Walmart 2022 Recap: Major Milestones

Headquartered in Arkansas, Walmart has about 10,500 Walmart stores and clubs operating under 46 banners throughout 24 countries, in addition to e-commerce websites. Walmart evolved into a new type of digital retailer in 2022, as a number of initiatives culminated in new paths for the iconic brick-and-mortar industry leader.

‍Third quarter FY23 results showed that Walmart had an influx of new shoppers outside of their regular, frequent shoppers. More customers and members are choosing Walmart because of the value and variety the company is known for, as well as because of the adjustments Walmart has made to save them time. In its pursuit to serve its customers better, Walmart has hit many milestones in the past year. Here is a look at some of Walmart's major milestones:

Expansion of InHome Delivery

In 2022, Walmart vowed to give more customers access to the convenience of InHome delivery. At the beginning of 2022, Walmart resolved to make the service available to 30 million American households (up from 6 million) by the end of the year. As part of the expansion, Walmart announced that it would hire 3,000 associate delivery drivers and build a fleet of 100% all-electric delivery vans in 2022. 

"We've been operating InHome in select markets over the last two years and have found it is a perfect solution for customers who want to live their lives without worrying about making it to the store or being home to accept a delivery," said senior vice president, last mile, Walmart U.S, Tom Ward. "Identifying ways to help our customers save time and money is our purpose, and nothing showcases that better than InHome delivery, which is why we're excited to bring the convenience of InHome to even more customers in 2022." 

‍Launch of Zeekit Virtual Fitting Room Technology

Following Walmart's acquisition of the creator of a top dynamic virtual fitting room platform, Zeekit, the company decided to introduce this state-of-the-art technology to its customers in 2022. Knowing how an item will look on you is one of the most challenging aspects of online clothes shopping. Walmart wants to deliver an inclusive, engaging, and personalized digital experience with Zeekit that reflects the physical shopping experience more closely.

"We are rolling out Zeekit technology to users of the Walmart app and Walmart.com, starting with the Choose My Model experience," said executive vice president of apparel and private brands, Walmart U.S., Denise Incandela. "Customers can determine the model who best represents their height, body shape, and skin tone to understand how an item will look on them. And we will continue to expand our model selection, with nearly 70 additional model options launching in the weeks ahead to offer an even wider range of sizes, skin tones, and hair colors." 

‍Expansion of Walmart Health Operations

With the launch of 16 new health clinics, Walmart Health announced plans to provide communities in Florida with healthcare that is more convenient, accessible, and affordable in 2022. By fall 2023, locations in Tampa, Jacksonville, and Orland will be open. 

"As the population in Florida continues to grow at more than double the rate of the rest of the United States, so does the need to increase access to quality health care," said senior vice president of omnichannel care offerings, Dr. David Carmouche. "With these 16 new Walmart Health centers across the state, even more Floridians will have easy access to a wide range of high-quality health services at convenient hours and easy-to-understand prices." 

‍Acquisition of Alert Innovation

Walmart has been making significant investments in infrastructure and technology throughout its supply chain for many years to test and determine where it can have the most impact on fulfilling customer orders. Last year, Walmart announced technology investments for its regional distribution and cutting-edge fulfillment facilities. With the acquisition of Alert Innovation, Walmart has announced a development in the advancement of its supply chain and MFCs. A robotics automation company called Alert Innovation creates material-handling technology to automate order fulfillment in retail supply chains. Since 2016, Walmart and Alert have collaborated to develop technologies specifically for its MFCs.  

"Bringing the best of Alert's technology and capabilities in-house will enable us to reach customers quicker by deploying MFCs with greater speed, providing both an unmatched shopping experience and a competitive advantage in omnichannel fulfillment," said senior vice president of innovation and automation, David Guggina. "This is part of our broader goal to introduce the next generation of fulfillment centers and continue to transform our already world-class supply chain."

 Expansion of Drone Delivery Service

Walmart offers customers a range of options that enable them to save time and money, including Express delivery and InHome solutions. In 2022, Walmart announced that by the end of the year, it would have 34 locations for its DroneUp delivery service, giving it the potential to serve four million households in the United States spread across six states: Arizona, Florida, Arkansas, Texas, Virginia, and Utah. Walmart will use drones to deliver more than one million packages annually.

"After completing hundreds of deliveries within a matter of months across our existing DroneUp hubs, we've seen firsthand how drones can offer customers a practical solution for getting certain items fast," said Guggina. "More importantly, we've seen a positive response from our customers that have used the service. In fact, while we initially thought customers would use the service for emergency items, we're finding they use it for its sheer convenience, like a quick fix for a weeknight meal." 

Merge of Walmart+ and InHome

In 2022, Walmart introduced its InHome Delivery Service as an optional add-on within Walmart+. By combining what were previously two independent memberships into one streamlined experience, new and existing members can choose the membership package that best suits their needs. 

"When Walmart+ members ask for something, we work around the clock to make it happen for them," said senior vice president & general manager of Walmart+, Chris Cracchiolo. "Our members want options and a shopping experience that is easy to navigate and accommodates their individual needs while saving them time and money — this is true now more than ever."