Walmart is moving to make itself the retailer shoppers reach for when they need something now, not later, with a new Express Pickup service that could sharpen its challenge to Costco’s planned warehouse trip model and bolster its push into faster, higher-frequency purchases.
Walmart expands Express Pickup to 500 stores
The service, already available at 500 stores and set for nationwide expansion, lets customers order through the Walmart app and collect purchases curbside in as little as one hour. For Walmart+, the perk is bundled in at no extra charge, giving the paid membership another reason to stick. That matters because retail competition is increasingly being fought on convenience as much as price, and Walmart is using its store base and digital infrastructure to make immediacy a competitive advantage.
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The strategic logic is straightforward: Costco wins when shoppers are stocking up in bulk and planning ahead, while Walmart wants to capture the dinner-item miss, the batteries, the household refill and the late errand. Those transactions are smaller, but they happen more often and can deepen customer loyalty. In a period when consumer spending remains cautious and shoppers are increasingly selective, being the easiest option can matter as much as being the cheapest.
For Walmart, the move also strengthens the economics of its omnichannel model. Curbside pickup can drive more app engagement, increase repeat visits and support the company’s broader effort to migrate more everyday shopping into its ecosystem. It may also help Walmart defend share against Amazon, Target and grocers that have invested heavily in same-day fulfillment and digital ordering. The company’s regular stores already draw traffic from Costco on price and assortment; now it is trying to add speed to that equation.
Investors will likely view the rollout as another sign that Walmart is using membership, logistics and convenience together rather than separately. Walmart shares have outperformed much of retail this year, supported by confidence in its grocery mix and traffic gains, though its recent technical readings suggest the stock is stretched in the short term. Costco, meanwhile, remains a formidable competitor because its renewal-driven membership model and treasure-hunt warehouse format still resonate with higher-income shoppers willing to plan their purchases.
The bigger question is whether convenience can create enough incremental volume to justify the operational complexity. If Walmart can scale Express Pickup without eroding margins, it could reinforce traffic and basket growth at a time when consumers are under pressure and holiday demand is approaching. If execution slips, the perk risks becoming just another feature in a crowded retail arms race. For now, the message is clear: Walmart is not only trying to match Costco on value, but to beat it on speed.
| Entity | Gains | Losses |
|---|---|---|
| Walmart | ▲More app traffic and repeat purchases | ▼Higher fulfillment complexity |
| Walmart+ members | ▲Free added convenience | ▼— |
| Costco | ▲Bulk-trip loyalty model defended | ▼Some impulse and urgent buys |
| Competitors | ▲— | ▼More pressure on convenience and speed |
