Walmart aims to wow

Ideas RETAILERS || SUPPLIERS || SHOPPERS || INSIGHTS

In Walmart’s new concept store in Arkansas, digital screens greet customers

STORE INNOVATION

“WoW” might not be the first word that comes to mind when shoppers think about their Walmart experience, but the retailer is working to change that. Walmart has unveiled a new design and customer experience at its incubator store in Springdale, Ark.,—a concept it dubs “time well spent.” The idea is to make Walmart a shopping destination where customers feel wowed and want to spend their time.

The new design follows the first phase of Walmart’s store redesign, which focused on making shopping simpler, faster and more convenient. In this latest phase, Walmart says it’s “amplifying the physical, human and digital design elements in our stores to inspire customers and elevate the experience.”

The store uses large displays to pull customers into various departments. After two years of living with “touchless” retail, consumers are encouraged to “touch, feel and become a part of the space,” according to Walmart. For example, the home area might feature a living room set up where the customer can squeeze a throw pillow before deciding on a purchase.

Walmart has also given floor space to brand partners like GapHome, Queer Eye and Reebok, providing store-within-astore experiences. The beauty department will also showcase brand partner shops featuring new items and men’s grooming tools that can be “seen and experienced.”

On the digital front, Walmart is using QR codes and digital screens to communicate with shoppers about products and services, and provide offers. For example, in the pets department, a customer can scan a QR code to find dog bed options, learn about Walmart’s pet insurance service, or have a 20-pound bag of kibble delivered to their door.

In a corporate news blog, Alvin Washington, Walmart’s vice-president of marketing—store design, innovation and experience, said early results show customers are, indeed, wowed by the redesign. “We’ll continue to test, learn and make changes based on what our customers tell us,” he said. “As we do that, we’ll quickly adjust and deliver an even better, more engaging experience in 2022 and beyond.”—Rebecca Harris