I admit that I am easily wowed, but I strongly encourage you to try the "Ship to Store" service the next time you need to buy something substantial (that is, something other than routine groceries, cat food or vitamins) at Walmart.
I needed a new electric toothbrush, ordered it online and opted for the "Ship to Store" option, selecting the Kennett store.
Three days later, when I was literally two minutes from Walmart, I received a text saying the toothbrush had arrived. I stopped in and first went to Customer Service; they directed me to the large (and, um, well-marked) orange column by the entrance to the grocery portion of the store.
As I walked up, the door over the computer screen opened, and the screen asked me to enter my order number (it was in the text). I did so. There was a whirring noise inside and, hey presto, the door slid open and like magic there was my package! I'd already paid, so I just walked out with it.
It was very cool.
Walmart is also offering another innovation, a mobile handheld scanner that you take around the store with you. As soon as you put an item in your grocery cart, you scan its barcode. When you've finished shopping, you go to checkout, the register automatically downloads the info from the scanner, and you pay and hand in your scanner. The obvious question is: Won't people put things in their cart without scanning them? I suppose they will, but I'm sure the Walmart folks have run the numbers and figure they will save enough on salaries to justify such "shrinkage."
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