Walmart Offers Customers Added Convenience with New Free Grocery Pickup Service
Walmart in Mocksville wants to change the way you buy groceries by offering free online grocery pickup with a minimum $30 purchase.
“Customers today are looking for more convenience, choice, and savings, so we’re creating an experience that offers customers the convenience of shopping online and the ease of quickly picking up groceries without having to leave their cars,” said Garry Steele, assistant manager of e-commerce.
The store kicked off the new service today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration which included refreshments, outdoor inflatable games, and vendors with giveaways.
Tanya Hare pulled in promptly at 8 a.m, becoming the service’s first customer. “We are going to the beach, so I thought I drop my daughter off, pick up my groceries, and I’d be good. Grocery pickup is a great service!”
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mocksville Mayor Will Marklin acknowledged the store’s effort and thanked Walmart, saying “For Walmart to partner with Mocksville and to offer this type of convenience to our citizens is wonderful. I have already heard from some of my friends who are looking forward to using the service and I appreciate Walmart for stepping up to the plate and bringing this to Davie County.”
Tim Stewart, store manager, thanked employees for their efforts in preparing for the grocery pickup service. “It’s taken several months for the construction, and a lot of work and training went into this. This is the future of our company and retail as we move forward. The whole idea is to offer the very best customer service that we can. I really believe that this service is going to bring a lot of sales back to Davie County because people are crossing the river to shop… Let’s keep those sales in Davie County.”
Terry Bralley, president of the Davie County Economic Development Commission agreed, saying, “Life is about continuous improvement, and that is emphasized by what you are doing here today. You’ve created the perfect destination for great customer service, low pricing, and convenience, and that is a great benefit to the community because we all need to think local first.”
“Two years ago, we did a study to determine how much money is being spent outside of the county by our residents. Most people won’t believe this, but there is $1 billion spent in other counties by our residents each year,” Bralley added. “This is an opportunity to capture some of those dollars and bring them back to Davie County.”
Steele said Walmart tested online grocery in a handful of markets and received feedback from thousands of customers all over the country asking for this faster easier way to get the company’s every day low prices on their groceries. More than 1,600 Walmart stores now offer grocery pickup.
He said the service offers:
- Same pricing as in the local store.
- Personal shoppers trained to carefully select and handpick the freshest produce. Customers also have the opportunity to check their produce at pickup to ensure that it meets their approval.
- Free pickup with no hidden fees or subscription charges.
- Same day pickup options.
Fast and Convenient Service
“We consistently hear from moms who have used the service, that grocery shopping – between loading kids, shopping, pack up the car, getting the kids back in their seats – used to take hours… and it’s now finished in minutes,” Steele said. “They choose the pickup time that works best for them. It might be after dropping the kids off at school or on the way home from practice. They don’t even have to unbuckle anyone’s seatbelt.”
How Does Online Grocery Work?
Orders can be placed online or by downloading the free Walmart grocery app to a mobile device.
Shoppers begin by selecting a pickup time and date. Do you know that you will need cookout supplies for the weekend? No problem, you can choose a pickup time and date as many as six days in advance.
Placing an order is simple. Shoppers can shop by department, peruse featured items, or enter needed items into the search bar. The site tracks past purchases making it quicker and easier to place future orders, and registered shoppers receive emails alerting them to sales and rollback prices.
Walmart Pickup does not allow coupons, but Steele believes that Walmart’s pricing and the use of the Walmart Savings Catcher app will make up any difference.
He recommends allowing substitution. “We only substitute with a larger size or more expensive brand to make our customers happy and to meet their needs.”
He also encourages shoppers to take advantage of the mobile apps check-in feature.
“When shoppers let us know they are on the way we can have their groceries waiting for them at the door which will save them even more time.”
Pick up is easy. Just follow the signs in the parking lot. There are also specially marked parking spots near the front of the store which makes it easy for the personal shoppers to load your groceries quickly. Tipping is neither expected or allowed.
Steele says one of the most exciting features of grocery pickup is that it isn’t limited to groceries. Need milk, bread, Tylenol, and motor oil? No problem!
And for customers who have placed an online order with free in-store pickup, but without groceries, the pickup area has been moved to the front of the store near Subway to increase convenience.
“In communities across America, customers count on us to provide high-quality foods at Walmart prices. We’re using our expertise as America’s largest grocer to make shopping for fresh groceries easier than ever and win the future of retail,” said Steele.
Customers will receive $10 of each of their first three orders of $50 or more using codeTRIPLE10 or 10% off their 1st order by using the code WOWFRESH during checkout.
Visit walmart.com/grocery to learn more.