After floating a new approach to website design in February, the world’s largest discount chain is now ready to unveil a totally revamped Walmart.com.
Set to begin rolling out in early May, the website takes a more holistic and personalized approach to e-commerce, incorporating feedback from customers and vendors (both current and prospective).
Most immediately noticeable will be the colorful facelift, which utilizes lifestyle photography, an expanded color palette and additional typeface styles. Based on preview imagery (see photo, above, and before and after gif, below) the open layout is in stark contrast to archrival Amazon’s more cluttered, product-packed design approach.
But borrowing a (home)page from the Amazon playbook, the site will also feature a host of personalized elements, including current shipment status, recently purchased items, nearest Walmart store and available services, and top-selling products within a customer’s vicinity.
Also, building on the February preview that highlighted a dedicated home décor section, Walmart plans to add inspirational “destination” pages to showcase select, curated categories. Next up: fashion, which will include seasonal stories, “bold imagery” and a Lord & Taylor store.
“We want each category to feel like you are shopping a specialty store,” said Walmart digital savior Marc Lore, who heads domestic e-commerce as president/CEO, and more are planned for later this year.
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Lore said the new site is intended to make shopping faster and easier for busy families while providing “a cleaner and more modern digital shopping experience.”
He added: “It is a dramatic step change for us,” and promised more changes to come.
