Walmart Is Going to the Dogs: Expanded Pet Care Is Its Latest Move
This year has been a transfomational one for Walmart. They launched omnichannel business services that will include not only goods, but services such as pet insurance, dog walking, and pet sitting, via partnerships with PetPlan and Rover, and its online pharmacy.
The launch is just the latest in a string of moves that Walmart has made this year to become a one-stop shop for consumers. Last month, saw the expansion of Walmart’s health-care services, and it’s been pushing even harder into its growing U.S. food business, from partnering with plant-based protein giant Beyond Meat (BYND) to launching Walmart+, a subscription like service like Amazon.com’s (AMZN) Amazon Prime focused on groceries.
That fits well with consumer behavior during the Covid-19 pandemic, as shoppers have looked to consolidate trips to stores—making Target (TGT) the second-most popular destination for apparel during this year’s back-to-school shopping season. With a vaccine still months away, customers have been favoring big essential retailers not only for things they need, but things they want.