BIRMINGHAM, AL - Can you imagine a world where you have everything you want in your fridge all the time? Walmart can. The retailer announced it will begin pilot programs of a new service that will allow for delivery people to come inside your home, and even place your groceries inside your refrigerator. The service is in partnership with August Home, a smart-lock company that allows for keyless home entry.
“We’re excited to be running this test in Silicon Valley with a small group of August Home customers, all of whom have opted-in to participate in testing this new concept. And we want to do more in the future by delivering groceries and other orders in whatever location works best for our customers–inside the house for some and in the fridge/freezer in the garage for others,” said Sloan Eddleston, VP, Walmart eCommerce Strategy & Business Operations, in a blog post for the company. “The possibilities are endless, and we look forward to exploring how we can further serve our customers’ needs.”
For at least the first tests in Silicon Valley, the service will work as follows, according to the company:
- Place an order on Walmart.com for any number of items, even groceries
- A Deliv driver will retrieve the items and bring them to the orderer’s home
- If no one answers, he or she will have a one-time passcode that is pre-authorized which will open the home’s smart lock
- The homeowner is in control of the experience the entire time, receiving a smartphone notification that the delivery is occurring and the option to watch the delivery take place in real-time
- The Deliv associate will drop off packages in the foyer and then carry groceries to the kitchen, unload them in my fridge, and leave
- The orderer is watching the entire process from start to finish from home security cameras through the August app
- As you watch the Deliv associate exit the front door, the orderer receives confirmation that my door has automatically been locked
“These tests are a natural evolution of what Walmart is all about–an obsession in saving our customers not just money but also time, making our customers’ lives easier in the process,” Eddleston went on. “What might seem novel today could be the standard tomorrow. This may not be for everyone–and certainly not right away–but we want to offer customers the opportunity to participate in tests today and help us shape what commerce will look like in the future.”
As Walmart looks to raise the bar on delivery standards for fresh food and beyond, will this type of all inclusive service become the norm? AndNowUKnow will continue to report as the retail scene evolves.
