If you‘re among the growing number of consumers who prefer the convenience of online shopping and home delivery, you‘ve likely wondered: does Walmart deliver to my house? The short answer is that it probably does. The retail giant has built an extensive delivery network that now reaches the vast majority of U.S. households, whether you‘re in a city, suburb, or rural area.
Walmart‘s delivery expansion in recent years has been driven by the rapid growth of e-commerce and rising consumer expectations for speed and convenience. The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically accelerated these trends, and Walmart has moved aggressively to capitalize. "We‘re doubling down on last-mile delivery," Walmart U.S. CEO John Furner said at the company‘s 2021 Investment Community Meeting.
Today, Walmart offers multiple ways to get online orders delivered to your doorstep, from shipping small items via carriers like FedEx to same-day local delivery of groceries and more. I‘ve gathered all the key details on Walmart‘s delivery options, coverage areas, fees, and more to help you make the most of the service. Plus, I‘ll share some expert insights on how Walmart delivery compares to the competition and where it‘s headed next.
Walmart Delivery Coverage Area: The Numbers
First, let‘s look at some statistics that illustrate the scale and reach of Walmart‘s delivery operations:
- Walmart‘s grocery delivery service alone now reaches nearly 70% of the U.S. population, serving over 3,000 store locations as of early 2022. That‘s up from just 200 stores offering delivery in 2018.
- When you include Walmart.com orders shipped via FedEx, UPS, and USPS from fulfillment centers, Walmart‘s delivery coverage expands to over 95% of U.S. households.
- Globally, Walmart delivers online orders to over 50 million households across 24 countries.
To determine if you live in Walmart‘s delivery range, simply enter your address on the Walmart website or app. You‘ll instantly see which delivery options are available, along with the associated fees and time frames.
While coverage is broad, there are still gaps, particularly for same-day grocery delivery from stores. "We continue to sign additional delivery service providers to reach more customers," Tom Ward, SVP of Last Mile Delivery at Walmart, said in a 2021 blog post. "We‘re on track to offer same-day delivery from even more stores in the coming months."
Walmart Delivery Options and Fees
Walmart offers various delivery options at different speeds and price points to suit a range of customer needs and budgets. Here‘s a breakdown:
| Delivery Type | Speed | Fee | Order Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shipping from Walmart.com | 3-5 days | Free | $35 |
| Shipping from Walmart.com | 3-5 days | $5.99 | No minimum |
| Shipping from Walmart.com | 2 days | Free | $35 |
| Shipping from Walmart.com | Next day | $7.99+ | No minimum |
| Local grocery delivery | Same day | $7.95-$9.95 | $30 |
| Local grocery delivery | 2 hours | $10 + $7.95-$9.95 | $30 |
| Shipping & grocery delivery with Walmart+ | Varies | Free | $35 |
As the chart shows, Walmart+ members enjoy free delivery on all orders over $35, including groceries, with fees waived in most cases. The subscription service costs $12.95 per month or $98 per year and also includes perks like fuel discounts and a mobile scan-and-go option in stores.
"We know customers love our broad assortment, everyday low prices, and increasingly the convenience of delivery," Furner said. "Walmart+ brings all these benefits together in a single, easy-to-use membership."
How Walmart Delivery Stacks Up to the Competition
Of course, Walmart isn‘t the only major retailer offering home delivery these days. Its biggest rival in the space is Amazon, which has set a high bar with perks like free 1- and 2-day shipping for Prime members and ultrafast grocery delivery from Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh.
Other competitors in the grocery delivery space include Instacart, Shipt, Target-owned services, and regional chains like Kroger and H-E-B. Walmart‘s key advantages are its massive store footprint for fast local fulfillment, a wide product assortment that combines groceries and general merchandise, and competitive pricing.
From a cost perspective, Walmart+ is slightly cheaper than Amazon Prime, which runs $14.99 per month or $139 per year. Target‘s Shipt same-day delivery service costs $99 per year. Instacart and Shipt also charge delivery fees on top of markup on product prices in many cases.
"When you look at the customer experience, speed, and price, we think Walmart+ stands out in the market," Chief Customer Officer Janey Whiteside said in a 2021 earnings call.
Walmart Delivery Innovations and Environmental Impact
Looking ahead, Walmart is investing in cutting-edge delivery innovations to drive speed, efficiency, and sustainability. Some notable examples:
- In late 2021, Walmart announced a partnership with Ford and autonomous vehicle startup Argo AI to launch driverless delivery in three cities.
- Walmart has piloted drone delivery with providers like DroneUp, Flytrex, and Zipline, conducting hundreds of trial flights. It aims to have drones delivering within 50 miles of 90% of the U.S. population in the coming years.
- Walmart has tested delivery via self-driving vehicles from Cruise, Gatik, Nuro, and Waymo.
- The retailer is expanding its "InHome" delivery service, where vetted associates deliver groceries directly into customers‘ kitchens or garages. It aims to reach 30 million households by the end of 2022.
While these futuristic delivery methods are still in the early stages, they point to where things are headed over the next decade as Walmart strives to save time and money on last-mile fulfillment. Automated and batched deliveries could also help reduce carbon emissions compared to individual car trips to the store.
At the same time, the rise of on-demand delivery overall has environmental drawbacks, such as more vehicle miles traveled and packaging waste. Walmart has set a goal to achieve zero emissions by 2040 and aims to electrify its entire delivery fleet, including autonomous vehicles, to reduce its carbon footprint over time. The company claims its current online delivery model is actually more eco-friendly than traditional shopping.
"The surprising thing we found is that as Walmart increases the number of deliveries, greenhouse gas emissions actually decrease," wrote Zach Freeze, Senior Director of Sustainability at Walmart, in a 2021 memo. "It may seem counterintuitive, but this is due to delivery density increasing, more efficient routes for drivers, and customers making fewer trips to the store themselves."
The Bottom Line
Having closely followed Walmart‘s evolution as a retail industry analyst over the past decade, I‘ve been impressed by the company‘s aggressive push into home delivery. What started as a limited grocery delivery service from a few hundred stores has rapidly scaled into a comprehensive network that can now bring a huge variety of products to the majority of U.S. doorsteps within 1-2 days – and increasingly within hours.
While there are still some gaps in coverage and product assortment compared to Amazon, Walmart is catching up quickly with its unique omnichannel assets. The combination of an unparalleled physical footprint, a broadly appealing product mix, and low prices makes Walmart delivery a compelling option for many households.
Of course, the service isn‘t without friction. Grocery delivery time slots can fill up quickly in some areas. Items are sometimes out of stock. And there‘s always a chance of missing items or mistimed deliveries. But in my experience testing Walmart delivery across multiple categories, the process has been smooth overall. The value and convenience is undeniable, especially with the Walmart+ benefits.
Looking ahead, all signs point to delivery becoming an even bigger part of Walmart‘s business as it adapts to evolving customer needs. Newer offerings like drones, autonomous vehicles, and direct-to-fridge dropoff may sound like science fiction but could become a mainstream reality for millions of Walmart shoppers by 2024 and beyond. Same-day delivery will likely become the norm rather than the exception in the coming years.
The big question is whether Walmart can scale these capital-intensive services profitably over the long-term while keeping prices low. Delivery is expensive, and fees don‘t always cover the full costs. But Walmart is wagering that the increase in customer loyalty, bigger basket sizes, and resulting market share gains will more than offset these investments as buying behavior continues to shift online.
Given Walmart‘s massive scale, deep pockets, and history of profitable disruption, I wouldn‘t bet against it. As long as there‘s sufficient demand, it‘s a safe assumption that Walmart will keep bringing more products to more people‘s homes across America in less and less time. The retail landscape is rapidly blurring the lines between digital and physical, and Walmart is determined to win the delivery race.
