RETAIL & ECOMMERCE
The company now expects to reach 95 % of the US population with delivery in three hours or less. This level of fulfilment simply isn’ t feasible without dark stores. A shift in consumer expectations is partly responsible. Customers now expect fast, reliable delivery. In fact, ultrafast delivery – ranging from 10 to 30 minutes – is only possible with dark stores located near high-demand zones. Without the distraction of in-store customers, staff can focus entirely on picking, packing and dispatching orders.
Walmart’ s US CFO John David Rainey explains:“ E-commerce net delivery costs have declined as the retailer densifies last-mile deliveries and as Walmart shoppers pay fees for faster delivery services.
“ The company anticipates soon reaching 95 % of the US population with delivery options of three hours or less.”
Alongside speed and efficiency, sustainability is becoming a core priority for retailers adopting dark stores, with many investing in energy-efficient technologies and greener logistics to reduce environmental impact.
Walmart isn’ t alone; Whole Foods has also converted some of its LA and New York sites into dark stores, while Kroger and Giant Eagle have adopted temporary dark locations.
Though accelerated by pandemic lockdowns, this shift isn’ t new. Even before the crisis, chains like Walmart and Target were testing dark store formats. Now, it’ s clear the operational gains are too substantial to ignore and the model is here to stay.
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