When was the last time you shopped at Walmart? As you probably know, they spend a lot of time and effort putting the store together to make it as convenient as possible for their shoppers. This has always been the case, but these days, they are taking things even a step further to help make it a convenience to shop during the pandemic. As it turns out, they are turning to airport terminals for inspiration and now they plan on revamping all of their stores to make shopping easier and more effective for those who are armed with a smartphone.
The changes that are coming to Walmart will get started early next year in about 200 stores. In early 2022, another 800 stores are likely to be added to the list of those receiving an update. As it turns out, this isn’t a new idea but Walmart has been working on it for over a year. They were planning on doing something about it but the pandemic has changed the way that customers are shopping and they want to do their part to make contactless shopping a reality.
According to Janey Whiteside, executive vice president and chief customer officer at Walmart’s U.S. division, “We were inspired by airport wayfinding systems as best-in-class examples of how to navigate large groups of people.”
There are many changes that will take place, including both with the exterior and interior signage. A store directory will greet customers as they come through the door and aisles will be much easier to navigate, even from your phone. Dedicated sections will also be available in the store for various products. Of course, if you don’t have a smartphone, you will still appreciate the larger signs that will be made available. It looks like shopping is getting an upgrade.