Walmart Waymo Chauffeur Service: Well, this is fancy! Walmart (NYSE:WMT) has decided to partner with Waymo to offer it’s customers an autonomous car service providing lifts to its stores.
In other words, Walmart will chauffeur you to and from your shopping in a self-driving Waymo car. (ooh-la-la!)
Waymo is an autonomous car division of Alphabet Inc. – Googles (NASDAQ:GOOG) parent company, and at the moment the idea is to run a pilot program for people picking up groceries. The first pick up will be in Arizona.
Whether the program will be rolled out in different states remains to be seen.
Walmart Waymo Chauffeur Service: So How Will it Work?
Once a customer places an order online at Walmart.com, a Waymo van will be sent to pick them up at their home. The vehicle will then drive the customer to Walmart and wait outside until an employee brings out the ordered groceries.
There will be designated Waymo parking spots at the Walmart and the company will also pick up the tab for the use of the Waymo service. Nice!
What we don’t know yet though, is how much this perk will set Walmart back yearly. And while we know the service comes with a special price on groceries, it has not been disclosed exactly what that special price is.
What’s the Point?
Walmart is concerned about getting more shoppers to its stores and this new service may just entice them. However, I wonder if it’s missed the point entirely here; why order online, and go with the Waymo, if the car has the capabilities of delivering your groceries directly to your home without the need for you to leave your house at all!?
None-the-less, this is a new wave of chauffeuring service designed to entice people to the shops. And for those who want to peruse the isles and have no access to a car, the idea is not only smart, it’s exciting (albeit maybe a little gimmicky).
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The vice president of e-commerce operations at Walmart, Tom Ward said on the new service: “We’re always thinking of ways we can serve our customers now and into the future…The purpose of all of this: to learn. While giving customers a unique experience with amazing technology, we’re learning how we can make Walmart online grocery pickup even more convenient.”
I would take advantage of this service. Would you? Parking at grocery stores is a nightmare!
Featured Image: Freepik
