Walmart Eliminates $35 Order Minimum - Free Shipping for All!

Walmart+, the retailer's more affordable option compared to Amazon Prime, providing quick delivery for groceries and various products, is enhancing its appeal with a new benefit introduced today. The company announced that, beginning Friday, December 4, it will eliminate the $35 order minimum for shipments from Walmart.com for its subscribers. It’s important to note that this change does not affect same-day deliveries of groceries or other items fulfilled directly by Walmart stores, but applies to online purchases made through Walmart’s standard e-commerce platform.

This means that customers will no longer be required to meet a minimum spending threshold to receive next-day and two-day shipping on items dispatched from Walmart.com, regardless of the order’s total value. This adjustment, arriving shortly after the launch of Walmart+, positions the program as a more direct competitor to Amazon Prime, whose primary advantage has always been its complimentary, expedited shipping service that encourages online shopping without order size restrictions.

Previously, the main advantage of Walmart+ was its same-day delivery service, particularly for grocery orders—a service comparable to Instacart or Amazon Fresh. This service continues to offer fee-free same-day grocery delivery on orders of $35 or more.

The Walmart+ program evolved from Walmart’s Delivery Unlimited, a previous iteration of the service that also involved Walmart store employees assembling orders for delivery through partner companies. These partners have included Postmates (which has since been acquired by Uber), DoorDash, Roadie, and Point Pickup, among others. Recently, Walmart acquired last-mile delivery company JoyRun to manage more of its delivery operations internally. 

A key advantage for Walmart’s same-day service, unlike some other grocery delivery options, is its ability to fulfill orders for a wider range of everyday items available in its stores, not limited to just food and household supplies. When Walmart+ was introduced in mid-September, it promised same-day delivery for over 160,000 different products.

The program also incorporates a few additional benefits, such as discounts on fuel at approximately 2,000 Walmart, Murphy USA, and Murphy Express locations, and access to Scan & Go for a faster checkout experience while shopping in stores.

Walmart also announced today that it is extending the fuel savings benefit to include over 500 Sam’s Club gas stations.

While Amazon Prime has broadened its offerings over time to encompass a variety of perks, including complimentary music and video streaming, e-books, audiobooks, and gaming benefits, Walmart+ remains centered on its core features—shipping advantages and cost reductions. Priced at $98 annually (or $12.95 per month), it is less expensive than Prime’s $119 yearly fee, potentially attracting customers who are primarily interested in free delivery.

Walmart, like many major retailers, has experienced growth due to the increased adoption of e-commerce spurred by the pandemic. In its third-quarter earnings report, the company announced a 79% increase in U.S. e-commerce sales, with earnings of $1.34 per share on revenue that rose 5.2% year-over-year to $134.7 billion.

To date, Walmart has not disclosed the number of subscribers to Walmart+, which has been a point of concern for investors. (However, one independent estimate suggests a membership base of 19 million). The retailer notes that the program is available at over 4,700 stores, including 2,800 locations offering delivery—reaching 70% of the U.S. population.