Walmart launches its competitor for Amazon Prime: Walmart Plus will start on September 15, 2020. The program will focus primarily on the unlimited supply of food and other goods. But can it really compete with Amazon Prime?
The US technology magazine Recode reports that Walmart Plus will be available in the USA from September 15, 2020. A membership will then cost $98 per year or $12.95 per month.
The competitor for Amazon Prime is supposed to offer subscribers mainly an unlimited supply of food and other goods from the stores of the retail chain. Orders over 35 US dollars are also to be delivered the same day.
Members also receive fuel discounts at Walmart filling stations and from the partners involved. They will also be able to use “scan and go” technology, which will allow them to scan goods in chain stores with their smartphones.
Walmart Plus: “The ultimate life hack
According to Recode, the company also offers the prospect of further discounts in the future. These will include a branded credit card, prior notification of product deals and access to a popular video streaming service. Amazon Prime is probably not.
Although the concept is very similar to that of Amazon Prime, Chief Customer Officer Janey Whiteside told Recode confidently that the program is intended to be “the ultimate life hack”.
She argued that Walmart Plus would bring benefits that would save customers both time and money.
Can Walmart Plus compete with Amazon Prime?
But can the new member program compete with Amazon Prime? After all, Prime has more than 150 million members worldwide and is also the most popular delivery service and entertainment program.
In addition to express delivery of millions of products, Amazon Prime includes streaming of its own large library of television shows, movies and music, as well as other benefits.
Recode has also reported that half of all Walmart customers are also registered with Amazon Prime. Prime currently costs only 7.99 euros per month and 69 euros per year.
The crucial question the company must therefore ask itself is: Are your customers also prepared to leave Amazon Prime and switch to another provider? Or: Do they have enough money for both services?
Walmart does not want to compete
However, Walmart manager Janey Whiteside told Recode that “we didn’t necessarily launch Walmart Plus to compete with anyone else.
But the company should still come up with a good marketing strategy. Otherwise, the retail chain will have a bad chance of playing a role at all alongside Amazon Prime and other competitors.
