Latest news with #darkstores
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Walmart Just Opened 'Dark Stores' You Can't Shop In
Walmart has launched a bold new retail experiment, and customers aren't invited inside. The retail giant is testing "dark stores," which look like regular stores on the outside but are closed to the public. Instead, they serve one purpose: fulfilling online orders as quickly as possible. Bloomberg reported that the first of these hidden-in-plain-sight warehouses just opened in Dallas, with another planned for Bentonville, Arkansas, Walmart's hometown. More locations are expected to follow as the company ramps up efforts to compete with Amazon and meet growing demand for lightning-fast delivery. These dark stores carry Walmart's most in-demand items, streamlining the process of getting products from shelf to doorstep. Unlike traditional stores or massive distribution centers, dark stores are designed for speed. By eliminating foot traffic and optimizing layouts for employees and delivery drivers, they allow Walmart to reach more homes faster and more efficiently. Walmart previously dabbled in dark stores during the mid-2010s and throughout the pandemic but shut them down as shopping habits with e-commerce surging again and customers increasingly paying for faster delivery, the retailer is bringing the concept back with a modern twist. These smaller-scale fulfillment hubs will amplify the reach of both its neighborhood stores and larger regional warehouses. The initiative is part of a larger digital transformation. Walmart has invested billions into online operations, expanded its marketplace for third-party sellers, introduced services like pharmacy delivery, and adopted automation for picking and packing orders. Executives expect the online business to hit profitability this year. While Amazon has long dominated the race for fast shipping, Walmart's infrastructure and deep pockets give it a unique edge. By turning dark stores into a nationwide network of fulfillment engines, Walmart is betting that convenience—not just price—is what will keep customers coming back. In a retail landscape that's evolving at warp speed, these behind-the-scenes stores may soon become the secret weapon in Walmart's quest to win the delivery Walmart Just Opened 'Dark Stores' You Can't Shop In first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 24, 2025
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Walmart Is Opening ‘Dark Stores' That Customers Can't Go Into
Walmart has opened 'dark stores' in Dallas, Texas, and Bentonville, Arkansas, that are not open to the public and serve solely as fulfillment centers to speed up online order deliveries. CEO Douglas McMillon announced that Walmart is close to reaching 95% of the U.S. population with three-hour or less delivery, with a 91% increase year-over-year in deliveries under three hours in Q1. The company has also expanded drone grocery delivery to 100 additional locations, becoming the first retailer to provide such a service across five is once again testing the waters with a new opportunity for customers, aiming to boost the quality and efficiency of its online delivery services. While its efforts to provide better service for shoppers aren't surprising, its latest project might be: Walmart is opening stores that customers can't actually go into. This isn't as strange as it sounds. The largest retailer in the United States — which currently operates 4,800 stores nationwide — is opening brick-and-mortar locations that will only be used to fulfill online orders and not be accessible to its shoppers. Referred to as 'dark stores,' the first of these new establishments is already operating in Dallas, Texas, and another is planned to open in Bentonville, Arkansas. According to USA Today, you won't find signage outside these Walmart locations, because they're not intended to attract customers. However, the interior of the dark stores will resemble the major retailer's usual outlets, and these locations will carry some of Walmart's most popular products that customers know and love. The dark stores are designed to serve as fulfillment centers and expedite online deliveries. During an earnings call this May, Walmart's chief executive officer Douglas McMillon said, 'Delivery speed continues to help drive our business. We'll soon reach 95% of the population in the U.S. with delivery options of three hours or less.' McMillon also emphasized that, 'For Walmart U.S, the number of deliveries in less than three hours grew by 91% for Q1 versus a year ago.' This isn't Walmart's only recent effort targeted towards reducing delivery times. Earlier this month, the supermarket chain expanded drone delivery to deliver groceries from 100 additional locations, making it the first retailer to offer drone-based grocery delivery across five states. 'We regularly test new tools, features, and capabilities to better connect with and serve our customers — wherever and however they choose to shop,' Walmart explains in a statement provided to Food & Wine. 'Regardless of the channel, our goal remains the same: to deliver a fast, seamless, and engaging customer experience.' Related: Walmart Is Opening a Fan-Favorite Hot Dog Chain in Several of Its Stores In the brand's corporate release announcing expanded drone delivery service earlier this month, senior vice president of Walmart U.S. transformation and innovation Greg Cathey emphasized the company's commitment to 'pushing the boundaries of convenience to better serve our customers, making shopping faster and easier than ever before.' The dark stores aim to further this same goal and will help Walmart compete with retail giants like Amazon that can deliver orders with incredible speed. Read the original article on Food & Wine Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Walmart Explains Why It's Opening Unusual New Stores
Walmart is one of the biggest retailers in the world. The company has more than 10,750 stores in 19 countries, not to mention its popular e-commerce websites. However, the massive chain is testing out a unique and new store concept. Now the company has given a statement explaining why it is trying out "dark stores." Walmart revealed that it's all part of an effort to "regularly test new tools." "We regularly test new tools, features, and capabilities to better connect with and serve our customers—wherever and however they choose to shop," a Walmart spokesperson told 5 News Online. "Regardless of the channel, our goal remains the same: to deliver a fast, seamless, and engaging customer experience," Walmart told the television station. According to USA Today, it's called a "dark store." What is a Walmart "dark store"? The "dark stores" look like a typical Walmart inside, USA Today reported, but there's "no signage," and they're not open to the public. Instead, they're being tried out as a "better way to fulfill online orders," USA Today reported. The first dark store is in Dallas, according to USA Today, which cited a "person knowledgeable about the situation" for the information. The store "has many of the most popular products ordered online by customers," according to USA Today. One of the dark stores in coming to Bentonville, AK, according to 5 News Online. The company's headquarters are located in Bentonville. Walmart 's goal is to speed up delivery, the site reported, adding that other locations may be added eventually. Walmart is also expanding its "drone delivery services," according to 5 News Online. According to News Nation, people will pay more for faster deliver, and Walmart is trying to compete with companies like Amazon. Furthermore, dark stores can help a company reduce inventory, News Nation Explains Why It's Opening Unusual New Stores first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 28, 2025
Bloomberg
24-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Walmart Tests Opening ‘Dark Stores' to Speed Up Online Delivery
Walmart Inc. is testing dark stores, which resemble retail stores but are closed to the public, as a way to speed up deliveries. The company has opened one of these smaller warehouses in Dallas and plans to add another in Bentonville, Arkansas, where Walmart is based, according to people with knowledge of the matter who weren't authorized to speak publicly. Walmart is exploring adding more locations, the people said.
