Prior to Amazon official words on the Key, Sloan Eddleston, Walmart VP for eCommerce Strategy and Business Operations, had already envisioned that one day Walmart will be restocking your refrigerator even when you are not at home. The concept is the same as Amazon Key, which means, Walmart wants to let itself into your home. However, Sloan’s idea took a step further: he wants the delivery person to leave what you order inside you home AND pack the grocery into the fridge just like they would appear in the store’s display.
If you ever wish grocery would magically appeared in your fridge, well then, this is it. That’s, of course, until teleportation of physical objects are possible. Sloan calls it an in-fridge delivery and the service is called Deliv. Like I have said, the concept is exactly like Amazon’s, except that Walmart will not be offering its own hardware. Instead, it is teaming with premium smart locks and smart home accessories maker, August Home, to enable this integration.
Here’s how it work: order placed on Walmart website are delivered by Deliv driver who will retrieve the items and head on to your humble abode. In the event that no one’s home to answer to the delivery, the delivery person will get a one-time passcode, pre-authorized by you and gain access to your home. You will be notified, via your smartphone, of the delivery and if you so choose to, you can witness the entire process as the delivery transpire via the home security cameras. You will also get confirmation that the door has automatically lock itself.
So, do you really need such a service. Perhaps if you are too busy getting on with life’s other aspects and can’t find time to do grocery or any shopping at all. With Deliv, you’d be greeted with all that you need to whip up a party for the night without stepping into Walmart, or waiting all-day at home for delivery to arrive. Also, like Amazon, Walmart is already running a trial in Silicon Valley with a small group of August Home customers whom have opted-in to give this bold concept a try.
While a service like such is without doubt make certain aspects of life more convenient, there is also the question of security. So, whether or not it will catch on with consumers remain to be seen. You can learn more about this in-fridge delivery in the video below.
Images courtesy of Walmart.