Walmart Is Reportedly Starting a Membership Program

Walmart is developing a pay-to-save membership program called Walmart+, Recode reports. To stave off Amazon Prime comparisons, Walmart borrowed the name from Disney.

The details: Walmart+ is technically a rebrand of Walmart’s existing Unlimited Delivery service. That currently offers same-day grocery delivery from 1,600 Walmart stores for $98/year. But the price of membership could change before Walmart+’s launch, and more perks are on the way.

• Recode reports Walmart+ could also bring Jetblack’s harvested parts into play with a text-to-order service.
• Other potential perks include discounts on fuel and prescription drugs as well as Scan & Go checkout.

Walmart’s flirted with membership programs in the past, but Bloomberg notes those pilots clashed with founder Sam Walton’s belief that all customers should be treated equally. While Walmart fretted over optics, Amazon racked up over 100 million Prime members—Prime members who spend more on Amazon than regular customers.

Can Walmart make up for lost time? Amazon has a 15-year head start, and more than half of Walmart’s top-spending families are also Prime members, per Recode. For a fighting chance, Walmart will have to triple check that its perks and pricing are competitive with Prime.