Walmart turns employees into delivery drivers to compete with Amazon

© Benjamin Sibuet

Walmart is coming up with some new ideas to beat arch-rival Amazon. Or, rather, perhaps, its new head of e-commerce and founder of jet.com, Marc Lore, is. The plan is to turn its 1.5m strong workforce into delivery drivers. If they choose, they can opt to get paid for delivering goods on their way home. Of course, staff will need to be vetted for background and vehicle checks, and on approval will be given an app to determine deliveries. The idea has been tested at three stores in New Jersey and Arkansas, where it was found most deliveries were made the day after ordering – improving on Walmart’s two-day delivery promise, and cutting out significant amounts of costs. It does make you wonder, however, what some unions might think of this.