Walmart’s holiday ‘service’ strategy: In-store pickups, low prices, ‘holiday helpers’

Knowing frazzled customers are in search of overall value, Walmart is emphasizing customer service this holiday season.



A chain synonymous with the concept of “everyday low prices,” Walmart is taking a new stance this holiday as a means of competing with rivals Target and Amazon, which are focusing on lower prices. While it is not abandoning its signature “Rollbacks” entirely, the discount giant is eager to attract the omnichannel shopper. That said, Walmart is raising the bar by having the broadest assortment of merchandise available at the best price, and focusing on quickly getting it into shoppers’ hands, whether they order online or visit a physical store.



The retail behemoth’s first move was to dramatically expand its online catalog. Knowing that the volume of items ordered online and picked up in stores on the same day increases by five times during the holiday season, Walmart will expand the amount of items available across categories, including apparel, toys and seasonal decor. And the increases will continue to ramp up all season long.



Walmart’s online assortment has already jumped from roughly 8 million items at the start of this year to 20 million today, and “millions of additional items are scheduled to be added in the coming months,” according to a company statement.



The retailer is also making its broader assortment easier to shop. Starting Nov. 1, Walmart.com will feature a Top 20 list of items to help customers discover exclusive offerings, competitive prices and coveted products. This service supports Walmart’s holiday marketing strategy, which will focus more on discounts and offering the lowest prices on items instead of "gimmicky" product deals — a move that responds to their customers’ expectations of more consistent pricing. This is the second year Walmart is using this holiday marketing strategy.



Where Walmart draws the line, however, is on free shipping for online orders. Unlike competitors likeTargetthat are waiving shipping fees for the season, Walmart will still require shoppers to make a minimum online order of $50 to avoid shipping charges, the statement said.



In hopes of providing a little more cheer during store visits, Walmart is also introducing an army of Holiday Helpers to better serve customers in the checkout line. Armed with candy canes, these helpers will assist customers with finding the shortest line, direct shoppers to open registers, and quickly grab items customers might have forgotten, the statement said.



“We are listening to our customers and looking for ways to simplify their busy lives,” said Judith McKenna, COO, Walmart U.S.



Depending on store traffic, Walmart will increase the amount of helpers on hand. The easy-to-find, yellow-vested team will arrive at stores on Nov. 4.



In addition, the chain will feature 150,000 product demonstrations across its more than 4,600 U.S. stores, and Santa also plans to make 23,000 visits chainwide throughout the season, the statement said.



“Whether our customers are checking items off their grocery lists or their kids’ holiday lists, we want to make their shopping experiences easy and fun,” McKenna added. “This includes having clean, fast and friendly stores, an easier check out experience and enabling customers to shop seamlessly through services like ‘pick-up.’”