Catherwood LibraryILR School

Walmart is turning four of its stores into laboratories. The laboratories will test ways to turn the retailer’s huge physical footprint into a more powerful edge for e-commerce. Walmart, like other retailers, has seen more of its sales shift online during the coronavirus pandemic. Walmart’s e-commerce sales nearly doubled in the second quarter ended July 31. Yet even before the global health crisis, the company was shifting its focus toward using its numerous stores as an advantage over Amazon and other competitors. To implement this effort, employees will use digital tools, store design features, and different strategies to speed up restocking shelves and fulfilling online orders. Additionally, employees will test an app that uses artificial intelligence to scan multiple boxes in the back room rather than one at a time as they move them to the store floor. They will use new store signage and handheld devices to cut down the time it takes to pick an online order. Furthermore, product and technology teams will be based at the stores to accelerate the pace of prototyping.