Walmart reimposed face mask requirements for employees in areas of the United States with high rates of Covid-19 transmission
Walmart reimposed face mask requirements for employees in areas of the United States with high rates of Covid-19 transmission

Retail giant Walmart is placing an even bigger bet on online groceries and delivering directly to customers’ homes.

The nation’s largest grocer by revenue announced Wednesday that it’s expanding its direct-to-fridge service. Walmart will reportedly expand the availability of its InHome service from 6 million to 30 million households. InHome service costs $19.95 per month.

Walmart will hire 3,000 additional drivers and build a fleet of all-electric delivery vans for them to support the expansion.

The company’s 3,700 stores will be used as fulfillment centers, according to Tom Ward, senior vice president for Last Mile at Walmart U.S.

“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,” Ward said in a company statement on Wednesday.

The service allows Walmart employees wearing cameras to enter a customer’s home to deliver groceries and other purchases or to pick up returns, even when the customer is not there.

Every delivery can be viewed live or as a recording on the Walmart app.

A mask-wearing Walmart employee, once deployed for a delivery, can use a smart lock at the front door from Walmart to enter the home.

Outfitted with protective coverings over their shoes, Walmart delivery associates carry the order inside the home in plastic bins, and place the items in the refrigerator or on the counter, as requested.

On their way out of the home, they sanitize or wipe down everything they’ve touched.

Walmart first launched InHome in 2019 as a pilot in Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Vero Beach, Florida.

The retailer since expanded it to include northwest Arkansas, Atlanta, Phoenix and Washington, D.C.

With Wednesday’s announcement, the InHome service will be expanded to cities such as Los Angeles and Chicago, among others.

The grocery delivery sector is estimated at $93 billion. Walmart faces competition from third-party delivery players Uber Eats, Instacart, and DoorDash.