By ARTYOORAN @ Shutterstock.com
Matthew Boyle reports at Bloomberg that Walmart is developing its own membership program to rival Amazon Prime. He writes:
The world’s largest retailer is developing a paid membership program to challenge the internet giant’s Prime offering — which has become the default online shopping option for millions around the globe. The service, called Walmart+, will expand on the retailer’s existing grocery-delivery subscription service, which it introduced last year. Chief Customer Officer Janey Whiteside will spearhead the service’s development and rollout.
A Walmart spokeswoman confirmed the plans but declined to provide any details. Additional perks could include discounts on prescription drugs and fuel, according to Recode, which first reported the existence of the program.
Developing a broad-based membership program illustrates Walmart’s deep-seated concern that shoppers who defect to Amazon don’t often come back. The idea also runs counter to the ethos of founder Sam Walton, who famously refused to introduce the shopper-loyalty programs that are now commonplace at U.S. retailers. He argued that Walmart needed to treat each and every customer the same.
That said, Walmart has tried to mimic Prime before, testing a program called ShippingPass that it shuttered in 2017 upon the arrival of Marc Lore, who now runs Walmart’s U.S. e-commerce business.
The latest move is more ambitious than previous efforts, though, and aims to counter Amazon’s vise-like hold on the loyal shoppers who pay for the perks associated with Prime, which include free shipping and video streaming. Prime members spend about twice as much as other customers, and their willingness to splurge is a big reason why Amazon captured an estimated 40% of all sales growth at U.S. retail in the holiday quarter.
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