As e-commerce continues to evolve, so does the battle between retail giants Amazon and Walmart to offer the quickest, most convenient shipping and delivery of your goods. Being able to shop online and have items delivered to your doorstep was a huge game changer to begin with, then Amazon took it a step further with free 2-day delivery for Prime members. But that wasn't quick enough, so next-day or even same-day delivery became the new standard. Walmart followed suit and matched Amazon's speedy shipping options (and unlike Amazon you don't have to pay for a membership to get access) and they also let you place an order online and have someone bring it out to your car when you pull up in the parking lot. Not going to be home and worried about porch pirates? No problem, have your package delivered to an Amazon locker and pick it up at your convenience. Even more convenient, they'll leave your packages in the trunk of your car or in your garage. They'll even deliver sunblock to you when you're rockin' out at Coachella!
And now there's Walmart's latest "one-up ya": InHome Delivery. They'll deliver your groceries, not just to your doorstep, but directly to your refrigerator. Simply place a grocery order online and select a delivery date - Walmart handles the rest. When delivering the order, associates can access a customer's home via smart entry technology. They will be equipped with a proprietary, wearable camera that allows customers to control access to their home and to view the deliveries remotely. Details of their technology have not been disclosed.
According to Walmart, associates will complete an extensive training program that not only teaches them the proper care and respect for customers' homes, but also how to select the freshest groceries and organize the refrigerator efficiently. So you won't just have a delivery left in your kitchen, you'll come home to a neatly organized fridge - sweet! Need to return any items? Just leave them on the counter and the InHome Delivery associate will return them for you.
The service will roll out this Fall to over 1 million customers in three cities: Kansas City, Missouri; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Vero Beach, Florida.
Giving away your spare keys
Would you grant a Walmart associate access to your home? Have you ever used a delivery option like this before, such as Amazon Key? Do you think convenience is becoming more important to consumers than privacy? Share your thoughts! Email us: inquiries@ripcordbrands.com or give us a call: (303) 536-5505.