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If you tend to shop a lot at Walmart, you need to know about Walmart Plus (Walmart+). This is going to be Walmart's answer to Amazon Prime, a service with so many perks there has been little to compete against it for so long. Walmart does still have a few advantages over Amazon, though, and plans to push those leads through this new program. In particular, Walmart+ is going match Prime with free two-day shipping and add same-day grocery delivery on top of that. There will be a lot of other perks as well.
Rumors had Walmart+ originally launching in the spring, but the spread of COVID-19 led to a delay. Of course, everyone staying at home and shopping at home led to a spike in Walmart's sales, so it makes sense the company would want to capitalize off that momentum. Plus, Amazon has struggled to meet demand in a similar shopping spike thanks to the pandemic, so Walmart could definitely slip in and gain some ground there.
As Walmart plans to roll out this exciting new service, we're going to be on top of all the newest information. We've got it all right here, and we'll continue to update this page as we find out more.
What is Walmart+?
Simply put, Walmart+ is Walmart's new upcoming membership. You pay an annual fee, you get perks. If you do most of your shopping at Walmart, or you used to and would like to go back to doing so, then Walmart+ is going to be of interest to you. Similar to Amazon Prime or a Costco membership, Walmart+ is going to give you some amazing perks just for using Walmart the way you always do.
While it will cost you something, the benefits you get will pay for themselves. For example, if you order online at Walmart you know there is a shipping fee unless you order at least $35 worth of stuff. Amazon has a similar fee but Amazon Prime members don't have to worry about it. If you can get around that shipping cost, you're saving that money every time you order from Walmart. (It is unclear still if that threshold will go away for Walmart+ members, but it would make sense.)
When does Walmart+ launch?
As of right now, July 27, there is no clear indication of when the service is going to launch. There is a website for it, but all that says is "Coming Soon." The rumor is that it is supposed to launch sometime in July after being delayed from its original launch in March or April. Keep an eye out on this page and at Walmart for more information.
How much will Walmart+ cost?
That's the big question right? Similar to Amazon Prime, Walmart+ will be a subscription service requiring an annual payment. It looks like it will cost $98 a year, but it will also come with a lot of perks to justify that price. At this time it is still unknown whether Walmart will allow customers to pay for the service on a monthly basis, or if you will need to prepay for the whole year in order to sign up.
How does Walmart+ pricing compare to Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime is currently $119, which means that Walmart+ comes in at $21 less. Prime does have a lot of ways to lower that price, though. Students can get many Prime benefits for half the cost. People on government assistance can get a discount. And you can always pay for it monthly instead of yearly if you don't need it the entire time. It's still unclear how many benefits like that will be offered by Walmart+ (if any).
What are the perks of Walmart+?
The three biggest perks include free two-day shipping when you order from Walmart, unlimited same-day grocery delivery from Walmart Supercenters, and a discount on fuel when using Walmart gas stations. Other perks will include early access to deals, reserved delivery slots, and access to Walmart Express, a new two-hour delivery offering similar to Amazon's Prime Now. It looks like Walmart might also bring back for Walmart+ members its Scan & Go service that was discontinued a couple years back. This service allows you to check out in a Walmart store without waiting in line.
Other potential perks that are probably still a ways off from actually happening include a Walmart+ credit card and a Walmart+ entertainment service. The latter would be a rival to Amazon Prime, the streaming service offered to Prime members, but Walmart is a long ways from bringing that to life. In the meantime, keep an eye on Camp by Walmart, which is a free service to any Walmart customer with the Walmart app. It is Walmart's first foray into digital entertainment and probably the precursor of bigger things to come.
What else should I know?
Walmart wants this to be a success. Amazon Prime has been around for 15 years at this point, and Amazon's online shopping has managed to surpass and dwarf Walmart in that time, despite Walmart being the next largest retailer in the U.S. It's a safe bet that they will continue to add more and more benefits over time to match whatever Amazon is doing.
It also might not be perfect right out of the gate. It's not like people haven't tried to compete with Amazon Prime before. It's just very difficult. Espect a few hiccups along the way, but remember that Walmart has an amazing network of brick and mortar stores that can support this new endeavor in a way Amazon cannot.
Let Thrifter help you
Remember one of the key elements to this new Walmart+ benefit will be early access to deals, and with the guaranteed faster shipping times you'll be able to take advantage of all the discounts Walmart has. Of course, it's hard to take advantage of things you don't know about, and that's why you should follow our team at Thrifter. We are professional deal hunters, and we will be dedicated to finding all the deals that Walmart has to offer, early access or otherwise. Follow our team, especially on Twitter, so you can see the deals as soon as we do.
by John Levite