Walmart Canada will invest $175 million to renovate and refurbish 23 stores across Canada, as the retailer seeks to improve the integration between its e-commerce business and its physical stores.
Walmart says that the upgrade programme will allow the company to provide a comprehensive omnichannel experience to consumers, featuring a “seamless intersection of the in-store and online shopping experience.”
This upgrade programme will see the retailer create dedicated parking spaces for online grocery pickup and new areas in stores devoted to online orders, to help facilitate the interaction between Walmart Canada’s e-commerce and bricks-and-mortar operations.
The retailer will also expand its product offering to include more ethnic and organic products in order to “further integrate stores into the community”, and will update branding in stores to provide a fresh appearance.
Lee Tappenden, president and CEO of Walmart Canada said: “This investment in our stores is part of our commitment to provide our customers with an improved in-store shopping experience.
“We are modernizing our stores, ensuring a seamless omnichannel shopping experience and meeting evolving customer needs.
“Walmart Canada is committed to helping Canadians shop when they want, how they want and where they want.
“As we move into 2019, we’ll continue to invest in more store remodels, including new and creative concepts in key urban stores.”
This investment is the latest move by the retailer to improve its e-commerce offering in the face of growing competition from online retailers such as Amazon.
Last month, Walmart acquired the Cornershop grocery delivery service for $225 million, expanding its delivery service in Latin America.
Walmart also partnered with Japanese online retailer Rakuten earlier this year, as the retail giant expressed its desire to launch a new grocery delivery service in the US as it aimed to gain a firmer foothold in an area that has been dominated by Amazon.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024