Walmart voice-shopping is about to hit the consumer market. Walmart and Google are to team up to enter the voice-shopping market currently dominated by Amazon. This facility will use the voice-activated Google Assist system to purchase goods on mobile and home devices. Amazon currently uses its Alexa AI virtual assistant to dominate this type of shopping market. Walmart Google Assist will present a significant challenge to Amazon’s dominance.
Utilizing this technology, Walmart will be able to offer services to US customers currently not available from Amazon. Walmart customers will be able to get a discount by collecting their order in-store. In many cases (see below) they will also be able to get home delivery of groceries. According to Marc Lore, the company’s e-commerce chief, the use of voice-shopping will be offered in its 4,700 stores nationwide.
From September, Walmart voice-shopping will enable customers to order fresh groceries right across the country. Regarding home delivery, Walmart has been carrying out tests on employees delivering food orders on their way home. In June 2016, the firm teamed up with Uber to provide a delivery service to customers in Phoenix. This service is being expanded to six states across the US. No doubt nationally if this is a success.
Retailers have a way to fight back against Amazon with its Google Express service. Google Express is an online shopping service that connects shoppers with stores. Among these stores are Walmart, Safeway and Costco. AI based voice-shopping is something different and ideally suited to Google Assist.
Once it gets going, Walmart will be offering a wider range of items than any other retailer using Google Assist. It will be easy for consumers to join up – simply link your Walmart account to Google Express and start ordering.
The Walmart voice-shopping service may have been prompted by Amazon’s $13.7 billion bid for Whole Foods. Amazon has been offering some foodstuffs online for a while now. However, the game will change completely once it goes full throttle with Whole Foods.
Walmart is also competing with Amazon Prime on shipping. Walmart customers who buy online don’t only get discounts if they pick up their purchases in-store. They can also get free 2-day shipping if their purchases amount to $35 or more. Amazon has had to lower its limit for free shipping in order to compete.
The Walmart voice-shopping innovation has thrown the gauntlet down to Amazon. It will be interesting to see how Amazon responds to this initiative by Walmart and Google: Perhaps it cannot respond in any meaningful way other by means of a price war! Perhaps voice-shopping using Artificially Intelligence such as Alexa and Assist is the future of online grocery shopping.
Walmart voice-shopping using Google Assist may conceivably turn mall food stores into things of the past. People will sit at home, place their orders and continue surfing until they get their delivery.
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