Walmart’s Push for Faster Delivery Is Reshaping E-Commerce

Faster Delivery as a Growth Engine

At the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, Walmart’s Chief E-Commerce Officer David Guggina emphasized that delivery speed has become a defining factor in customer loyalty. He noted that Walmart can already deliver to 94% of U.S. households in under three hours and expects to expand that reach to 95% before the end of the year (Talk Business & Politics).

E-commerce accounts for about 20% of Walmart’s overall sales. In the most recent quarter, U.S. e-commerce revenue grew 26% year over year and is up 48% over two years. Walmart views faster fulfillment as a key driver for continued growth in groceries, electronics, apparel, and other categories.

How Walmart Delivers Speed at Scale

Walmart operates more than 4,700 stores across the United States, and many of them now serve as forward-deployed fulfillment centers. This store network connects to a broader system of import distribution centers, regional distribution hubs, perishable facilities, and e-commerce fulfillment centers.

Guggina explained that Walmart’s newest high-speed fulfillment centers are roughly twice as productive as older facilities, thanks to advanced automation and robotics. These sites, combined with in-store fulfillment, allow Walmart to shorten delivery times and expand same-day service across the country (Talk Business & Politics).

Earlier this year, Walmart introduced a 90-minutes-or-less option in many markets. Some customers have even received deliveries in under 30 minutes, including high-demand launches such as the Nintendo Switch 2. Walmart highlighted that many of these rapid deliveries came from first-time digital customers, suggesting the speed initiative is helping attract new shoppers.

The Impact on Shopper Behavior

Walmart reports that customers using fast delivery tend to spend more than other digital shoppers. Guggina said baskets tied to fast delivery are about 13% larger than average. Customers who use the service repeatedly can spend up to three times more than the typical online customer. Roughly one-third of Walmart’s scheduled deliveries now fall into the fast category, showing that rapid fulfillment has become mainstream within its e-commerce business.

Why It Matters

The move toward faster delivery reflects a broader shift in retail. Industry analysts note that growth in e-commerce is increasingly tied to fulfillment speed and reliability, not just price or assortment. Both Amazon and Walmart are competing aggressively in this space. Walmart’s advantage lies in its store footprint, which allows it to position inventory close to customers and deliver within hours rather than days.

Billions of dollars in supply chain investments have made this possible. Walmart has paired store fulfillment with a growing number of high-speed automated facilities, while also improving routing, inventory visibility, and delivery zone optimization.

Looking Ahead

Guggina has outlined a roadmap where delivery windows will continue to shrink. Three-day shipping is giving way to two-day, two-day is moving to next-day, and next-day is increasingly shifting to same-day. Many customers are also willing to pay extra for faster service, creating opportunities for Walmart to strengthen both revenue and loyalty.

As consumer expectations rise, Walmart’s ability to scale sub–three-hour delivery across nearly all U.S. households will be a key factor in its e-commerce strategy. With a mix of stores, fulfillment centers, automation, and data-driven logistics, Walmart is turning delivery speed into a lasting competitive advantage.

Winning With Walmart

Winning With Walmart is an independent platform for suppliers, sellers, solution providers, and industry experts.

Articles are developed by staff editors, contributing experts, and trusted partners.

Some are researched and drafted with the assistance of AI tools and are reviewed, fact-checked, and edited by Winning With Walmart editors before publication.

Editorial judgment, sourcing decisions, and final approval rest with the publication's human editors in every case.

We are committed to accuracy and fairness. If you believe this article contains an error, we welcome your feedback.