that it's no big deal. But when we’re talking about tens of thousands of batteries, cleaning supplies, and other hazardous waste, the impact to our environment and our communities can be huge,”  Bonta said. 

“This lawsuit should serve as a warning to the state's worst offenders. We will hold you accountable. As the People’s Attorney, taking on corporate polluters and protecting public health will always be among my top priorities.”

Walmart doesn’t agree

Naturally, Walmart is defending itself. But rather than making an effort to get in compliance with California’s law, it claims that its corporate sustainability achievements and its past criminal and civil penalty payments fulfill its compliance responsibilities. 

The company said it previously met the requirements of a settlement stemming from a 2010 lawsuit over disposal law non-compliance – one that cost it $25 million to settle. 

E-Scrap News reported that Walmart provided it with data on the amount of regulated waste that was rerouted from its compactors in recent years. That data showed that from 2011 through 2020, the company diverted 40 tons of consumer batteries, 2.8 tons of cell phones, another ton of fluorescent lamps, and larger amounts of materials like tires and vehicle batteries.

The company even provided a court transcript from 2018 showing that the California Attorney General’s office agreed that the retail chain had met its obligations at that point.

However, Bonta’s office didn’t agree and called Walmart a “repeat offender” of disposal violations. 

“Instead of trying to come into compliance with the law, Walmart claims that its corporate sustainability achievements and its past criminal and civil penalty payments fulfill its compliance responsibilities,” Bonta’s office said in a statement.

What exactly is causing supply chain bottlenecks that have created shortages and contributed to higher prices? The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is launching an investigation to find out.

The agency specifically wants to know if any companies have taken advantage of the situation to raise prices or to engage in “anti-competitive” behavior. It’s asking Walmart, Amazon, Kroger, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Associated Wholesale Grocers, McLane Co, Inc. Procter & Gamble, Tyson Foods, and Kraft Heinz to provide detailed information about their supply chains and the problems they are facing. 

The FTC points out that this is not part of any law enforcement action. It’s conducting the investigation under Section 6(b) of the FTC Act, which authorizes the agency to conduct wide-ranging studies. 

“Supply chain disruptions are upending the provision and delivery of a wide array of goods, ranging from computer chips and medicines to meat and lumber,” said FTC Chair Lina Khan.

“I am hopeful the FTC’s new 6(b) study will shed light on market conditions and business practices that may have worsened these disruptions or led to asymmetric effects.” 

Problems started with the pandemic

Supply chain issues began fairly early in the COVID-19 pandemic, and the situation hasn’t gotten much better. Container ships are still backed up in West Coast ports like Long Beach and Los Angeles and are waiting to unload.

Factories in Asia were shut down for several weeks because of the virus and have struggled to catch up. A shortage of computer chips reduced the number of new cars for sale in the U.S. and that, in turn, caused used car prices to skyrocket.

The FTC said its investigation will seek to understand how these disruptions have affected different industries and what effect they have had on consumers. The agency will also try to determine whether some businesses are taking unfair advantage of supply chain bottlenecks to increase their competitive advantage. Specifically, the FTC wants to know how supply chain issues are contributing to rising prices.

What the FTC wants to know

To comply with the FTC order, the companies that are contacted will be required to detail the biggest factors disrupting their ability to obtain, transport, and distribute their products. The agency also wants information about the impact these disruptions are having in terms of delayed and canceled orders, increased costs and prices, and the products, suppliers, and inputs that have been most affected.

At the same time, the White House is reaching out to grocers and retailers to learn how supply chain issues are affecting the economy. President Biden met with a number of business leaders on Monday to get their input. A White House official says other fact-finding events will be held later in the week.

Nagging supply chain issues have limited imports of a wide range of products, forcing consumer goods to compete for space with industrial and commercial products in the nation’s ports.

Frustrated with backups that don’t seem to have an end, Walmart has begun chartering its own cargo ships. The first vessels are currently moving across the ocean with cargos of Paw Patrol Movie Towers, Batmobile Transformers, and Baby Alive Lulu Achoo dolls.

"Chartering vessels is just one example of investments we've made to move products as quickly as possible," Joe Metzger, U.S. executive vice president of supply-chain operations at Walmart, told Reuters.

Consumers struggle to find out-of-stock items

Supply chain issues have resulted in large gaps in store shelves as a wide variety of consumer products are in short supply. Some shortages are caused by a lack of raw materials that have limited production. Other shortages are the result of a product’s popularity.

Ed, of Moorpark, Calif., said he ordered a toy to be delivered to his grandson as a gift for starting kindergarten. He said the toy was available one day but not the next.

“I called Walmart the night before to make sure all okay,” Ed wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “Talked to Supv, he said all good. Ready to go. Got email at 2:01 am stating out of stock. What happened from the night before?”

Kev, of Port Richey, Fla., went from Walmart to Walmart in his area looking for controllers for his PS4 video game system. He said he found a store online that had a couple in stock, but they were gone by the time he got there. He said he thought he was having the same experience at the Spring Hill Walmart until Stephanie, the manager, intervened.

“After 15 min she came back with a whole cart fully stacked with new shipment boxes with all sorts of products but she thought she had seen the items I was looking for,” Kevin wrote in his review. “Yes she was right. Much appreciated to save me time and more hustle finding those **** PS4 controllers.”

Walmart looks to alleviate shortages

By enlisting its own fleet of ships, Walmart hopes to make it easier to alleviate shortages and to meet consumers’ needs. The challenge, however, may be finding places to unload. 

The Marine Exchange of Southern California reports that more than 60 container ships carrying a wide range of consumer products are stuck outside Los Angeles and Long Beach terminals and are waiting for space to unload.

As the last holiday season graphically illustrated, the pandemic has created bottlenecks and delays when it comes to delivering consumer purchases. Walmart has announced plans to alleviate that.

GoLocal is a new delivery service that will be operated by the world’s largest retailer. But in a twist, the drivers will deliver purchases from other local retailers, not just Walmart. The company said it will be a “white label” service, meaning its vehicles will not carry the Walmart logo.

Operations are expected to begin by the end of this year, meaning the service may be available during the holiday season. There will be several delivery options, from two-hour to two-day delivery.

Walmart plans to leverage its significant footprint in the U.S. to operate the new service. It will use a combination of Walmart employees, gig workers, and even other delivery companies to make the actual deliveries.

“In an era where customers have come to expect speed and reliability, it’s more important than ever for businesses to work with a service provider that understands a merchant’s needs,” said John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart U.S. “Walmart has spent years building and scaling commerce capabilities that support our network of more than 4,700 stores and we look forward to helping other businesses have access to the same reliable, quality and low-cost services.”

Building on its delivery experience

Company officials say GoLocal is built on the experience and success of the delivery service that Walmart operates at more than 3,000 stories. After ramping up, the service is expected to employ drones and autonomous vehicles to move purchases to consumers’ homes.

Amazon launched a shipping and delivery service in 2018 but suspended it last year. However, the online retailer operates a fleet of vans to make deliveries to Prime customers.

Walmart executives made a point of noting that GoLocal will be a resource for local, independent businesses that may lack the resources to deliver purchases immediately. They say it could be especially useful for purchases that are of an irregular size or shape.

“We’ve worked hard to develop a reliable last-mile delivery program for our customers,” said Tom Ward, senior vice president, last mile, Walmart U.S. “Now, we’re pleased to be able to use these capabilities to serve another set of customers, local merchants.

Walmart said Tuesday that the Delta variant hasn’t had a major impact on consumer spending. The retailer reported stable earnings in recent quarters. 

"We are not seeing a major shift in consumer behaviors at this point," Walmart Chief Financial Officer Brett Biggs told Yahoo Finance. 

Biggs said customers have recently been buying items like luggage, party supplies, and apparel. Back to school shopping has also gotten off to a “strong” start, and consumers are spending on things like backpacks and items for the classroom. 

Monitoring the situation

The company said its second quarter sales grew 5.2%, beating analysts’ forecasts of growth of 3.12%. Revenue was $141.05 billion, which topped analyst expectations of $137.17 billion. By month, Walmart said July saw the highest sales. All merchandise categories (grocery, health and wellness, and general merchandise) performed particularly strongly that month. 

In an interview with CNBC, Biggs said Walmart is monitoring the Delta situation as it pertains to shopping behaviors, but no apparent shift has been spotted so far. 

“Mask wearing is back up again, but runs on supplies — things we saw last March, April [of 2020] — we really haven’t seen again,” he said.

Walmart has announced that it will give weekly bonuses to warehouse workers who put off taking a vacation in August. The retailer is striving to ensure a smooth flow of warehouse operations through the holiday season, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

Some full-time workers have been offered $200 extra per week, and others have been offered as much as $500. The bonus will vary based on the facility’s location and the worker’s job type, according to a Walmart spokesman. Workers started receiving bonuses this month, and they’ll continue receiving them through the fiscal year. 

Walmart, which has 1.6 million workers, said its distribution warehouses “continue to see high volume as we are preparing for peak season,” a company spokesman told the Journal. 

Perks and pay raises in a tight labor market

Walmart’s decision to add weekly bonuses is seen as an effort to keep business running as normally as possible in a tight labor market with lingering COVID-19 concerns and stretched supply chains. Other large retailers have announced new perks and pay bumps for the same reasons. 

In April, Amazon announced $1,000 hiring bonuses and pay raises for many of its hourly workers. This week, CVS announced that it would raise its hourly minimum wage and eliminate education requirements in an effort to attract and retain employees. CVS said incremental increases to hourly rates will start this month.

In July, Target announced that it would be giving each of its roughly 340,000 hourly workers a $200 bonus as a way of showing appreciation and recognition for continuing to “show up bigtime.” Target also announced this week that it will offer employees a debt-free college education starting this fall. Walmart had already announced a similar education program. 

Walmart’s distribution and fulfillment center workers already have higher pay than store associates, making an average of $20.37 per hour. Earlier this year, Walmart said it planned to give about 425,000 workers raises. 

Walmart announced Tuesday that it will pay 100% of its U.S. workers’ college tuition and books over the next five years -- an investment valued at close to $1 billion.  

The action is an adjustment to Walmart’s Live Better U (LBU) education program. The retailer said it’s dropping the $1-per-day fee previously required for employees to participate in the program to help alleviate the burden of student loan debt. The fee will be eliminated starting August 16. 

The company said the move will help about 1.5 million part-time and full-time Walmart and Sam’s Club associates in the U.S. earn college degrees or learn trade skills without accruing education debt in the process.

“We are creating a path of opportunity for our associates to grow their careers at Walmart, so they can continue to build better lives for themselves and their families,” said Lorraine Stomski, senior vice president of learning and leadership at Walmart. “This investment is another way we can support our associates to pursue their passion and purpose while removing the barriers that too often keep adult working learners from obtaining degrees.”

Adding academic partners and programs

Walmart, which launched its LBU program in 2018, said it is adding four academic partners: Johnson & Wales University, the University of Arizona, the University of Denver, and Pathstream. Existing partners include Brandman University, Penn Foster, Purdue University Global, Southern New Hampshire University, Wilmington University, and Voxy EnGen.  

“We’re adding in-demand college degree and certificate options in business administration, supply chain and cybersecurity,” Stomski said. “These additional offerings join a robust catalog of programs to set associates up for new career opportunities. Our education offerings tie directly to our growth areas at Walmart, and what better way to fill the pipeline of future talent than with our own associates.”

Over the past three years, Walmart said more than 52,000 associates have participated in the LBU program and 8,000 have graduated. Nearly 28,000 associates have been active in an LBU program this summer.

The retailer said it was moved to drop the $1-per-day fee to participate in the program because of changes in the economy and job market.

“Walmart is committed to eliminating the burden of education debt,” Stomski said. “Cost is a leading barrier for earning a degree with student loan debt in the U.S. topping $1.7 trillion.”

Walmart announced Tuesday that it’s begun selling a new low-priced insulin called ReliOn NovoLog -- a private-label version of analog insulin.

In making the drug available, Walmart said it hopes to “revolutionize the access and affordability to diabetes care.” Walmart is hoping the new insulin will be easier for financially strapped diabetes sufferers -- or those without health insurance -- to afford. The prescription-only product will cost about $73 for a vial or about $86 for a package of prefilled insulin pens. 

In an announcement, Walmart noted that more than 34 million people in America live with diabetes, and about 1.5 million more are diagnosed with the disease every year. About 14% of Walmart customers live with diabetes and need insulin.

“We know many people with diabetes struggle to manage the financial burden of this condition, and we are focused on helping by providing affordable solutions. We also know this is a condition that disproportionately impacts underserved populations,” said Dr. Cheryl Pegus, executive vice president, Walmart Health & Wellness.

“With ReliOn NovoLog insulin, we’re adding a high-quality medication for diabetes to the already affordable ReliOn line of products and continuing our commitment to improve access and lowering cost of care,” Pegus said.

Increasing affordability 

Walmart said it worked with pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk to lower costs “without compromising quality.” Compared with competitors in the branded analog insulin product market, Walmart said the drug will offer savings of up to $101 per vial or $251 per package of branded FlexPens. 

ReliOn NovoLog is intended for use by patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes -- both adults and children. The drug will also be available at its Sam’s Club stores starting in mid-July.

“This price point, we hope, will improve and hopefully revolutionize the accessibility and affordability of insulin,” Pegus told reporters. “We know that many people with diabetes struggle to manage this chronic condition because of its financial burden.”

Online shopping scams on Prime Day? You bet. 

While Prime Day might be an Amazon-branded event, the online retail giant isn’t the only company trying to attract customers. Walmart, Target, Kohl’s, and others are also trying to draw in consumers with special deals during the annual shopping event. 

Consumers have been hot on the trail of all the deals being offered. Google reports that searches for “show Prime Day deals” were up 600% in the 24 hours leading up to Prime Day’s official start. Searches for “Walmart Prime Day deals” were up 90%, and searches for “Target Prime Day deals were up 50%.

Unfortunately, more deals mean more chances for scammers to capitalize on the hoopla and bamboozle shoppers. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) says there are several scams that consumers should be on the lookout for. 

Phishing expeditions lead the way

First on the BBB’s list is phishing scams -- a type of fraud in which an attacker sends a fraudulent message designed to trick a victim into revealing sensitive information like a credit card number. 

“Phishing scams increase during busy shopping times, such as Prime Day or Black Friday,” the BBB warns. “When you are making a lot of purchases, it’s easy to lose track of exactly what you bought and where you shopped. That makes you more likely to fall for a phishing scam posing as a big name store.”

Phishing attacks don’t only come in the form of emails. They can also be delivered via text messages and phone calls. In some instances, attackers will try to entice you to click on a link or give up personal information so that you can receive a gift. If you see that kind of offer, then you should stop right then and there because it’s likely a scam. 

One recent phishing con the BBB reported on involved a scammer who claimed to be an Amazon representative who was calling to fix an issue with the victim’s account. This is a favorite ruse because a scammer can load up on personal data -- credit card information, account login details, and remote access to your computer -- in one fell swoop.

Phony websites and fake ads are also in vogue

The BBB says misleading ads and copycat websites are also a favorite tool of hackers.

“When searching online or browsing social media, watch out for ads that point to scam websites,” the BBB advises. “Con artists often create lookalike websites that, at first glance, appear to belong to a trusted retailer. But when you look more closely at the URL, you’ll notice that the domain name is slightly different (i.e., Instead of Popularstore.com, the URL might be PopvlarStore.com or PopularStoreOnline.com).”

Some other telltale signs to look out for include bad spelling and grammar used on the fake website and deals that sound too good to be true. The BBB says consumers should remain a little cautious when looking at special sales on Prime Day. If a company claims to be selling the hottest item of the year at a super low price, then it’s possible that they’re trying to pull a scam.

The agency says smart consumers will also pay attention to deals advertised on social media and regard them with a grain of salt.

Walmart thinks its customer service is so important that it has decided to connect much of its employee base together by giving 740,000 associates a new smartphone loaded with a new all-in-one associate app -- Me@Walmart.

Workers will be given a free Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro smartphone that comes pre-packaged with a case and a protection plan, all free of charge. Associates will only be able to access the app’s work features while they’re on the clock, but they can also use the smartphone as their own personal device if they want to, with all the features and privacy they’re used to.

Walmart is being careful not to rule their employees 24/7, though. Realizing that its employees have a personal life that's different from their one wearing a blue vest, company executives said the app will be loaded with ways to plan for life outside of work -- with the promise of no prying eyes. Walmart says the company will not have access to any personal or private data used in the Me@Walmart app.

Focusing on customer satisfaction

Earlier this year, Walmart stated that customer satisfaction is a priority and that it was hiring necessary workers and retooling its stores to make the shopping experience better. One of the key components of that shift is converting existing store space into part retail space and part fulfillment center space. 

As associates learn how to navigate the changing environments, Me@Walmart can help them simplify and connect the new dots quicker.

“A great customer experience starts with a great associate experience, and our people will always be a competitive advantage,” commented Walmart executive Drew Holler. “As we make enhancements for our customers, we’re also rethinking how we can help our associates succeed in their roles today and deliver some of what they’ll need for the future. The right tools can be the difference between fast and frustrating.”

Improving things for associates, retail stores, and customers

Here’s a breakdown of what Walmart associates will find on their new phone:

Scheduling: The Me@Walmart app allows associates to easily view their shifts as many as two weeks in advance, check on their upcoming paid time off, and request changes to their schedule if needed.

Mobile Clock-In: Goodbye time cards! Using geofencing technology, Walmart workers can clock in with a tap of a button once they arrive at their store.

Push-to-Talk: Remember walkie-talkies? The new app brings back that communication method. The push-to-talk feature will allow associates to instantly connect with one another so they can react collectively to customers’ needs.

Ask Sam: A voice-activated personal assistant for work, the Ask Sam feature saves time by letting associates ask the app questions to quickly locate merchandise and get answers for customers on the spot.

Getting Products on the Shelves Faster: Before the year’s out, another feature will be added to the Me@Walmart app that helps speed up the time it takes stocking associates to get items from the backroom to the sales floor. Instead of sticking with the old way of scanning each box individually to find an item, all associates have to do now is hold up their device and use an augmented reality feature to highlight the boxes that are ready to go. In testing out that feature, Walmart claims restocking will now be three times faster than it was under the manual process.

Having a stable, reliable job has become even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic. Walmart, the U.S.’ largest retailer, has announced that it's going all-out to create more of these positions. 

The company announced on Thursday that it expects two-thirds of its U.S. hourly store roles to become completely full-time positions by the end of the fiscal year. That would create more opportunities for around 740,000 workers.

The new full-time positions will have consistent schedules, with the same hours on the same days each week. That will give associates with families firmer schedules so they can take care of things like picking the kids up from school.

The company said it believes full-time schedules will complement the other ways it’s retooling for the future of retail. In Walmart’s mind, that future will be resplendent with pickup and delivery services. The retailer is also working to convert existing store space to be part retail space and part fulfillment center. The fulfillment component is the sweet spot for full-time jobs at Walmart these days. More than 80 percent of the workers at its distribution centers and fulfillment centers are already at that level. 

“We’re uniquely positioned to offer a combination of stability and room for growth that few others can match. We are prioritizing consistent schedules, skills training and new pathways for growth, so all jobs at Walmart can lead to careers,” said Drew Holler, Senior Vice President, Walmart U.S. People Operations.

“We know offering more full-time opportunities along with skills, training and equipping associates with tools to make work easier will help us continue to attract and retain top talent.”

What a job at Walmart looks like these days

Walmart has moved far beyond greeters in blue vests. Its new employee structure is team-based with pods of 8-12 associates focused on a specific aspect or area of the store. The company feels that having a small team will lead to a more connected, productive, and enjoyable work environment, all of which will result in happier customers. 

The pandemic has also caused a shift in how Walmart protects its employees. The company now has a COVID-19 emergency leave policy and paid time away from work to get vaccinated. 

One unique job-related twist that Walmart has instituted is the deployment of an app called Thrive ZP to inspire its workers to make better choices. Participating has a nice payday too. Workers who stick with the app for 21 days and share their stories have a chance to win a share of $1 million dollars.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the way consumers shop and purchase fast-food. As a result of those two trends, McDonald’s and Subway are reportedly closing hundreds of their stores located within Walmarts.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the closings mark the final stages of what has been a relationship spanning three decades. It was brought on by two trends that emerged over the last 12 months.

First, fewer people visited brick-and-mortar locations, moving a larger portion of purchases to online channels. Others came to store locations but never made it inside because they took advantage of curbside pickup.

Restaurants, meanwhile, closed or limited dining rooms and shifted a greater portion of their business to takeout and delivery. Fast-food restaurants within Walmart stores are not exactly set up for drive-thru service.

Plunging profits

With fewer people in stores and in-store restaurants lacking drive-thru windows, these fast-food locations saw profits plunge. McDonald’s, which at one time operated more than 1,000 locations inside Walmart stores, is trimming that number to about 150, according to The Journal.

Subway executives also said they plan to close some of their locations within Walmart stores, a result of sharply declining foot traffic. Even at stores where shoppers are still numerous, people were less likely to purchase or consume food on the premises because of the pandemic. 

“The Walmart locations have been our toughest challenge,” Jim Miller, a Subway franchisee, told The Journal. He said he expects to shutter four of his five store locations within three months.

In-store restaurants have a long history

In the year before the pandemic began, The Washington Post reported that the concept of restaurants located within department stores had become trendy again. Beginning in the 1950s, stores offered restaurants where shoppers could have a meal while taking a break, increasing the chances they would shop longer and spend more money.

In its 2019 article, The Post noted that the revival of in-store restaurants proved profitable because they didn’t carry the same risks as stand-alone restaurants. “They have a guaranteed space, a steady stream of customers, and an ulterior motive: to get you to buy stuff,” The Post noted.

What a difference a year makes. There are now fewer shoppers in stores and, until the pandemic is completely behind us, there may be a reluctance to consume food in the midst of thousands of shoppers.

However, shoppers do get hungry, and the concept of in-store restaurants probably won’t disappear completely. Walmart is reportedly tinkering with its in-store concept and considering restaurant service that can offer take-out and delivery.

Sam Walton’s promise to “Bring it Home to the USA'' is about to hit new heights at Walmart. On Wednesday, the company announced that its support of American jobs will grow its workforce by 750,000 over the next 10 years as part of a $350 billion investment on items made, grown, or assembled in the U.S. 

The big box retailer’s growth plans are centered on six priority categories: plastics; textiles; small electrical appliances; food processing; pharmaceutical and medical supplies; and Goods Not For Resale (GNFR).

Walmart’s commitment will mean an increase in spending and support for small businesses and diverse suppliers and sellers based in the U.S., and it will provide an opportunity for 9,000 entrepreneurs to become Walmart suppliers and sellers through the company’s annual Open Call events. Environmental concerns will also be addressed through initiatives like lowering CO2 emissions by sourcing closer to the company’s customers. 

“We invite basically ANYONE with a shelf-ready product that supports American jobs to pitch it to us,” John Furner, President & CEO, Walmart U.S. said in the company’s announcement.

Introducing “American Lighthouses”

Furner says Walmart is also launching a concept it calls “American Lighthouses.” That concept’s blueprint calls for the company to identify key stakeholders in specific regions of the country to identify and overcome top-down barriers to U.S. production. 

Once those “lighthouses” are established, the trickle-down intent is that they will bring together participants from the supplier community (including manufacturers and non-governmental organizations) with others from the academic community, government, and local and state economic development groups. 

“By bringing together key regions and various stakeholders, we can make the supply chain more efficient. The aim is to bring U.S. manufacturing back in a sustainable, long-term way,” Furner said.

This has to make the Biden administration happy

Furner is certainly singing to the Biden administration’s choir and the president’s recent executive order aimed at strengthening American manufacturing sector.

“U.S. manufacturing really matters. It matters to our suppliers, to entrepreneurs and to the environment. It matters to our customers - more than 85 percent of which have said it’s important for us to carry products made or assembled in the U.S. And most of all, because of the jobs it brings, it matters to American communities and the people who live in them,” Furner said.

Walmart announced Monday that it’s lifting the $35 minimum order requirement for its two-hour delivery service, “Express.” The move may give the retailer an edge over competitor Amazon, which still has a $35 order minimum on its Prime Now service. 

Consumers can get food, pantry items, household essentials, and other products delivered in less than two hours through Walmart’s Express service. 

The service is available at 3,000 Walmart stores and typically costs $10 on top of a standard delivery fee of between $7.95 or $9.95. However, Walmart drops the delivery fee when customers sign up for a Walmart Plus subscription. 

“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,” Tom Ward, Walmart’s senior vice president of customer product, said in a statement. “Customers told us sometimes the items they needed in a hurry didn’t meet the minimum, so we’re removing it, making it even easier for customers to get what they need when they need it.”

Last May, the company launched its two-hour delivery service on a larger scale in an effort to reach more people staying home due to the pandemic. Walmart notes that its free curbside pickup service still carries a $35 order minimum.

Walmart has added some serious muscle to its same-day grocery delivery program. On Monday, the company announced that it's expanding the store-to-door option to 3,000 stores -- giving 70 percent of the U.S. population access to this time-saving convenience.

To stimulate consumer buy-in, the company is waiving delivery fees on orders of $50 or more when customers enter the promo code “Delivery” when they check out online. Walmart typically charges $7.95 or $9.95 for delivery, depending on how quickly a customer wants their order delivered.

Same-day delivery is also a key component of Walmart+, the company’s $98-a-year membership program that gives online shoppers unlimited fee-free deliveries on orders over $35. It also delivers other benefits like fuel discounts and mobile scan-and-go.

The delivery service battle heats up

Until 2020, most of Walmart’s attention had been on same-day store pickup, which is now available from close to 3,700 locations. But the COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything by creating a demand -- and battle -- for delivery services. Walmart had little choice but to try to put itself in the driver’s seat and keep Amazon, Kroger, Target, Albertsons, and others at bay. 

“As Walmart’s store delivery approaches parity with pickup, the company will be able to market increasingly flexible same-day fulfillment to its shoppers — a key to retaining loyalty as experts predict long-term sustained growth for online grocery shopping,” commented GroceryDive’s Jeff Wells. “These store-based e-commerce services also provide a potent weapon against Amazon, which maintains a fraction of Walmart’s store count.”

Although Walmart scaled its home delivery quickly, it wasn’t without growing pains. “The company relies heavily on last-mile services to complete its deliveries, and it’s had trouble holding onto these partners, with Uber, Lyft, Deliv and Skipcart having backed out of tie-ups with the retailer. Walmart declined to sign on with Instacart, the most popular third-party online grocery platform, until just recently,” Wells said.

Walmart has announced that it plans to build more automated warehouses into its stores this year in an effort to handle the surge in online pickup and delivery orders. 

The automated fulfillment centers will either be built into back rooms of stores or next to the stores. Inside, robots will retrieve items from shelves and bring them to an area where Walmart workers can assemble them for pickup or delivery. 

The automated warehouses will house an array of frequently purchased pantry items, frozen foods, consumables, and electronics. While robots will gather a majority of items, human associates will be in charge of picking out products such as meat, vegetables, and fruit. 

In a post announcing the initiative, Walmart’s SVP of Customer Product Tom Ward said the process can “take just a few minutes from the time the order is placed to the time it’s ready for a customer or delivery driver to collect.” 

Picking up the pace

Walmart says enlisting the help of wheeled robots will help speed up the process of getting goods out to consumers, as well as ease congestion in store aisles. By fulfilling orders faster, Walmart will be able to accommodate more online orders. 

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a dramatic increase in online ordering. Walmart reported that its online sales rose 79 percent during the three months ending October 31 compared with the same period last year. 

"Since the pandemic began we’ve steadily experienced record-high adoption of these services,” Ward said during a call with reporters. “We expect we will continue to serve more and more customers who will come to rely on pickup and delivery as an important part of their lives.”

Walmart has stuck another toe into the world of finance with the creation of a new fintech startup offering a range of financial services to its customers, many of whom have no banking relationship.

It’s collaborating in the venture with Ribbit Capital, the company behind investment platform Robinhood and the consumer technology platform Credit Karma.

Walmart says the venture will combine Walmart’s retail knowledge and scale with Ribbit’s fintech expertise to deliver tech-driven financial experiences tailored to Walmart’s customers and associates.

“For years, millions of customers have put their trust in Walmart to not only save them money when they shop with us but help them manage their financial needs. And they’ve made it clear they want more from us in the financial services arena,” said John Furner, CEO of Walmart U.S. 

Left unsaid is what the new venture will be called and when it will launch. Walmart did say that it would hold a majority stake in the new firm. Walmart also did not disclose what types of services the new company would offer. However, typical fintech companies might offer some or all of these services:

• Banking.

• Insurance.

• Loans.

• Personal finance.

• Electronic payments.

• Loans.

• Venture capital.

• Wealth Management.

Revolutionary partner

Ribbit Capital’s Robinhood has revolutionized online trading. A favorite among millennial investors, Robinhood grew quickly because it doesn’t charge commissions on transactions, a move that forced other online brokers to drop end their commissions as well.

Walmart said its existing financial services remain in place. They include Walmart Credit Card, Walmart Money Card, check cashing, money transfers, and installment financing.

This isn’t Walmart’s first foray into the world of technology. Last year it threw its hat in the ring as a potential buyer of TikTok when the Trump administration said it would force a sale by the company’s Chinese owner.

Walmart is looking to up its grocery delivery game by opening the possibility of consumers being able to get their orders at any time of the day or night. 

In a blog post, the company says it will be conducting a pilot this spring that will allow customers in Arkansas to get fresh groceries delivered to their doors in a temperature-controlled smart box. The boxes are made by HomeValet, and they will reportedly be able to hold frozen, refrigerated, and pantry items.

“Beginning this spring, participating customers in Bentonville, Arkansas, will be able to receive deliveries from their local Walmart directly into a temperature-controlled HomeValet-powered smart box placed outside their home. This gives customers the ability to receive secure, contactless deliveries with the peace of mind knowing their grocery items will stay fresh,” said Tom Ward, Walmart U.S.’ senior vice president of Customer Product.

“The prospect of this technology is intriguing, both for customers and for Walmart’s last-mile delivery efforts. For customers, they don’t need to plan their day around when their grocery delivery will be made. For Walmart, it presents an opportunity to deliver items 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Ward said. 

Ward stated that Walmart probably won’t be delivering groceries on a 24/7 basis anytime in the near future, but he admitted that the idea “certainly has a nice ring to it.”

“If there’s one thing we know about our customers, it’s that they’re busier than ever. Our pilot with HomeValet is one of many solutions we’re testing that can make their days more manageable,” Ward said.

Walmart has announced that it’s giving consumers the option of returning orders without having to leave their home. In a blog post on Monday, the company said it’s teamed up with FedEx for a new service designed to make returning items a “hassle-free” experience. 

“Now, customers can schedule a return through our new service, Carrier Pickup by FedEx, which is an incredibly convenient way to make that unwanted gift *magically* disappear,” Walmart said. “Even more magical, this new return option is not only super-easy but also free, and here to stay beyond the holiday season.” 

To use Carrier Pickup by FedEx, customers can print out a shipping label from Walmart’s website, then schedule a time for FedEx to pick up the unwanted item. 

The service is free for items shipped and sold via Walmart.com. The retailer noted that the service is available to “all customers where FedEx provides Small Parcel Pickup service.” Walmart customers can still choose to drop off their returns at FedEx locations instead of using the pickup service. 

Changes to in-store return process 

Walmart said it’s made several changes to its normal in-store returns process in order to keep customers safe and maintain social distancing during the pandemic. 

Customers can start their return online via the Walmart app or website to cut down on time spent in line. At many stores, Walmart said it will open alternative return locations to help keep customers distanced from others in the store. 

“Top that off with more good news for customers: No matter how customers choose to return the item, we’ve worked hard to speed up the time frame for which customers get their money back,” Walmart added. “For many online returns, refunds will be credited to customers’ payment account sometimes as soon as the next day, and same day for in-store returns.” 

Walmart has announced that it will give its hourly workers another pandemic-related bonus, this time on Christmas Eve. Full-time hourly employees will receive $300 on December 24, and part-time and temporary employees will get $150. 

The retailer has given out three other bonuses to its employees since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the fourth bonus, Walmart also announced that it will be extending its COVID-19 emergency leave policy to July of 2021. 

Factoring in the fourth round of employee bonuses, Walmart will have paid a total of $2.8 billion in quarterly and special bonuses to its hourly employees this year. The company said it has done so in appreciation of workers who have helped stock shelves, ship online orders, transport goods, and serve customers during the pandemic. 

“As we come to a close on this historic year, I’m filled with gratitude for how our associates have led through one of the most trying periods for our company and country,” said John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart U.S.

Cold weather surge in COVID-19 cases 

The end-of-year bonuses are coming during a surge in coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths across the nation. Health officials have warned that hospitalization and death rates could increase further in connection with indoor gatherings during the colder months. 

Grocery and food retail workers, who are often forced to be in relatively close proximity to customers, have risked their health by going to work. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has acknowledged that these workers face unique risks. 

The agency recommends that grocery store workers “encourage customers to use touchless payment options, when available.” Additionally, these workers are advised to “minimize handling cash, credit cards, reward cards, and mobile devices, where possible” and to wipe down counters between each customer at checkout. 

Walmart is dropping its $35 minimum order requirement for Walmart+ members to receive free shipping, a move that is seen as ratcheting up the competition with Amazon.

Starting Friday, Walmart+ members can get free next-day and two-day delivery on all orders from the company’s website, regardless of how much they spend. Company officials hope the perk will attract more consumers to Walmart+.

“Customers have been clear, they want this benefit,” said Janey Whiteside, chief customer officer at Walmart. “Being able to toss an item into your cart, regardless the total, and check out right away lets them knock little things off their to-do list in no time.”

Deliveries from Walmart stores still carry a $35 minimum. Walmart+ members currently get unlimited free grocery deliveries, fuel discounts, and the ability to use Scan and Go in stores, which lets customers shop and check out with their phone.

The move matches Amazon Prime’s policy of offering members free delivery regardless of the size of the order. While the two programs have different costs and benefits, Walmart has now leveled the playing field in one area that consumers appear to value.

More places to use fuel discounts

Walmart said it is also expanding the number of locations where members can use their fuel discounts. They will now include Sam’s Club fuel stations across the country. The discounts are already available at Walmart, Murphy USA, and Murphy Express fuel stations.

Walmart+ launched earlier this year with an annual membership just under $100 a year, making it slightly less costly than Amazon Prime. The rollout included same-day grocery delivery and reserved delivery windows. 

A report cited by CNBC put total Walmart+ membership in mid-November at 19 million U.S. households, based on a survey. The same report puts Amazon Prime membership at an estimated 126 million people.

Did someone say free Thanksgiving meal? Yep... Walmart. The mega retailer has looped in Butterball, Campbell’s, Coca-Cola, and others to offer consumers everything they need for a Thanksgiving dinner -- from cranberry sauce to the turkey itself -- compliments of the brands involved. 

Walmart locations nationwide are participating in this event through Thanksgiving Day, November 26.

The freebies

In total, there are nine gratis food products in the promotion, though some include caveats about specific sizes and other factors. Here are the details:

• Butterball Turkey Breast Roast: Offer valid for 100 percent cash-back on all flavors of the 3 lb Butterball turkey roast, which includes a gravy packet. Also valid for $9.98 cash-back on Butterball whole turkeys.

• McCormick Gravy: Offer valid for all 0.87 oz. McCormick gravy packet flavors.

• Great Value Stuffing Mix: Offer valid for all 6 oz. Great Value Stuffing Mix flavors.

• Idahoan Mashed Potatoes: Offer valid for all 8 oz. Idahoan Mashed Potato flavors.

• Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup: Offer valid on 10.5 oz. can only.

• Great Value Cranberry Sauce: Offer valid for all canned 14 oz. cranberry sauce varieties.

• Great Value Green Beans: Offer valid on Great Value Fine Green Beans, 12 oz. frozen bag.

• French’s Crispy Fried Onions: Offer valid on French’s Original Crispy Fried Onions, 2.8 oz..

• Coca-Cola: Offer valid on 2-liter bottles of Coca-Cola: Cherry Zero Sugar, Vanilla, Caffeine Free, Caffeine Free Zero Sugar, Original Taste, and Zero Sugar.

A 12 oz. bag of green beans or a 3 pound turkey may not go very far for some families. To get enough for everyone, it might take multiple people using separate Walmart accounts connected to Ibotta to stretch “free” into a family-size windfall.

“Free” takes some doing 

In all fairness, while Walmart and its partners are throwing around the word “free,” it’s a slight misnomer because the promotion is really a “cash-back” one. 

In reality, a consumer can’t just walk into a Walmart, load up their cart with the foods that are part of the promotion, and then check out without having to scan their credit card. To take advantage of the deal, a consumer has to complete two key steps:

• Install the Ibotta browser extension on their computer

• Link their Walmart account with the Ibotta plug-in

Once that’s done, the consumer simply logs in to their Walmart account. They’ll immediately find all nine free Thanksgiving items in their browser extension (and via the Ibotta phone app within an hour) in the form of cash-back for the entire purchase (approx. $20.27).

Consumers are likely to see more “thanks” from major retailers and brands in the run-up to Thanksgiving. On Monday, Zoom announced that it was lifting its 40-minute time limit on the free version of its software so families could enjoy a longer virtual Thanksgiving together. BJ’s Wholesale Club also announced that it’s handing out free turkeys in advance of Thanksgiving.

Walmart has started selling pet insurance from Petplan and connecting customers to pet sitters and dog walkers through a partnership with Rover. 

The retailer has revamped its website to include a new section called Walmart Pet Care, through which consumers can get pet supplies and find pet care services, including insurance. 

Melody Richard, vice president of Walmart Pets, said Walmart customers can save up to 10 percent on insurance policies by going through Walmart. They’ll also get Walmart gift cards in exchange for booking pet sitting or dog walking through Rover on the Walmart website. 

“We’re focused on bringing our customers and the beloved pets in their lives trusted, convenient and affordable programs at one destination,” Richard said. “And we’ll continue to focus on that.”

Increase in pet ownership

Walmart’s expanded roster of pet services coincides with an uptick in the number of consumers who recently got a new pet. The pandemic spurred a wave of pet adoptions as consumers sought companionship and found that they had more time at home. 

Subsequently, demand for pet supplies has increased, and pet supplies and seasonal costumes are expected to be popular gifts this holiday season. 

Walmart estimates that 90 million pet owners shop at Walmart. Last year, the retailer introduced Walmart PetRx, an in-store and online pharmacy that sells prescriptions at prices “significantly below competitors.” 

The company says its new Walmart Pet Insurance offering “provides coverage for veterinary fees due to accident, injury or illness, including chronic and hereditary conditions.” Customers can also file claims and schedule appointments through Petplan and get access to “$1000 worth of online virtual vet appointments at no additional charge.” 

Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, has apparently decided that humans are just as efficient as robots.

The Wall Street Journal cites people familiar with the decision in reporting that Walmart will shelve plans to have robots wander its aisles keeping track of inventory. Instead, it will stick with store employees that the report says were shown to achieve similar results.

Walmart began deploying robots at select stores in 2017. Initial results proved to be positive and the company moved ahead with the project. 

Walmart expanded the use of robots in 2018 and a year later, deployed the machines at more of its stores to carry out specific tasks, such as unloading cargo and scrubbing floors. As recently as a year ago, the retailer appeared to be sold on adding robots to the workforce.

“Smart assistants have huge potential to make busy stores run more smoothly, so Walmart has been pioneering new technologies to minimize the time an associate spends on the more mundane and repetitive tasks like cleaning floors or checking inventory on a shelf,” the retailer said in a 2019 statement.

COVID-19’s influence

So what happened? Why are the robots heading for the unemployment line? The Journal reports the experiment ended because Walmart discovered different solutions that worked out just as well.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) may also have hastened the robots’ demise. The surge in online shopping since the pandemic began apparently requires a human touch for the stores to operate at maximum efficiency.

The Journal reports Walmart now sees the need for more employees to collect online orders and keep up with inventory irregularities.

Not a good look

One source told The Journal that Walmart CEO John Furner was concerned about the optics, questioning how shoppers would react to seeing a robot working in a store. That said, not all robots are getting pink-slipped. The company will reportedly staff its cleaning crews with mechanical workers, who will do their jobs after hours.

As recently as January, Walmart predicted its reliance on robots would grow, putting them in about 20 percent of its stores. A Walmart spokeswoman told The Journal that about 10 percent of stores were using the robot assistants when the company decided to discontinue their use.

“We learned a lot about how technology can assist associates, make jobs easier and provide a better customer experience,” she told the newspaper. “We will continue testing new technologies and investing in our own processes and apps to best understand and track our inventory and help move products to our shelves as quickly as we can.”

Walmart has walked back its decision to keep firearms and ammunition off store shelves ahead of the election. 

Last week, the retailer announced that it would pull the products over concerns of “civil unrest” stemming from the election and other politically charged incidents. The company said it temporarily moved the products to a secure location in the back of the store out of an “abundance of caution.” 

But Walmart said Monday that it has since determined that “incidents,” such as recent protests in Philadelphia stemming from the police shooting of Walter Wallace, Jr, remain “geographically isolated.” 

“As the current incidents have remained geographically isolated, we have made the decision to begin returning these products to the sales floor today,” a company spokesperson told various media outlets.

The company made the decision to return firearms and ammunition to U.S. store shelves just days before the presidential election. Many are worried that the result of the election could sow unrest and incite violence. Some businesses have begun preparing for that possibility by boarding up store windows and taking other security measures. 

Walmart is removing guns and ammunition from its display shelves, citing concerns about potential civil unrest that could lead to the firearms being stolen.

A Walmart spokesperson told media outlets that the move is not anything new, that the practice has been observed several times over the last few years. The items will still be available for purchase, however.

"We have moved our firearms and ammunition off the sales floor as a precaution for the safety of our associates and customers," the spokesman said.

Several Walmart stores were damaged after George Floyd, an African American, died in May while being arrested in Minneapolis. Video of the incident went viral, resulting in criminal charges against the arresting officer and setting off widespread protests that turned violent in many cities.

A week before the election

Walmart’s move comes less than a week before a presidential election that has been marked by passion on both sides. Because of the overwhelming number of early ballots cast, due to concerns about the coronavirus (COVID-19), results of a close election might not be known for days, increasing the possibility of rising civil tensions.

Walmart, in recent years, has responded to public pressure and reduced some types of firearms and ammunition sold in its stores. But the company remains an outlet for sporting rifles and shotguns.

In August, NSSF, the firearm industry trade association, updated its retail sales survey and estimated 5 million Americans purchased a firearm in the first seven months of 2020. Of that number, it estimated 40 percent of the sales went to consumers who had never purchased a gun.

‘Tectonic shift’

Lawrence Keane, NSSF’s senior vice president, called it a “tectonic shift” in the marketplace -- something that promises to transform today’s gun-owning community.

“These first-time buyers represent a group of people who, until now, were agnostic regarding firearm ownership,” Keane said. “That’s rapidly changing, and these Americans are taking hold of their God-given right to keep and bear arms and protect themselves and their loved ones.”

NSSF tracks the background checks associated with the sale of a firearm based on the FBI’s National Instant Background Check System (NICS). NSSF-adjusted NICS checks for January through July 2020 is a record 12.1 million, which is up 71.7 percent from the 7.1 million NSSF-adjusted NICS January through July 2019. 

Walmart has announced that it plans to offer its own online deals in October, the same month Amazon is holding its Prime Day sales event. 

The retailer announced on Monday that it will hold a “Big Save” online sales event Oct. 11-15. During those days, Walmart says it will offer “Black Friday-like savings.” Price cuts will be applied to thousands of items in categories including electronics, toys, beauty items, and more. 

Walmart said some orders over $35 will be eligible for free two-day shipping, and others may be eligible for free next-day delivery or in-store pickup. 

Amazon confirmed on Sunday that it’s annual Prime Day event will take place on Oct. 13-14. The event is normally held in July, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced Amazon to postpone this year’s event.  

Walmart’s rival sales event will kick off Sunday, October 11, at 7 p.m. EST and end Thursday October 15. Some of the deals the company says it will offer include: 

• JVC 55" 4K HDR Roku Smart LED TV – $248 (was $399, $151 savings)

• Super Mario Party video game for Nintendo Switch – $39.99 (was $59.88, $19.89 savings)

• Roku Ultra LT Streaming Media Player – $69 (was $79, $10 savings) 

• Pioneer Woman 6 Quart Instant Pot – $49 (was $99, $50 savings)

• Tzumi Ion Robotic Vacuum – $99 (was $179.88, $79.89 savings) 

• Best Choice Products 250-Piece Kids STEM 3D Magnetic Building Blocks Play Set (Marketplace Item) - $64.99 (was $114.99, $50 savings)

• Hunter Women's Original Tall Rain Boots (Marketplace Item) – $59.99 (was $79.99, $20 savings)

• Scoop Women’s Printed Maxi Shirt Dress – $39.99 (was $59, $19.01 savings) 

Halloween is more than a month away, but Walmart is already rolling out its plans for Black Friday and the holiday shopping season. But then, this holiday season is likely to be like none other.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the way consumers shop and what they buy, so Walmart says those factors have been taken into consideration. Instead of expanding store hours to accommodate shoppers, the retailer is maintaining its reduced schedule as a safety feature.

At the same time, it’s staffing up its e-commerce division to meet the expected surge in online holiday shopping this year. Fulfillment centers around the country will hire more than 20,000 seasonal workers, in jobs ranging from filling orders to operating power equipment. Walmart says some of these jobs will likely become permanent positions.

“As more people turn to online shopping, we want to ensure we’re staffed and ready to help deliver that special gift to their loved ones while continuing to fulfill our customer’s everyday needs,” said Greg Smith, executive vice president for supply chain for Walmart U.S. “We’re also proud to be able to continue to provide employment opportunities across the country when it’s needed most.”

Changing habits

Walmart says customers’ buying habits have changed over the last six months and it expects that to be reflected in the choice of holiday gifts. It’s stocking up on things it expects to be in high demand, such as athleisure, loungewear, and sleepwear for the family, outdoor grills, bicycles and exercise equipment, and outdoor sporting equipment. 

Noting that millions of families have adopted pets since the pandemic began, the company said it has increased its assortment and supply of pet products in its stores and online. For example, it has acquired more than 3 million pet beds.

Since baking and cooking have become pandemic trends, Walmart said it’s expanding its Holiday Bake Center to more of its stores and is increasing its inventory of popular kitchen appliances, like the KitchenAid Plus Stand Mixer.

Walmart said it’s also stocking up on traditional gifts, such as TVs, laptops, and video games, as well as 1,300 new toys, games, and puzzles.

Shopping differently

“Over the past six months, our customers have been shopping differently, and we expect that will continue into the most important shopping season of the year – the holidays,” said Scott McCall, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer for Walmart U.S.

As for Black Friday, McCall says that’s going to be different too. It’s going to start earlier and offer a wider selection of merchandise.

Walmart also expects a significant portion of its Black Friday shopping will take place online, in the safety and comfort of the customer’s home. Stores will continue to be closed in the overnight hours to allow for cleaning and restocking. 

In-store shoppers will use separate entrances and exits to minimize contact. Social distancing floor decals will remind shoppers to stay apart and the public address system will air constant safety reminders.

Say hello to “Free Assembly,” Walmart’s newest attempt to gain the attention of fashion-conscious consumers. 

The product line comes complete with items for both men and women at a $9 to $45 price range, which the big box retailer hopes is a sweet spot and produces more uptake than its previous fashion endeavors.

Starting out, Free Assembly will focus on a fall collection with more than 30 items for women and 25 items for men.

“Customers will discover well-designed, high-quality pieces at prices below other American clothing brands – including a $45 structured blazer with an updated silhouette, a $39 viscose tiered maxi for women and a $30 fishtail parka at a fraction of the price found at specialty retailers,” wrote Denise Incandela, SVP Women’s Group, Elevated and Online Brands at Walmart. “What I’m most proud of though is the $40 organic selvedge denim that retails at an incredibly low price.”

To help Walmart gain some traction in the fashion space, it’s tapped Dwight Fenton, who’s worked his magic at Old Navy and J. Crew. 

But will it work this time?

The words “Walmart” and “fashion” haven’t proven to be a winning combination for the company. Some 10 years ago, it came up with "Project Impact" to try and upgrade the persona of its apparel, but that idea died hard and fast. 

In 2018, the company rolled out four other clothing lines and went on a buying spree of direct-to-consumer labels that included the menswear line Bonobos, the plus-size women’s line Eloquii Elements, and ModCloth, which took its cues from indie- and vintage-inspired women’s clothing. In 2019, Walmart sold ModCloth and downsized Bonobos. Eloquii is still part of the store’s brand lineup.

“Through our ongoing strategy of expanding our assortment for our customers, we’ve shown that we’re serious about establishing Walmart as a fashion destination,” wrote Denise Incandela, SVP Women’s Group, Elevated and Online Brands at Walmart.

“And, now we’re doubling-down to offer customers something they couldn’t find at Walmart before – a fashion essentials-inspired brand for both men and women created by our in-house design team.”

Walmart announced on Thursday that it’s raising wages for 165,000 of its hourly employees across the U.S. 

In a statement, Walmart chief operating officer Dacona Smith said the retailer is implementing a more “team based” staffing model. New hourly and salaried leadership roles will be created at its supercenters. 

Pay for these new “team leader” positions will range from $18 to $21 an hour, and some will pay up to $30 an hour. The new system will result in a boost in pay for tens of thousands of the company’s hourly workers, Walmart said.

“We’re investing in new roles and skills training to give us the flexibility to serve customers anytime and anywhere. In turn, associates will have more room for career and pay growth,” Smith said.

Pay increases 

Pay for bakery and deli employees will increase to $15 an hour from $11 an hour. Many employees in Walmart’s auto care centers will see $1 per hour added to their pay. The changes will be reflected in workers’ pay starting in October.

"We are re-investing in several ways to provide associates with higher and more consistent base pay," the company said.

In announcing the changes, the retailer said "associates have done an incredible job serving customers and making a difference in their communities," especially in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“They’ve gone above and beyond to make sure customers have access to the items they need while making health and safety a top priority,” Walmart said.

Walmart has teamed up with on-demand drone delivery company FlyTrex to test a program through which consumers can get grocery and household essentials delivered via an automated drone. 

The retailer started piloting the program in Fayetteville, N.C. on Wednesday. Walmart said FlyTrex drones are controlled over the cloud using a smart and easy control dashboard. 

“We know that it will be some time before we see millions of packages delivered via drone. That still feels like a bit of science fiction,” said Tom Ward, Walmart's senior vice president of customer product, in a blog post. 

Through the pilot, Ward said the company is hoping to gain insight into how the program would look when implemented on a larger scale. Walmart, like other retailers, is currently attempting to expand its pickup and delivery services amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

"At the end of the day, it’s learnings from pilots such as this that will help shape the potential of drone delivery on a larger scale and, true to the vision of our founder, take Walmart beyond where we’ve been,” Ward said.

Amazon also testing drone delivery

Last week, the Federal Aviation Administration gave Amazon approval to begin using drones for commercial package delivery. The agency said it’s confident in Amazon’s drone operating and safety procedures. 

"The FAA supports innovation that is beneficial to the public, especially during a health or weather-related crisis,” the agency said. 

This year, Walmart is planning on changing the way it usually has children test and rate toys ahead of the holiday season. 

Instead of inviting hundreds of kids to test toys at a convention center near its headquarters in Arkansas, the retailer has developed an online tool that will let kids test and play with toys in a safe way during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Walmart says the virtual alternative to toy testing, dubbed the “Walmart Wonder Lab,” will give kids a way to engage with over a hundred of its Top-Rated By Kids Toys List offerings, the company said in a news release. 

“Starting today, kids can play and engage with hundreds of toys from the aisles of America’s Best Toy Shop,” Walmart said. “The Walmart Wonder Lab transports kids into a choice-driven experience where kids can unbox, test and play with this holiday season’s hottest toys without leaving home.” 

In anticipation of a higher-than-usual number of online purchases this holiday season, the retailer said it shipped more toys to fulfillment centers this year.

"Toys play a critical role in families' lives as they spend more time at home and parents seek ways to keep kids engaged with learning-based play," said Steve Ronchetto, vice president of Toys at Walmart.

As expected, Walmart has announced the launch of a membership program similar to Amazon Prime. The program, Walmart+, costs $98 per year and launches September 15.

Details of the program leaked in July, and today’s announcement confirms most of them. Members get unlimited free delivery from Walmart stores, fuel discounts, and access to a range of tools designed to speed up the shopping process.

Payment options include the annual fee of $98 or a monthly charge of $12.95. The program is being introduced with a 15-day free trial.

“We are a company committed to meeting our customers’ needs,” said Janey Whiteside, chief customer officer at Walmart. “Customers know they can trust us and depend on us, and we’ve designed this program as the ultimate life hack for them.”

What’s included

Walmart says members will receive:

• Unlimited free delivery: Delivery will be as fast as same-day on more than 160,000 items from nearby stores. It replaces Delivery Unlimited – a subscription service that allowed customers to place an unlimited number of deliveries for a flat yearly or monthly fee. Current subscribers will automatically become Walmart+ members.

• Scan & Go: When members are in a Walmart store, they can unlock Scan & Go in the Walmart app and use it to scan their items as they shop and pay using Walmart Pay. 

• Fuel discounts: Members can fill up and save up to five cents a gallon at nearly 2,000 Walmart, Murphy USA, and Murphy Express fuel stations. Sam’s Club fuel stations will soon be added to this lineup.

Not included are items purchased from Walmart.com. However, Walmart already offers free shipping on most orders of $35 or more.

Competing with Amazon Prime

It’s no secret that Walmart+ is aimed at Amazon Prime, another subscription service designed to make the online retailer top-of-mind with consumers.

Prime costs more -- $119 a year -- but offers additional perks like music and video streaming platforms that are included in the monthly fee. Most recently, it added AmazonFresh grocery delivery for customers who have a Prime subscription.

Walmart’s ad slogan is “always low prices.” With the introduction of Walmart+, it’s going after consumers who also value convenience.

“Life feels more complicated than ever,” said Whiteside. “Walmart+ is designed to make it easier – giving customers an option to not have to sacrifice on cost or convenience.” 

Walmart is teaming up with delivery platform Instacart to offer same-day delivery in four markets. Under the partnership, consumers in parts of California -- Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego -- and Tulsa, Oklahoma can get delivery in as little as an hour. 

"The new partnership brings thousands of items -- from groceries, alcohol and pantry staples to home decor and improvement, personal care, electronics and more -- at everyday low prices from Walmart stores to customers' doors in as fast as an hour,” the company said in a statement. 

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said in a call with analysts in May that the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened consumer interest in ordering items for pickup or delivery.

“As this crisis created a need for social distancing and required people to stay at home, customers embraced pickup and delivery even more. Pickup and delivery are attracting greater numbers of new customers,” he said. “The number of new customers trying pickup and delivery has increased four times since mid-March.”

Competing against Amazon

The partnership will help put both companies in a better position to compete against Amazon and Whole Foods, CNBC and CNN reported. 

“The new partnership brings thousands of items — from groceries, alcohol and pantry staples to home decor and improvement, personal care, electronics and more — at everyday low prices from Walmart stores to customers’ doors in as fast as an hour,” Walmart said in a statement.

Instacart already has relationships in place with Target, Costco, and Kroger, among others.

News of the partnership comes at a time when consumers are expecting greater speed when it comes to delivery times amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Walmart announced earlier this summer that it expects to have Express Delivery in 2,000 stores. 

“We know our customers’ lives have changed during this pandemic, and so has the way they shop,” said Janey Whiteside, chief customer officer, Walmart, in a statement. “We also know when we come out of this, customers will be busier than ever, and sometimes that will call for needing supplies in a hurry. COVID-19 has prompted us to launch Express Delivery even faster so that we’re here for our customers today and in the future.”

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said in a July testimony before the House Judiciary committee that Walmart and Instacart are major competitors to it and its subsidiary Whole Foods. 

“Every day, Amazon competes against large, established players like Target, Costco, Kroger, and, of course, Walmart,” Bezos said. “... We also face new competition from the likes of Shopify and Instacart.”

Here’s one from the whodathunkit department: Walmart is going to turn its parking lots into drive-in movie theatres.

With only 16 percent of consumers saying they feel confident going to a movie theatre in the middle of the pandemic, the retail chain feels that families who have been playing by the rules are ready for some good, clean -- and safe -- fun.

The experience -- Walmart Drive-in -- is free and debuts in the parking lots of 160 Walmart stores in the U.S. starting August 14.

“We recognize the challenges our customers and their families have faced over the last few months, and we wanted to create an experience where they could come together safely to create new memories,” said Janey Whiteside, Walmart’s chief customer officer.

What’s on tap

Walmart is partnering with the Tribeca Film Festival to help make Walmart Drive-in a reality. The promotion will run from August 14 through October 21. 

All told, there will be 320 showings of movies with the following set as part of the line-up:

• Friday Night Lights

• The Karate Kid

• Space Jam

• Black Panther

• Pokémon Detective Pikachu

• The Lego Batman Movie

• Spider-ManTM: Into The Spider-Verse

• Spy Kids

• Teen Titans GO! To the Movies

• Wonder Woman

• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

• Ghostbusters

• Men in BlackTM: International

• Back to the Future

• Beetlejuice

• The Goonies

• The Wizard of Oz

• Dolphin Tale

• Selena

• Cars

• The Iron Giant

• The Lego Movie 

• Madagascar

Celebrity guest appearances 

The folks at Tribeca and Walmart promise that, as a bonus, filmmakers and special guests might swing by to say hi -- either live or virtually. Drew Barrymore will serve as virtual hostess for all events, but she’s committed to showing up in-person at one location. Families will also be treated to surprise virtual or in-person appearances from Jennifer Garner, LeBron James, and Chrissy Metz at select showings.

To reserve a space for the Walmart Drive-in, customers can visit TheWalmartDriveIn.com to pick their desired date and location. Once confirmed, customers will receive an email with a QR code, which will grant their vehicle entry on the day of the event.

As thanks for the hard work its associates have put in during the pandemic, Walmart will be treating them to a day off on Thanksgiving. The retailer announced that it will be closing all of its Walmart and Sam’s Club locations.

“We know this has been a trying year, and our associates have stepped up. We hope they will enjoy a special Thanksgiving Day at home with their loved ones,” said John Furner, President and CEO of Walmart U.S. “We are certainly thankful to our people for all of their efforts.”

Walmart stores and Sam’s Club locations will operate during normal hours on Wednesday, Nov. 25, but the company said that store and club hours for Friday, Nov. 27, will be shared at a later date.

The move signals a huge shift for the retailer. Walmart has not been closed on Thanksgiving Day since back in the late ‘80s. The move also follows a trend started in 2019 when Costco, Lowe’s, Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, and others took the initiative to give its workers the day off.

Preventing a potential health hazard

Walmart didn’t come right out and say it, but the downside of packed stores in the middle of the coronavirus menace had to be a factor. 

“This year, the decision for retailers is about much more than company values or even bottom lines,” said Ben Unglesbee of Retail Dive.

“With COVID-19 still racing through the U.S., and some top experts predicting a potentially dire fall and winter in terms of the virus' spread, it's a safety issue for both customers and employees. Customers packing into stores for sales during the all-important holiday shopping weekend present a potential public health hazard.”

Walmart passes extra gravy to its employees

Walmart also announced on Wednesday that it’s passing out another special cash bonus to store, club, distribution center, and fulfillment center associates for their dedication to serving customers, members, and communities during the pandemic. 

Bonuses will range from $250 for part-time hourly and temporary employees to $300 for full-time hourly associates. Drivers, managers, and assistant managers in stores, clubs, DCs, FCs, and Health & Wellness will also receive a bonus. All told, the bonuses will add up to about $428 million.

“Our associates have been working at an incredible pace, they’ve solved problems, and they’ve set an amazing example for others,” complemented Furner. “To further appreciate their incredible work, we are pleased to share another special cash bonus this summer.”

Walmart’s response to COVID-19 has moved up a notch. The retailer issued a new mandate on Wednesday afternoon that will require all shoppers in both Walmart and Sam’s Club stores to wear a face covering.

The change will go into effect starting Monday, July 20, to allow customers time to prepare. 

“While we’re certainly not the first business to require face coverings, we know this is a simple step everyone can take for their safety and the safety of others in our facilities,” said Dacona Smith, Chief Operating Officer, Walmart U.S., and Lance de la Rosa, Chief Operating Officer, Sam’s Club in a news release.

Expect two other changes

The chain says there’s two related changes customers should be prepared for. 

Health ambassadors: The first change is the addition of the role of Health Ambassador. The company plans to station these employees near store entrances to remind those without a mask that they’ll need to adhere to the policy to gain entrance. The company said that the ambassadors will be easily identifiable by their black polo shirts and will try to find a solution for any customer who shows up at a store without a face covering. Various solutions are currently being tested, but the goal is to have a single solution by July 20. 

“We know it may not be possible for everyone to wear a face covering. Our associates will be trained on those exceptions to help reduce friction for the shopper and make the process as easy as possible for everyone.” the company said.

Single-point entrances: Secondly, to help ensure across-the-board consistency with this new process, all stores will have a single entrance.

Can I be forced to wear a face covering?

Local governments have the right to impose safety measures on businesses, and individual businesses can take it a step further and implement additional restrictions of their own. In Walmart’s case, the new mandate won’t be that much of a change since 65 percent of all of the retailer’s stores are located in areas where face coverings are already required.

Nonetheless, the company is hoping that customers in areas where there’s no face covering requirement will understand the need for the new mandate and will adjust accordingly.

“We know some people have differing opinions on this topic. We also recognize the role we can play to help protect the health and well-being of the communities we serve by following the evolving guidance of health officials like the CDC. We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our customers and members in wearing face coverings to protect their safety and the safety of our associates,” the company said.

Walmart is reportedly planning to launch a membership program called Walmart+ later this month. The program will include many facets that mirror Amazon Prime, including same-day grocery delivery and reserved delivery windows. 

The retailer’s new membership program will purportedly cost $98 per year, and consumers will get access to same-day delivery, discounts on fuel at Walmart gas stations, and more. The program was initially slated to launch in late March or April, but Walmart was forced to delay the launch after the nation began battling the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Recode. 

Meeting demand

Walmart said last month that the pandemic has fueled an increase in demand for certain items. 

"We experienced unprecedented demand in categories like paper goods, surface cleaners and grocery staples," Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said on an earnings call in May. "For many of these items, we were selling in two or three hours what we normally sell in two or three days."

Like other retailers, Walmart has struggled to compete with Amazon. Amazon launched its Prime membership service in 2005, and it now has more than 150 million members globally. 

Walmart has unveiled several new services to try and keep up with Amazon, including free one-day delivery options and an “InHome” service in which a Walmart delivery person comes to a consumer’s home and puts their order of fresh products directly in the refrigerator.

Walmart hasn’t said whether its new membership program will first launch on a national or regional level. 

Walmart announced on Wednesday that it has partnered with online thrift store thredUp to sell pre-owned clothing. The partnership marks the retailer’s entrance into the resale market.

More than 750,000 items, from all new to “like new,” are now available to purchase from Walmart’s online storefront. Sellers send their items directly to thredUp, which then photographs and lists the items. 

In a statement, Denise Incandela, head of fashion e-commerce with Walmart.com, said the retailer had been exploring the partnership for roughly a year and is launching it at a time when many households may have a more limited budget due to the pandemic.

Curated selection

Incandela said that over the last few years, Walmart has made a concerted effort to expand its assortment of “quality, on-trend, accessible fashion” to help consumers find clothing that fits both their personal style and budget. 

“The resale prices are outstanding, and we are thrilled to offer our Walmart customers the opportunity to reuse garments,” Incandela said. “Items have been carefully evaluated and selected by thredUP for sale based on their overall quality and condition. Only pre-owned garments and shoes deemed “new” or “like new” by thredUP are available on Walmart.com.” 

Nordstrom and Abercrombie & Fitch have also branched out into selling more environmentally conscious clothing. Incandela noted that millennial consumers tend to be interested in making more environmentally conscious clothing choices, so the partnership with thredUp may increase Walmart’s appeal to millennials. 

“We know that customers, especially millennials, are interested in shopping resale clothing,” she said. “In fact, according to thredUP’s upcoming 2020 Annual Resale Report, 70% of consumers have bought or are now willing to buy secondhand. This partnership is our latest move to establish Walmart.com as a destination for fashion and offer customers the pre-owned items they might be looking for. We think they’ll be surprised and delighted by what they find, and we’re excited to inspire customers to look and feel their best."

Walmart has announced that it’s shuttering Jet.com, which it purchased in 2016 for $3 billion.

The retailer said in its first-quarter earnings report that the acquisition of Jet.com “was critical to accelerating our omni strategy.” However, Walmart will be discontinuing the online marketplace “due to the continued strength of the Walmart.com brand.” 

Since acquiring Jet.com, Walmart -- like many other retailers who have attempted to grow their online sales -- has faced competition from e-commerce giant Amazon. 

Walmart’s recent efforts to head off competition from Amazon have included expanding its two-hour Express Delivery service to nearly 2,000 stores across the U.S. through the end of May. It’s also been reported that Walmart may be gearing up to test a subscription service similar to Amazon Prime. 

Looking ahead 

In its earnings report, Walmart said online sales increased by 74 percent year-over-year “with strong results for grocery pickup and delivery services, walmart.com and marketplace,” in part due to the sudden increase in consumers shopping online due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Despite the current boom in online sales, Walmart appears to be focusing on a path to long-term success. In 2019, the Wall Street Journal reported that Walmart’s online division lost roughly $2 billion in one fiscal year. Axing Jet.com is likely a bid at avoiding future uncertainty after the pandemic is over. 

“Our business fundamentals are strong, and our financial position is excellent. Customers trust us to deliver on our brand promise, and I’m confident in our ability to perform well in most any environment,” said Brett Biggs, Walmart Inc. chief financial officer. “While the short-term environment will be challenging, we’re positioned well for long-term success in an increasingly omni world.” 

With the coronavirus continuing to drive up demand for items such as toilet paper and disinfectant wipes, Walmart has hired more than 100,000 new workers in the past three weeks. 

In mid-March, Walmart announced that it was looking to fill 150,000 positions.

“We’ll easily hit the 150,000,” Dan Bartlett, Walmart’s executive vice president of corporate affairs, told CNBC’s Courtney Reagan. “We’ll do an assessment to see if we need to do more.”

Providing fall-back job opportunities

While most of the jobs are temporary, about 10-15 percent are permanent, Bartlett said. Most employees are working for Walmart in order to make ends meet “until their traditional jobs come back online,” he said.

“People are keeping their eye on the horizon to see when industry and when the economy will crank back up. But in the meantime, they’re providing a critical service, and we welcome them with open arms,” Bartlett said. 

Walmart said Thursday that demand has remained strong since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis. Bartlett said paper goods “are still under pressure,” adding that the retailer is selling enough toilet paper over a five-day period to allow every U.S. citizen to have their own roll. 

The company said that while toilet paper continues to fly off shelves, other products have also risen in popularity.

“All the do-it-yourself types of items like hair coloring and beard trimmers are selling quite well,” he said. “Sewing machines are flying off the shelf as well because a lot of people are selling and making their own masks at their house.” 

Walmart appears to have abandoned its free, no-membership approach to compete with Amazon Prime.

The retailer is reportedly preparing to take on Amazon with its own paid membership program with the free shipping that Prime includes, along with other perks. Walmart has beefed up its online business over the last few years but has yet to catch up to Amazon.

According to a report by technology site Vox, Walmart will soon start testing Walmart+, in part by rebranding its Delivery Unlimited service. That service currently charges customers $98 a year for unlimited same-day grocery deliveries at more than 1,600 Walmart locations. The report says the retailer may also test a feature that would allow Walmart+ members to place orders using a text message.

But Amazon Prime offers more than just free two-day shipping, and in some cases one-day delivery. Members get access to streaming video through Prime Video and to a streaming music service.

Walmart also reportedly plans to sweeten its deal with additional perks. According to Vox, those perks could include discounts on prescription drugs and gasoline at Walmart fueling stations.

Walmart has made no official announcement of its plans, but a company spokesman confirmed that a membership program was indeed in the works in a statement to Vox.

Prime’s rise

When Amazon launched Prime in 2005, few could see what a powerful force in the retail economy it would become. For an annual fee of $119 a year, members get free expedited shipping on their orders.

For many consumers, knowing that delivery won’t cost anything has made Amazon the go-to place to shop. When Amazon sweetened the deal with entertainment services, it almost became irresistible.

Amazon Prime currently has a global membership of more than 150 million and, besides the free expedited shipping, it offers same-day delivery from Whole Foods or Amazon Fresh.

Walmart in recent years has made Amazon its prime target. It has increased delivery services and made a point of saying that it doesn’t require a membership. In 2019, the retailer appeared to be making some headway.

A 2019 survey by First Insight, a retail analytics firm, found that 55 percent of consumers preferred shopping at Walmart rather than Amazon.com. That was an increase from 47 percent in 2018.

Consumers are increasingly shopping at Walmart instead of Amazon, according to a new survey by First Insight. The retail analytics firm polled 1,000 consumers and found that 55 percent prefer shopping at Walmart rather than Amazon.com. 

In 2018, the same survey found that 47 percent preferred Walmart. First Insight found that the percentage of people who favor Amazon has fallen to 45 percent from about 53 percent last year. 

“The excitement of the Amazon box coming to your house is kind of dwindling off,” First Insight CEO Greg Petro told CNBC. “I think the novelty of Amazon is wearing off.”

Going head-to-head with Amazon

Walmart and other retailers have been struggling to keep up with Amazon, which earlier this year promised even speedier deliveries. The company also recently announced plans to start delivering grocery products for free within a two-hour window to Prime members in regions eligible for its Amazon Fresh service. 

Prior to the announcement that Amazon Fresh would become free for eligible members, Walmart announced that it had begun testing a program that delivered groceries directly to people’s refrigerators. The retailer has also established more than 2,700 grocery pickup locations for online orders across the U.S.</