Walmart confirms its working on its version of Amazon Prime, a new subscription plan called Walmart +

• Walmart is preparing to unfurl a subscription service called Walmart +, according to a report from Recode.
• The program will function as a rebrand of Walmart's extant Delivery Unlimited service.
• Recode's Jason Del Ray reported that, like Amazon Prime, the new service will reportedly offer its members specialized perks, including discounts on prescription drugs and gas.
• A Walmart spokesperson confirmed the name of the new service to Business Insider, but said they had no other details to share.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Walmart is launching a new subscription service called Walmart +, which will reportedly offer members plenty of benefits.

Recode's Jason Del Ray reported that Walmart + is the Arkansas-based retail giant's answer to the perk-laden Amazon Prime. According to Del Ray, Walmart + is effectively a rebranding of the company's Delivery Unlimited program, and will "include perks that Amazon can't replicate." Those may include things like discounts on prescription drugs and gas purchased through Walmart locations. Walmart + members will also reportedly be able to purchase items without going through checkout via Scan & Go technology.

Walmart confirmed the creation of a new membership program called Walmart + in a statement to Business Insider. A spokesperson for the retailer said they couldn't confirm any other details about the new venture at this time.

The new Walmart + program appears somewhat similar to the retailer's current Delivery Unlimited service. Delivery Unlimited customers receive unlimited same-day grocery delivery services, in exchange for $98 a year. The program is currently available through around 1,600 Walmart locations throughout the US.

According to Recode's report, Walmart + brings a new feature to the table that allows members to place orders via text. Walmart did not confirm this reporting. The retailer recently shuttered its exclusive concierge shopping startup Jet Black. Earlier in February, a Walmart spokesperson told Business Insider that the company is looking to utilize Jet Black's innovations going forward, like its text-based ordering technology.

"We've learned a lot over the past two years, including how customers respond to the ability of ordering by text as well as the type of items they purchase through texting," the spokesperson said.

This new service appears to be in the works at a time where Walmart has touted its commitment to omnichannel and e-commerce ventures. In its recent investment community meeting, Walmart e-commerce CEO Marc Lore spoke to analysts about the company's digital ventures, including pickup, same-day delivery, and even in-home delivery programs. It's also recently expanded efforts to bring third-party sellers onto its website, similar to what Amazon has done with Amazon Marketplace.

Lore said that options like in-home delivery represent Walmart's latest "opportunity to hook customers on the convenience" of e-commerce services, including same-day delivery and pickup. He said Walmart is "playing offense" through its experimentation and focus on e-commerce fulfillment, setting the company up "to become the primary destination for all weekly shopping."

Regardless, while the details of Walmart + may still be up in the air, the new service demonstrates the retailer's interest in continuing to beef up its e-commerce offerings.

Hayley Peterson contributed reporting.