Walmart, one of the largest supermarket chains in the United States, is continuing its brand transformation and has now implemented a new store model designed to offer customers a faster, smoother, and more engaging shopping experience: dark stores. But what exactly are these locations and how do they operate? Here’s everything you need to know.
What are Walmart’s dark stores?
These are physical stores specifically designed to fulfill online orders. However, they have one key difference from other Walmart locations that also offer online shopping services: they are not open to the public.
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How do Walmart’s dark stores operate?
Dark stores are used to speed up and optimize the delivery of online orders, with estimated delivery times of three hours or less. These locations will stock Walmart’s most popular products, allowing customers to fill their pantry and find essential items quickly. According to the company, the goal is for this type of store to reach 95% of the U.S. population.
Where are Walmart’s dark stores located?
Currently, the company is testing this new concept in Dallas, Texas. However, Walmart also plans to open another dark store in Bentonville, Arkansas, though no specific date has been announced yet.
History of Walmart
Walmart was founded by Samuel Moore Walton, who worked various jobs from a young age to support his family, including selling milk, magazine subscriptions, and even working as a waiter in exchange for meals while pursuing his studies.
When he was a sales apprentice at JC Penney, his boss told him that he didn’t have the necessary skills for retail, but years later, Walton would go on to found the world’s largest supermarket chain.
In 1962, Walton founded Walmart with the vision of bringing discount stores that existed in big cities to small towns, offering products at affordable prices. The success was so overwhelming that, within less than a decade, the company began trading on the New York Stock Exchange. By 1991, Walmart surpassed Kmart and Sears in sales, becoming the largest retailer in the United States.
How many Walmart stores are there in the United States?
Currently, the supermarket chain has over 4,500 stores in the United States. The state with the most Walmart locations is Texas, with a total of 514 stores, representing about 11% of the company’s stores in the country.
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What is Walmart+?
A Walmart+ membership helps you save time and money when shopping at Walmart stores. It also includes the following benefits:
- Free express delivery for essential everyday items and more in just 1 hour.
- 50¢ off every gallon of fuel at participating Exxon and Mobil stations nationwide, helping members save on fuel costs.
- Up to 2 free Burger King sandwiches daily with a purchase of $1 or more (1 Croissan’wich, 1 Whopper Jr.).
- 6 months of the Paramount+ plan with Showtime, so members can enjoy even more of their favorite shows and movies.
- $5 Walmart Cash for members who use Scan and Go in-store for an order of $15 or more.
- $10 Walmart Cash participation bonus if members take advantage of two or more offers during Walmart+ Week.
