Walmart is still a retail behemoth that won’t be going away anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean the company hasn’t been feeling the heat from e-commerce companies like Amazon. In fact, I would go so far as to say that Amazon is currently Walmart’s biggest rival. That’s why the company is trying to beat Amazon at its own game by offering fast shipping at a price that’s even cheaper than Amazon Prime.
Going into a Walmart store is like stepping into a vortex of loneliness and despair. But, according to the Associated Press, you may never have to set foot in one of the company’s retail stores ever again. Walmart says it’s toying with the idea of offering a service similar to Amazon Prime, giving customers the opportunity to get speedier shipping without the extra cost. The service is expected to undercut Prime’s $99 membership fee, coming in somewhere around the $50 range, the report says. That fee, however, only includes shipping, which should take no longer than three days. That’s just a portion of Amazon’s Prime service; the online retailer also offers music streaming and a huge library of free movies, which means Walmart’s offer is—at least right now—seemingly focused on expanding its online presence. Because why subject yourself to the desperation of a Walmart store when you can get all your shopping done online?