Walmart announced the expansion of its pickup program by adding 500 more pickup towers to stores across the country. Nearly 200 of its stores already have towers. More than half of a million orders have been retrieved through these towers when the program was first introduced.
With this expansion, pickup towers will be available to nearly 40% of the U.S. population. Every pickup tower will come with lockers for items as large as a television and as small as a baseball glove, according to a press release.
“It’s no surprise that the Walmart pickup towers are gaining in popularity,” said Tushar Patel, CMO of Kibo. “We’ve always recommended that our retail customers keep their buy online pay in store (BOPIS) counters near the front of the store, instead of in the deepest and darkest corners where customer service and restrooms usually live.”
Patel said retailers typically select the BOPIS location, however, based on the current store infrastructure.
“With Walmart’s decision to buck the system and place the towers front and center, they are delighting their customers with quick and agile fulfillment,” said Patel. “Walmart is also showing its competitive edge by listening to their customers and including lockers in the newest iteration of the towers.”
Walmart has also launched online grocery pickup, pickup discount, Mobile Express Scan & Go, grocery delivery and a new partnership with Google Express.