Walmart is launching 42 popup fulfillment centers within existing U.S. retail distribution centers to help handle the peak fulfillment load during November and December, leveraging technology to route orders for local fulfillment and handling up to 30% of its holiday volume.
Boding well for the holiday spend here, the U.S. was the top seller of goods during Alibaba’s Singles Day 2020, which raked in $116 billion combined on Alibaba and JD.com. Alibaba itself reported $75.28 billion yuan in GMV, while JD.com said its Singles Day GMV was $40.72 billion. Sales from U.S. retailers topped $5 billion.
Walmart is planning to launch a pilot for autonomous delivery in Scottsdale, AZ early next year, through a partnership with Cruise, which is majority owned by General Motors, the latest wrinkle in the ongoing push toward driverless delivery.
Warehouse employment is up 3.8% since the coronavirus lockdowns began in mid-March, one of the few bright spots in an economy that has seen an overall dip of 7% in payrolls during that period, according to the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
A new survey suggested that Walmart+ is seeing some good traction out of the gate in terms of subscriber sign-ups, but while some observers have questioned its findings it’s still an indicator of a level of consumer acceptance of the mega retailer’s answer to Amazon Prime.
Walmart and Target didn’t hesitate in responding to Amazon’s announcement of Prime Day on Oct. 13 and 14, an unusual occurrence in an extraordinary year, by rolling out their own deals and offers to try to steal some of the unusually early holiday thunder from the ecommerce leader.
This holiday season retailers will not only have to contend with decreased carrier capacity due to the pandemic but also the anticipated influx of mail-in election ballots – all of which could result in a “super peak” holiday nightmare for retailers. Now is the time to implement strategies to ensure they can keep up with demand.
Walmart on Sept. 9 launched a second pilot drone delivery program, this time in Fayetteville, NC, using a control system from Israeli firm Flytrex, zipping grocery and household items to nearby customers. This is in addition to a program drone program Walmart launched in April in Grand Forks, ND, again with Flytrex.
The pandemic dramatically accelerated the retail industry’s digital transformation. Large retailers had the technology and processes necessary to respond quickly, but others found their entire business models upended overnight. While some changes may go, what will stay is a renewed focus on building community in retail.
The one thing brands can control is their online sales channel. From checkout to last mile delivery, DTC brands can ensure a seamless ecommerce experience. With the majority of Q4 and holiday shopping expected to shift online, brands must have their entire ecommerce channel prepared for an optimal customer experience.