Walmart plans to expand its home delivery of pharmacy items and offer them alongside the other merchandise in its online store, spreading to virtually all U.S. states in the next few months, the retailer announced.
The new policy applies to same-day delivery of prescription medications and has already been rolled out to six states: Arkansas, Missouri, New York, Nevada, South Carolina and Wisconsin. By the end of January 2025, Walmart pharmacy delivery for new prescriptions and medication refills is set to be available in 49 states, covering more than 86% of households in the U.S.
Orders can be placed through the Walmart website or mobile app, excluding controlled substances, drugs that need refrigeration or items under Medicare Part B. A member’s insurance plan will be automatically applied for every purchase.
“Our extensive footprint across the nation combined with our deep expertise in pharmacy uniquely positions us to make a profound impact in the communities we serve,” Kevin Host, senior vice president of pharmacy at Walmart U.S., said in a statement. “This new offering allows us to continue serving customers while also giving more time back to our pharmacies for high-touch health services.”
More than half of Walmart customers surveyed by the company said they hoped the retail giant would allow prescriptions to be delivered simultaneously with other products.
Customers can schedule when they’d like the order to arrive. The company promises customers will eventually be able to select on-demand or express delivery, where customers could receive prescriptions in as few as 30 minutes.
Medications will be delivered in tamper-evident packaging, and the shipments will be HIPAA-compliant, Walmart said.
The policy is good news for Walmart investors expecting margin expansion, an analyst note from senior equity analyst Arun Sundaram at CFRA Research.
“Walmart recently announced same-day pharmacy delivery, which should not only lift pharmacy and e-commerce sales, but also drive Walmart+ subscriptions and digital advertising, both of which are high-margin revenue streams,” he wrote. “In our view, this powerful combination strengthens its position against Amazon, especially given Walmart’s competitive advantage in grocery and last-mile delivery.”