Walmart Launches One-Hour Curbside Pickup Across 500 Stores

Walmart has launched a new feature within its app that allows customers to reserve items and pick them up curbside "in as little as one hour." The feature is currently active in 500 stores, with plans to expand nationwide in the coming weeks.

The service is offered free of charge to Walmart+ subscribers, leveraging a network of 4,600 stores in the United States, giving the company the ability to cover wide areas with a fast pickup model without relying on home delivery.

The launch comes ahead of the holiday season amid competition with Target and Amazon over order fulfillment speed. Walmart already offered express one-hour delivery and introduced 30-minute-or-less delivery across 33 markets last May.

The expansion of express pickup options reflects a shift in competitive standards among retailers, where price alone is no longer the decisive factor, but also the speed of acquiring the item. This shift also concerns the e-commerce and retail sector in the Arab region, as it raises consumer expectations regarding service quality and delivery times.

What Do These Terms Mean?

Curbside Pickup: A service where customers reserve items via the app and pick them up while remaining inside their vehicles in front of the store, without entering the branch.

Walmart+: A paid subscription program where Walmart offers perks such as free delivery and pickup for its members.

Holiday Season: The year-end period when consumption rises in U.S. markets, serving as an annual peak for retail sales.

Fulfillment Time: The actual duration between the moment an order is placed and when the item reaches the customer, measured from purchase to delivery.