USA – The American retail corporation Walmart has announced a new last-mile delivery pilot programme, Spark Delivery that will see timely grocery deliveries from their stores to customer’s front doors.
Walmart is rolling out the system in Nashville and New Orleans with more launches to come in more metropolitan areas this year.
The crowd-sourced delivery platform allows Walmart to learn more about the full last-mile delivery process by using an in-house platform that provides drivers with flexibility and navigation assistance in regard to grocery delivery order details.
Powered by Bringg, a leading delivery logistics technology platform, the system uses the company’s 25,000 personal shoppers who will fulfil customer orders and ensure timely delivery.
Bringg, a leading delivery logistics platform for enterprises worldwide powers last-mile deliveries for Panera Bread and restocks for Coco-Cola, among others.
It connects drivers with orders with customers with dispatchers, also offers live tracking of deliveries by the receiver, setting Walmart apart in the eyes of consumers as the service is one of its kind in grocery delivery.
It integrates in-house infrastructure with third-party software and a supplier for delivery contractors.
“We’re saving customers time by leveraging new technology, and connecting all the parts of our business into a single seamless shopping experience: great stores, easy pickup, fast delivery, and apps and websites that are simple to use.
We’re serving our customers in ways that no one else can.
Using our size and scale, we’re bringing the best of Walmart to customers across the country.
Spark Delivery is one way we’re exploring how to get quality groceries from our door to our customers’ doors,” said Greg Foran, president and CEO, Walmart U.S.
This expansion of its grocery delivery service gives customers options to shop when and how they want as they ensure complete deliveries and management of last-mile contractor.
According to Walmart, the company is on its way to bringing grocery delivery to 100 metro areas covering 40% of U.S. households given that the service is available in nearly 50 markets including Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Miami and Seattle.
Walmart has been expanding its grocery delivery service using third-party delivery platforms like Doordash and Postmates but it is piloting its own to expand its geographies in the country.
In addition to grocery pickup and delivery, the retailer offers online grocery pickup service that allows customers to order their groceries online and pick them up in stores without ever getting out of their cars.
Walmart recently partnered with Microsoft Corp for wider use of cloud and artificial intelligence technology to boost ecommerce against Amazon.
