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Walmart’s New Challenge to Amazon Prime Has Deep, Hidden Roots
- New subscription service is slated to launch later this month
- Walmart+ could attract 20 million new customers, analysts say
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The imminent introduction of Walmart Inc.’s new subscription program took investors by surprise this week, sending the retailer’s shares up the most in almost four months.
While details of the program, dubbed Walmart+, are still hazy, the service is rooted in three experiments the world’s biggest retailer has conducted in recent years to gauge the willingness of its shoppers to deepen their allegiance. The trials span the globe and include mobile checkout, unlimited grocery delivery and a social media-based mini-app in China.