Walmart's Q3 efforts point to strong holiday season (WMT)

pulse

November 17, 2017 4:23 PM

Heading into the holiday season, honing its automation capabilities and improving its fulfillment network appear to be in focus for Walmart, as it looks to keep up with chief rival Amazon.

This story was delivered to BI Intelligence "" subscribers. To learn more and subscribe, please .

Walmartposted impressive e-commerce growth in Q3 2017, with digital sales advancing 50% year-over-year (YoY). While this marks a slowdown from the company's last quarter, which saw 60% YoY e-commerce growth, it nonetheless helped lift total revenue 4% YoY to $123 billion.

Comparable sales for Walmart US were up nearly 3% YoY, while Walmart International posted a 4% YoY gain in net sales to $29.5 billion.

The retailer highlighted some of its innovations in automation and delivery as part of its growth strategy.

acquired

Focusing on its supply chain and delivery capabilities ahead of the holidays is a smart move, as Walmart will be neck-and-neck with Amazon for customers. Price is overwhelmingly the top priority among consumers this season, which is helping keep Walmart.com — which is known for its low prices — at the top of consumers’ minds. However, Walmart can ensure its physical stores remain an asset by having shelves fully stocked, freeing associates to help holiday shoppers find gifts.

Additionally, offering same- and next-day shipping in major metropolitan areas can help Walmart contend with Amazon’s rapid delivery speeds, making its online offerings more comparable, and possibly drawing customers away from the e-commerce giant.

To receive stories like this one directly to your inbox every morning, sign up for the E-Commerce Briefing newsletter. Click here to learn more about how you can gain risk-free access today.

pulse