Walmart to Ramp Up In-Home Delivery in 2022

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — As the new year rings in, Walmart's resolution is to bring the convenience of its InHome delivery service to more customers.

The retailer plans to scale the service from 6 million households to 30 million households by the end of the year. To support the expansion, Walmart plans to hire more than 3,000 associate delivery drivers as well as build out a fleet of 100 percent all-electric delivery vans.

"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 Tom Ward, senior vice president, last mile at Walmart U.S. "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."

Launched in 2019, Walmart's InHome delivery service utilizes highly-trained associates to deliver fresh groceries, everyday essentials and more directly into customers' homes, including placing items straight into their kitchen or garage refrigerator, as well as picking up Walmart.com returns.

Here's how it works:

• Order: Once signed up for InHome, customers place their orders on the Walmart App and select InHome as their preferred delivery option.
• Deliver: A highly-trained InHome associate completes the delivery. Upon arriving at the customer's home, the associate uses a one-time access code to unlock the customer's door or garage through their InHome app, which pairs with smart entry technology. The app notifies the customer at every step and a camera, worn on the associate's vest, records the entire delivery, which customers have access to from their phones for up to a week after each delivery.
• Enjoy: Associates take the appropriate safety measures, including wearing a mask, sanitizing surfaces and locking up, leaving the perfect finishing touches, according to Walmart.

Walmart's InHome Delivery service is $19.95 per month or $148 per year, with no additional fees, including tips, which are built into the membership price. Customers can extend one-time access to their InHome associate using an existing smart lock, a garage keypad, or by purchasing a new smart lock from InHome for $49.95.

To support the rapidly growing service, Walmart plans to hire more than 3,000 InHome associate delivery drivers. InHome drivers are employed by Walmart and receive an extra $1.50/hour from most current store roles, a pay differential designed to attract top talent, according to the retailer. InHome drivers receive in-depth training conducted both in-person and using virtual reality, further enabling them to build their skillset around using innovative tools and technology to manage the delivery process.

"This new role is yet another example of how technology is enabling us to offer new career opportunities that just didn't exist a few years ago," said Julie Murphy, executive vice president and chief people officer, Walmart U.S. "Expanding our number of InHome associates is a testament to the trust and confidence we have in them and their continuous commitment to delight our customers. There's a path for everyone to build a career here at Walmart, and this position is further proof of that."

Walmart will equip InHome associates with a fleet of 100 percent all-electric delivery vans. The implementation of electric vehicles (EV) support the retailer's goal of operating a zero-emissions logistics fleet by 2040 and is also supported by Walmart's growing infrastructure of 1,396 EV charging stations at stores and clubs across 41 states.

InHome delivery is the newest delivery option to be scaled to Walmart customers and is an important part of the retailer's last-mile delivery strategy, which includes creating a low-cost last-mile delivery network focused on density, speed and sustainability. Walmart also offers delivery and Express delivery on 160,000-plus items from more than 3,400 Walmart stores, reaching 70 percent of the U.S. population.

Additionally, the retailer leads the industry in the trialing of sustainable and innovative delivery solutions, including drones and self-driving cars. More recently, Walmart began commercializing its nationwide delivery capabilities through Walmart GoLocal, a white-label delivery as a service business focused on providing third-party retailers and brands an affordable local delivery solution.

Bentonville-based Walmart operate approximately 10,500 stores and clubs under 48 banners in 24 countries and e-commerce websites. The company’s fiscal 2021 revenue totaled $559 billion.