Walmart Plans To Expand Digital And Ecommerce Capabilities

Walmart said it plans to increase its capital expenditure on digital projects and ecommerce from $700 million in fiscal year 2015 to $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2017. Part of the retailer’s efforts to offer shoppers enhanced customer experience through “seamless shopping,” the initiatives will include online order and store pickup, a faster fulfillment network, and building new data capabilities to improve the customer experience. According to the company, while an average store-only customer spends about $1,400 a year and online customers, $200, customers who shop through multiple channels spend $2,500 each year. In the United States, online sales are forecast to expand at a CAGR of 9.5 percent from 2013 to 2018.