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cageymaru
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- Joined
- Apr 10, 2003
- Messages
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Walmart has devised a new program that allows employees to deliver packages after their shift has ended. The employees are paid extra to carry packages that are deliverable on their normal route home. This means that the employees simply have to grab the packages from the backroom, load them into their car, and head to the address on the GPS app. Since there is a Walmart store within 10 miles of 90% of the nation's population, this means that many packages can be delivered the next day. Walmart employs over one million associates at their 4,700 locations; thus there is a lot of potential manpower available for the delivery program. Just like with Uber, the employees will use their own cars for the deliveries and this gets the packages to the customers faster than ever. Lastly, the program is completely voluntary so the employees can decide how heavy a package their are willing to deliver and which days they are available to deliver packages. Seems like a win-win for the customers, employees, and Walmart corporate.
I wonder how Amazon will respond to Walmart's new delivery program other than to open more physical locations. I used to work at a Walmart while I was in college, and many of the employees weren't exactly honest. Then again if the packages are already sealed, the impulse to steal will be lessened if you don't know if a PS4 or a box of diapers are in the package. What happens if a Walmart employee gets into an accident while obviously making home deliveries? Can Walmart be sued if the associate is in the wrong or are they considered independent contractors at that point? I hope they bring the program around here as I hate going to the store.
Wal-Mart is tapping into its 4,700 U.S. stores and more than a million retail employees as it seeks to redefine itself in an age of e-commerce dominated by Amazon, which offers delivery of some products in as little as an hour in some cities. Online spending will increase by 16 percent this year -- more than four times the pace of overall retail -- to reach $462 billion, according to EMarketer Inc.
About 90 percent of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of a Wal-Mart, and the company is using those locations as shipping hubs to compete with Amazon on the last mile of delivery -- the most expensive part of getting goods to customers. By using existing workers in their own cars, Wal-Mart could create a vast network with little upfront cost, similar to how Uber Technologies Inc. created a ride-hailing service without owning any cars.
I wonder how Amazon will respond to Walmart's new delivery program other than to open more physical locations. I used to work at a Walmart while I was in college, and many of the employees weren't exactly honest. Then again if the packages are already sealed, the impulse to steal will be lessened if you don't know if a PS4 or a box of diapers are in the package. What happens if a Walmart employee gets into an accident while obviously making home deliveries? Can Walmart be sued if the associate is in the wrong or are they considered independent contractors at that point? I hope they bring the program around here as I hate going to the store.
Wal-Mart is tapping into its 4,700 U.S. stores and more than a million retail employees as it seeks to redefine itself in an age of e-commerce dominated by Amazon, which offers delivery of some products in as little as an hour in some cities. Online spending will increase by 16 percent this year -- more than four times the pace of overall retail -- to reach $462 billion, according to EMarketer Inc.
About 90 percent of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of a Wal-Mart, and the company is using those locations as shipping hubs to compete with Amazon on the last mile of delivery -- the most expensive part of getting goods to customers. By using existing workers in their own cars, Wal-Mart could create a vast network with little upfront cost, similar to how Uber Technologies Inc. created a ride-hailing service without owning any cars.
