Walmart couriers deliver groceries directly to smart refrigerators

The retail giant will try out grocery delivery directly on a "smart" refrigerator installed near customers' homes.

The coronavirus pandemic has led to a surge in demand for contactless delivery methods for various goods, especially food. Naturally, sales companies are now actively searching for the most convenient and safe ways. As a result, more and more original solutions are being created.

Walmart has long been engaged in delivering food to customers' doors. Couriers will foot packages in a special refrigerator in front of the customer's house. The device, developed by the startup HomeValet, mostly resembles an ordinary chest and has some "smart" functions and automatically adjusts the temperature. The refrigerator has three compartments for different types of food, requiring different storage temperatures.



The idea is simple - the courier brings the ordered goods, puts them in the refrigerator, and leaves without contact with the customers. Moreover, the latter may not even be at home at all. In this case, you should not fear for the remaining products' safety, even if the streets are hot. As Tom Ward, Walmart US senior vice president of customer products, stated: "Customers don't have to plan their day and wait when groceries are delivered. It gives Walmart the ability to deliver "24 hours a day, seven days a week."

He added, however, that the company is not yet considering 24-hour delivery. Walmart intends to limit its testing of the new type of delivery to assess its prospects for the time being. The pilot project will launch in the spring of 2021 in Walmart's hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas.

Photo credit: depostiphotos.com.

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