Walmart is offering a new type of discount for online shoppers in an effort to close the gap with Amazon — and it could change the way you shop.
Read more: 9 things you should never buy at Walmart
Walmart’s new pickup discount: What you need to know
Starting April 19, Walmart will offer discounts on about 10,000 online-only items that customers purchase on Walmart.com and ship to any Walmart store for pickup.
The discount will be expanded to more than one million items by the end of June.
How much can you save by ordering online and picking up in the store? It varies by item, but Walmart provided a few examples in a company news release.
- Britax B-SAFE 35 Infant Car Seat, Slate Strie ‘ $148.05; will have an additional Pickup Discount of $7.40 ($140.65 new price)
- LEGO City Great Vehicles Ferry, 60119 ‘ $23.99; will have an additional Pickup Discount of $2.55 ($21.44 new price)
- Coleman 150 qt Heritage XP Marine Cooler ‘ $111.49; will have an additional Pickup Discount of $4.46 ($107.03 new price)
- VIZIO SmartCast M-Series 70″ Class 4K Ultra HDTV (M70-D3) ‘ $1,698; will have an additional Pickup Discount of $50 ($1,648 new price)
This offering sounds like a win-win. Walmart saves money by shipping products directly from fulfillment centers to stores and some of those savings are passed along to customers.
There’s also the possibility that this program could boost foot traffic at Walmart’s 4,700 locations.
Think of it this way: If a shopper has to drive to Walmart to pick up an online order, they’re probably more likely to buy more merchandise in the store, as well.
This could be a way for Walmart to differentiate itself from Amazon, which doesn’t have physical stores.
If you’re not interested in the discount, Walmart says you can still get free two-day shipping to your home on eligible orders of $35 or more — no membership required.
Read more: Amazon vs. Walmart: Which one really has the best prices?
