One of the more pleasant aspects of life in the 21st century is the seemingly effortless availability of things at the touch of a button.
Whether it’s food delivery, groceries, medicine, flights, pet supplies, sports equipment or fashion – everything can now be accessed with just a few clicks of the mouse (or mobile phone).
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In fact, it’s a miracle that some of us even venture out to run a few errands anymore. Retail giants with robust online fulfillment capabilities, which were ramped up especially during and after the Covid pandemic, have made our lives so easy that making a grocery run or a trip to the mall is often no longer necessary.
One such retailer is Walmart (WMT) which rapidly expanded its online presence in the early 2020s as more and more of us preferred to stock up on essentials (and non-essentials to pass the time) without visiting a physical location.
Walmart’s strong presence across the country allowed the retailer to quickly increase online orders. With 90% of the U.S. population having at least one location within 10 miles, stores quickly became fulfillment sites, making last-mile delivery much easier—and cheaper—than starting from scratch with just one or two warehouses.
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Walmart’s physical presence is its strength
Many retailers struggling during the pandemic may have viewed their many brick-and-mortar stores as a burden, but that was Walmart’s strength.
Once the world reopened, more people looked for deals from brands they trusted. Walmart’s public campaign to lower prices to pre-inflation levels, especially on more expensive staples and school supplies, became increasingly attractive and led to some record sales.
In addition, after Covid, many people became more interested in healthy lifestyles and preventive care, so Walmart began introducing a range of health services for customers in its stores.
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The retail giant already operates 4,600 pharmacies in its stores, but is trying to expand intensive contact with potential patients by opening its Walmart Health centers.
At its peak, Walmart operated about 50 health centers with the following care options:
- First aid on the same day
- Primary care by appointment
- Dentistry
- Behavioral health
- Laboratories
- X-rays
- Public health
- Telemedicine
Walmart closes health centers and then reopens them
But as interest waned and operating costs rose, Walmart quickly shut down its healthcare division.
“We have concluded that there is no sustainable business model for us to continue,” Walmart said in a spring 2024 statement.
More Walmart:
At the end of April, the company announced that it would close all 51 health centers and the entire health department.
But that apparently only lasted a few months. Walmart has since changed its tone and announced that it will reopen its healthcare services – for a select group of customers.
Walmart announced that it would only reinstate healthcare for seniors through a partnership with CenterWell, the healthcare services unit of Humana.
The services will be available at 23 Walmart locations in Florida, Georgia, Missouri and Texas, in spaces previously dedicated to Walmart Health, and are expected to begin operations in the first half of 2025.
“These nearly two dozen primary care centers are designed specifically for seniors, and the design of each location, including dedicated entrances and convenient parking, provides patients with the access they expect from our clinics across the country,” said Sanjay Shetty, MD, president of CenterWell. “We are excited to continue expanding our mission of helping patients live happier, healthier lives.”
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