Walmart folds its InHome grocery delivery service into Walmart+ as an optional add-on – TechCrunch

Walmart announced today that its InHome grocery delivery service is now available as an optional add-on within its Walmart+ membership, the retailer’s low-cost alternative to Amazon Prime that offers free shipping with no minimums. The company notes that the two previously standalone memberships are being combined into one to offer a single streamlined experience for customers.

The company’s Walmart+ subscription costs $12.95 a month or $98 a year. Customers can now add InHome delivery to their subscription for an extra $7 a month or $40 per year. That’s $138 annually for both, which is $10 less than the previous annual pricing when Walmart+ and InHome were separate memberships, the company says.

First launched in fall 2019, Walmart’s InHome delivery service allows customers to place grocery orders online, then have their groceries delivered straight to their refrigerator by having a Walmart associate enter their home by way of a smart lock. The service is aimed toward customers who work outside the home during the day or who travel and want their groceries put away while they’re out. InHome addresses a major consumer complaint with online grocery delivery — that you have to be at home (or at least be heading home soon) in order to put your cold and frozen groceries away after your order is left at the doorstep.

Walmart is also launching InHome in several new markets today, including Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Dallas, Austin, San Jose and San Francisco. The company announced this expansion earlier this year when it launched in Northwest Arkansas, Atlanta, Phoenix and D.C.

As a part of the expansion, Walmart had announced plans to hire more than 3,000 delivery drivers over the course of the year. It also said it would build out a fleet of 100% all-electric delivery vans that will be used to make the deliveries, while simultaneously marketing the service in the neighborhoods being served. The company announced an EV partnership with BrightDrop on this effort earlier this year.

“We know how much InHome members love this service – they see the same familiar faces and build real relationships with our associates, who help them get through their busy weeks,” said Whitney Pegden, the Vice President and General Manager of InHome, in a statement. “InHome has one of the highest customer experience ratings in the business, and now we’ve made it even easier to access in even more locations as we grow to reach over 30 million households by the end of the year.”

The company says its ecommerce sales grew by 38% over the last two years, and that it plans to continue to invest in the delivery space to create a seamless and flexible experience for customers. Walmart is also ramping up delivery slot capacity by 35% this year to meet growing demand and continues to expand to new markets