Walmart Shopping in Southern Idaho Just Got Easier

Do you want it overnight?  Your wish may be granted.  Walmart is building a new fulfillment center just 3 hours from Twin Falls.  The Salt Lake City location will be stuffed with various items you may not always find immediately on the shelf of the local store.  Walmart is stepping up its game to challenge Amazon, which has a fulfillment center in the Treasure Valley.

Online Shopping is the Future

I first ordered an item online from Walmart about a dozen years ago.  It was a digital video camera for my daughter.  It arrived at the local store ahead of schedule, where I picked it up driving home from work.

A couple of weeks ago I was in the Twin Falls Walmart and talking with a couple of cashiers.  They explained that some items are already on local shelves when the online order comes in.  This can quickly be saved for the customer.  Many other items are shipped from far away but the closer a fulfillment center, the closer the time before the product is in your hands.

Walmart Isn't Alone in Making Changes

I cited some of the reasons stores are moving in this direction in a story I wrote this week about Albertsons.

Let me reiterate, your local bricks and mortar stores may be crowded today.  They also require high overhead maintenance costs.  As stores migrate more and more toward online shopping and shipping, the companies could leave behind some of those overhead costs.  Increasing the bottom line (pleasing shareholders) and in some cases passing on savings to customers.

Let me say as well that the changes will smooth over some of the supply chain issues we’ve witnessed for almost two years.