Minnesota Walmart Getting App Friendly Inside the Store

It's that time of technology....everyone and everything has an app of some sort.  It's used to get a ride somewhere, order food, book a reservation at a restaurant, get a boarding pass when you fly somewhere, check your finances and now shopping INSIDE  the store.  Not just when you order something from that same store.  Now Walmart wants their customers to use the app while shopping inside the store.  This will streamline shopping.

It's like browsing around the store is dead.  This new store design will have customers download the app on their smartphone, select whatever they are looking for, and follow the map of the store directly to their item.  Very efficient.  That is, as long as the app works like it's supposed to.  We all know how sometimes those things can have a glitch every so often.

This store re-design was in the works before the pandemic hit, but was pushed ahead because of the coronavirus.  It just seems like a better way to go to relieve some congestion and keep social distance protocols.

This redesign will be implemented into 200 stores around the US this year.  And 800 more stores by the end of 2021.

If you are someone that doesn't have a smartphone, so then, you wouldn't have the app, the signs in the store will be changing as well.  There will be signs that will show you exactly the direction you need to go to find the item(s) you are looking for.  The signs almost look like something you would find at a theme park like Disney World or something along those lines.

The redesign will also be outside so it's easier to see where the pick-up areas are. The Wal Mart in St. Cloud already has an area similar to this. And if you park in the wrong area, you will be paged to move your vehicle.  So, don't park there just thinking that you have a more convenient parking spot... you probably will be towed.  Fair warning.