Walmart has revealed three major changes in its operations within the United States. These innovations aim to transform the way millions of people shop and experience their stores. The changes affect prices, technology, and fast delivery.
The 3 changes at Walmart
The first is a price increase on various products. This is due to trade tariffs imposed by the U.S. government. Products like fruits, car seats, and electronics imported from countries like China, Costa Rica, Peru, and Colombia will rise in price.
Walmart's Chief Financial Officer, John David Rainey, explained that the company can't absorb these costs. The profit margins are very tight. The increases will begin to be noticeable in June and July, just when many families are making school purchases. Although some tariffs were temporarily reduced, the company is forced to pass the costs on to customers.
The second change is related to technology. Walmart is introducing AI-powered shopping agents. These agents, like OpenAI's "Operator," can make online purchases automatically.
The agent will choose products based on user preferences. This can eliminate the need to manually browse or search for products.
Walmart is integrating this technology into its app and website. The goal is to facilitate tasks like restocking food or planning events. Additionally, they are working for these agents to communicate with each other across different platforms. This will ensure that users receive the best possible recommendations.
The third change is the expansion of fast delivery. Walmart has invested heavily in its infrastructure to make deliveries in a few hours. Now, it can deliver products to the majority of the U.S. population within a maximum of three hours.
This improvement has been key for Walmart's e-commerce division to be profitable for the first time. Although the selection for fast delivery is more limited than Amazon's, the volume of same-day deliveries has doubled compared to last year. This shows that customers are enthusiastically adopting this modality.
Walmart wants to remain the leader
With these three changes, Walmart seeks to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving market. The combination of price adjustments, technological advances, and logistical improvements will allow it to better face the challenges of modern retail.
Consumers should prepare for higher prices on certain products, but they will also be able to enjoy a more convenient and faster shopping experience. The AI agents promise to simplify routine shopping, while express delivery will make products arrive at the doorstep sooner.
Walmart is transforming its model to adapt to new market demands and customer expectations. These changes could mark a turning point in how we shop in the United States.