Walmart testing deliveries “straight to the fridge”
US retailer Walmart has announced that it is teaming up with August Home and Deliv to test new delivery concepts, which including putting groceries in customers’ refrigerators. August Home is a developer of smart locks and smart home accessories; and Deliv is a crowd-sourced on-demand delivery company.
In a blog posted today (22 September), Sloan Eddleston, VP, Walmart eCommerce Strategy & Business Operations, explained that the test will involve Deliv drivers accessing the customers’ homes using a one-time passcode for their August Home smart locks.
“As the homeowner,” explained Eddleston, “I’m in control of the experience the entire time – the moment the Deliv driver rings my doorbell, I receive a smartphone notification that the delivery is occurring and, if I choose, I can watch the delivery take place in real-time.
“The Deliv associate will drop off my packages in my foyer and then carry my groceries to the kitchen, unload them in my fridge and leave.
“I’m watching the entire process from start to finish from my home security cameras through the August app. As I watch the Deliv associate exit my front door, I even receive confirmation that my door has automatically been locked.”
Eddleston said that the tests are being running in Silicon Valley with “a handful” of August Home customers, all of whom have opted-in to participate in testing this new concept.
He signed off his blogpost with a teaser: “We want to do more in the future by delivering groceries and other orders in whatever location works best for our customers – inside the house for some and in the fridge/freezer in the garage for others. The possibilities are endless, and we look forward to exploring how we can further serve our customers’ needs.”
