Walmart.com uses discounts for in-store pickups to fight Amazon
Starting April 19th, many online-only items will cost less if buyers pick them up in-store.
Walmart has made a few moves already to make shopping there more appealing vs. Amazon, but the latest one leverages its existing stores and distribution network. With a new program called "Pickup Discount," it will lower the price for many items that are only available online, as long as buyers have them shipped to a nearby store for pickup. Walmart says that by relying on its existing fleet of delivering trucks and skipping the last mile, it can save money and pass that savings on to customers.
Here are a few examples of the discounted pricing you can expect to see:
Britax B-SAFE 35 Infant Car Seat, Slate Strie – $148.05 will have an additional Pickup Discount of $7.40 ($140.65 new price)
LEGO City Great Vehicles Ferry, 60119 – $23.99 will have an additional Pickup Discount of $2.55 ($21.44 new price)
Coleman 150 qt Heritage XP Marine Cooler – $111.49 will have an additional Pickup Discount of $4.46 ($107.03 new price)
VIZIO SmartCast M-Series 70" Class 4K Ultra HDTV (M70-D3) – $1,698 will have an additional Pickup Discount of $50 ($1648 new price)
Free 2-day shipping is available for many items (no subscription plan necessary), so if you live within a close distance of a Walmart store, it becomes a very competitive option. According to the company, that accounts for about 90 percent of Americans. When the program launches next week it will cover 10,000 items or so, before expanding in June to cover one million items.
