Business Insider/Jessica Tyler
- Walmart and Target both dedicate a large section of their stores to selling groceries.
- Both stores have been adding features like same-day grocery delivery and free shipping on orders over $35.
- Walmart reported same-store sales were up 4.5% in the most recent quarter, and Target reported same-store sales were up 6.5% in the most recent quarter.
- We went grocery shopping at each of the stores and found that even though the online selections were comparable, there was a clear winner between the two.
Walmart and Target have a lot of overlap in what they sell, and one of the biggest departments they compete in is grocery.
The two stores have both been working on improving their e-commerce strategies, especially when it comes to grocery. Walmart offers free two-day shipping on orders over $35, free same-day store pickup on certain orders, and same-day delivery in New York City through Jet.com, which it acquired in 2016. Similarly, Target offers free two-day shipping on orders over $35 and in-store pickup, and it announced earlier this year that it plans to offer same-day delivery of groceries from half of its 1,800 stores using Shipt, a delivery startup it acquired in December.
In Walmart's earnings call in August, the
Likewise, in an earnings call at the end of August, Target reported same-store sales were up 6.5% in the second quarter. Target is working towards improving its physical outposts, and it plans on expanding its store fleet while many brick-and-mortar stores are closing.
Even though the stores are both performing well financially, we found one was preferable when it came to the grocery-shopping experience: