Walmart Announces Innovations To Make Holiday Shopping Easier

CARROLLWOOD, FL — As Walmart continues to change how Florida customers shop, the retailer is helping them save time and money through the rollout and expansion of several in-store innovations, including the introduction of new Pickup Towers like the one recently installed in the Walmart Supercenter at 6192 Gunn Highway.

“We launched one of the first Towers in the state almost two years ago in the Bay area, and since then, we’ve heard from customers how convenient it is to order online and pick up in store when shopping with us,” said Ryan Reed, a market eCommerce manager for Walmart in Tampa Bay. “That’s why we’re continuing to bring this time-saving service to even more in the area – helping busy families save time and money.”

Last year, Walmart launched or expanded several customer-focused innovations in Florida stores, including grocery pickup and grocery delivery, Pickup Towers, Check Out With Me, Dotcom Store App, autonomous shelf scanner, handheld apps for sales floor associates, virtual reality training for all associates, store maps in the Walmart app, third-party returns in stores and the FAST Unloader.

Walmart Pickup Towers are 16 feet tall and function like high-tech vending machines, capable of fulfilling a customer’s online order in less than a minute.

Customers simply choose from millions of items available on Walmart.com and select the “Pickup” option at checkout.· When the item arrives at the local store, an associate loads it into the Pickup Tower and the customer receives notification.

When customer steps up to the Pickup Tower and scans the bar code sent to the customer's smartphone.

The Pickup Tower on Gunn Highway is one of just 36 planned to be added to Florida Walmart stores this year.

In addition to Pickup Towers, Walmart is introducing nine ways to shop this holiday season.

"This season, we are offering the ultimate in convenience for customers with new and existing ways to shop, so customers can prep for the season whenever and however they want. We’ve made it easier than ever for customers to tackle all of their holiday prep and more at Walmart," said Ashley Buchanan, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer.

• Gift Finder: New this year, customers can search for gifts on Walmart.com with Gift Finder, which provides gift options for 40 different types of gift recipients. Customers provide information based on the recipient and their price range and are served up personalized recommendations so they can choose the best gift for anyone on their list, even the hardest to shop for.
• Scannable Toy Catalog: For the first time, customers with iOS and Android devices can use their phones to shop for the hottest toys of the season right from the pages of Walmart’s seasonal toy catalog. This new digitized experience lets customers scan and shop hundreds of toys, including more than 150 exclusives, through the Walmart app.
• Free NextDay Delivery: New this holiday season, customers can order from up to hundreds of thousands of eligible items and have them delivered to their house the very next day without a membership fee.
• Expanded Check Out With Me: Check Out With Me is now available in all Walmart Supercenters, allowing customers to avoid lines at the register and check out with an associate right where they are shopping, like in Santaland in the garden center, the electronics department or near the registers.
• Expanded DotCom Store: The DotCom Store, which is also now available in all Walmart Supercenters, lets customers work with associates to place an online order right from the store if the customer cannot find the item they’re shopping for. Items are then sent directly to the customer’s home or to their nearest Walmart store for Pickup.

In addition to these new features and expanded shopping services, customers can also take advantage of Pickup Today, free two-day shipping, and Online Grocery Pickup and Delivery to receive their gifts and everyday essentials.