Walmart is Taking Delivery One Step Further in Greater Philadelphia

Rhea-AI Summary

Walmart is expanding its InHome delivery service to 10 million more households, including those in Greater Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington. This extension brings the total reach to over 45 million U.S. homes across more than 50 markets, including Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, and San Bernardino.

InHome allows customers to have groceries and essentials delivered directly to their doorsteps or placed into their kitchens or garage refrigerators. The service is an add-on to Walmart+ membership, priced at $12.95 monthly or $98 annually, with an additional $7 per month or $40 per year for Walmart+ members.

InHome, launched in 2019, aims to simplify shopping and has since completed millions of deliveries. The associates are vetted, trained, and equipped with wearable cameras for secure deliveries, providing customers access to delivery videos for up to a week.

Positive

• Walmart's InHome delivery service expansion increases market reach to over 45 million homes, potentially boosting revenue.
• The service is now available in Greater Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington, tapping into new customer bases.
• InHome allows ultimate convenience by delivering groceries directly inside homes, enhancing customer satisfaction.
• Associates are highly trained with security measures, including wearable cameras, to ensure customer trust and safety.
• InHome service can be added to Walmart+ membership, potentially increasing subscriber base and recurring revenue.

Negative

• Expansion costs for increasing the reach of the InHome delivery service may impact short-term financial performance.
• Potential logistical challenges in ensuring timely and efficient deliveries across expanded markets.

Insights

Retail Operations Specialist

Walmart's expansion of InHome delivery to additional markets including Philadelphia represents a strategic enhancement of their premium delivery ecosystem rather than a transformational business initiative. With this expansion, their specialized delivery service now reaches over 45 million U.S. households across more than 50 markets, demonstrating a methodical scaling approach for this premium service.

The InHome service - which delivers groceries directly into customers' refrigerators - addresses several critical competitive dimensions in the evolving retail landscape. First, it creates a differentiated experience that most competitors cannot easily replicate due to the specialized training and trust requirements. Second, it strengthens Walmart's premium subscription strategy by offering an add-on to Walmart+ at $7 monthly or $40 annually, potentially improving customer retention and lifetime value.

This expansion reflects Walmart's continued investment in last-mile innovation, where margins are traditionally challenging. The premium pricing structure ($12.95 monthly standalone) likely helps offset the higher operational costs associated with the specialized delivery personnel and equipment. The timing ahead of summer strategically targets busy families seeking convenience during a high-activity season.

While this represents positive momentum for Walmart's omnichannel strategy, the incremental nature of the expansion and absence of financial projections suggest this service remains a supplementary rather than core revenue driver within Walmart's vast ecosystem. The strategic value lies more in customer experience differentiation than immediate revenue impact.

Company expands InHome delivery now reaching more than 45 million U.S. Homes

BENTONVILLE, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, Walmart is announcing the expansion of its popular InHome delivery service to an additional 10 million U.S. households, including those in the Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area. Customers in Philadelphia, Camden and Wilmington will now have access to the ultimate in delivery convenience. InHome is designed to be a time saver for customers by delivering fresh groceries and everyday essentials to their doorstep or unpacking items directly into their kitchen or garage refrigerators.

W+ InHome delivery is now available in select areas. (Photo: Business Wire)

In addition to the Greater Philadelphia market, Walmart is expanding the service today to also include customers in Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis and San Bernardino, bringing the total scale of InHome to more than 50 markets covering over 45 million homes.

“The expansion of InHome comes at the perfect time for families in Greater Philadelphia who are embarking on the busy summer season and are looking for faster, more convenient ways to complete those everyday chores,” said Haley McShane, general manager of InHome, Walmart U.S. “We understand that customers are busy and want to make sure that they can have a seamless shopping experience that fits their needs.”

Walmart launched InHome delivery in 2019 to make shopping easier. Since then, the retailer has made millions of InHome deliveries to customers’ homes. InHome associates are tenured, vetted and specially trained by Walmart for this service.

Here’s how InHome works:

• Order: To place an order for InHome delivery, customers shop Walmart.com or the Walmart app for items eligible for store delivery and select the InHome delivery window that’s most convenient for them.
• Deliver: A highly trained InHome associate completes the delivery to the customer’s preferred location. If it’s to the interior of the home, the associate will use a one-time access code to unlock the customer’s door or garage. A wearable camera is on the associates’ vest, recording the entire delivery, which customers have access to from their phones for up to a week after each delivery.

InHome is available as an add-on to Walmart+ membership for $12.95 per month or $98 per year program. Customers who are already members of Walmart+ can now add unlimited fee-free and tip-free InHome delivery for an extra $7 per month or $40 per year. Walmart+ members have access to a suite of digital and in-store benefits like unlimited free deliveries, fuel and travel discounts, access to free pet telehealth visits through Pawp, early access to promotions and events, Paramount+ streaming and so much more.

For more information on how to sign up for InHome visit inhome.walmart.com.

About Walmart

Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer helping people save money and live better — anytime and anywhere — in stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, approximately 255 million customers and members visit more than 10,500 stores and numerous eCommerce websites in 19 countries. With fiscal year 2024 revenue of $648 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.1 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy, and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart, on X (formerly known as Twitter) at twitter.com/walmart, and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/walmart.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240531235874/en/

elizabeth.deluca@walmart.com

Source: Walmart Inc.

FAQ

What areas are included in Walmart's recent InHome delivery service expansion?

The service now includes Greater Philadelphia, Camden, Wilmington, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, and San Bernardino.

How many households can now access Walmart's InHome delivery service?

Over 45 million U.S. homes can now access the InHome delivery service.

What is the cost of Walmart's InHome delivery service for Walmart+ members?

Walmart+ members can add InHome delivery for an extra $7 per month or $40 per year.

How does Walmart ensure the security of its InHome deliveries?

InHome associates use one-time access codes and wearable cameras that record deliveries, with footage accessible to customers for a week.

When was Walmart's InHome delivery service launched?

Walmart launched the InHome delivery service in 2019.