The Robot Report

  • Home
  • News
  • Technologies
    • Batteries / Power Supplies
    • Cameras / Imaging / Vision
    • Controllers
    • End Effectors
    • Microprocessors / SoCs
    • Motion Control
    • Sensors
    • Soft Robotics
    • Software / Simulation
  • Development
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Human Robot Interaction / Haptics
    • Mobility / Navigation
    • Research
  • Robots
    • AGVs
    • AMRs
    • Consumer
    • Collaborative Robots
    • Drones
    • Exoskeletons
    • Industrial
    • Self-Driving Vehicles
    • Unmanned Maritime Systems
  • Markets
    • Agriculture
    • Healthcare
    • Logistics
    • Manufacturing
    • Mining
    • Security
  • Financial
    • Investments
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Earnings
  • Resources
    • Careers
    • COVID-19
    • Digital Issues
    • Publications
      • Collaborative Robotics Trends
      • Robotics Business Review
    • RBR50 Winners 2022
    • Search Robotics Database
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
  • Events
    • RoboBusiness
    • Robotics Summit & Expo
    • Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum
    • DeviceTalks
    • R&D 100
    • Robotics Weeks
  • Podcast
    • Episodes
    • Leave a voicemail

Walmart Alphabot Fulfilling Customers’ Online Grocery Orders

By Steve Crowe | August 3, 2018

Walmart Alphabot

Walmart Alphabot delivering groceries to Walmart employees. (Credit: Walmart/YouTube)

Walmart is piloting yet another robot in its quest to add automation to its operation to better compete with Amazon and other e-tailers. The Walmart Alphabot, which the world’s largest retailer developed in conjunction with Alert Innovation, will be installed in a 20,000-square foot extension connected to the Walmart in Salem, N.H.

The Walmart Alphabot, essentially, is an automated goods-to-person solution similar to what you’d see from OPEX, for example. The robot retrieves items ordered online from storage and brings them to Walmart employees. Walmart says Alphabot can pick up the “vast majority” of items, including dry and refrigerated goods and frozen items.

Walmart’s personal shoppers still need to handpick produce and other fresh items. The Walmart Alphabot will be up and running by the end of 2018, the company says. However, shoppers at the Salem store will be able to order groceries online for pick-up beginning October 1, 2018 to see how the Walmart Alphabot performs.

The Walmart Alphabot program follows Kroger’s partnership with UK-based online supermarket Ocado, which has robots that can pack a 50-item grocery order in a matter of minutes. And Boxed, a NJ-based online retailer, uses Opex’s Perfect Pick system.

Walmart announced earlier this year that it will expand its online grocery delivery service to more than 40 percent of U.S. households by the end of 2018. But that comes with an added cost, of course, so the Walmart Alphabot is looking to make it more efficient for the company to fulfill the online orders from customers who don’t want to pay for delivery.

“Our online grocery service is already a huge hit with customers, allowing them to quickly and conveniently order groceries online, select a pickup time and have those groceries delivered to their car in minutes,” Mark Ibbotson, Executive Vice President of Central Operations, Walmart U.S., writes in a blog. “Alphabot will work behind the scenes to make the process even easier by automatically bringing items from storage to associates who will consolidate the items in the order. For our pickup associates, that means less time walking the store aisles in search of products and more time ensuring customers are getting the absolute best in fresh produce, meats, etc.”

Thanks to Walmart Alphabot, the company says its employees will have more time to focus on service and selling, which are the “two things they often tell us are the most enjoyable part of the job, while the technology handles the more mundane, repeatable tasks.”

Waymo Walmart

A Waymo self-driving minivan pulling into the Walmart in Chandler, Ariz. (Credit: Walmart)

Walmart Alphabot Joins a Growing Club

Walmart Alphabot joins a growing list of robots that the company has been testing. In late August 2018, Walmart partnered with Waymo to offer select people rides to and from the Walmart in Chandler, Ariz. The 400 members of Waymo’s early riders program can take a self-driving car ride when they order roceries from Walmart. They even get their own special parking spaces.

The retailer has also been working with Bossa Nova, rolling out its inventory scanning robots to 50 Walmart locations. These robots, which Walmart said will be present in the Salem store, help identify out-of-stock items, incorrect pricing and missing labels.

Walmart has also teased delivery drones for inside and outside of its stores. And in late 2017 it purchased 15 Tesla semi-trucks that do feature some Autopilot features that help the trucks drive themselves.

The Walmart Alphabot is admittedly only a small pilot at this point, but Ibbotson says “we expect big things from it.” Although robots probably can’t prevent a retail apocalypse.

About The Author

Steve Crowe

Steve Crowe is Editorial Director, Robotics, WTWH Media, and co-chair of the Robotics Summit & Expo. He joined WTWH Media in January 2018 after spending four-plus years as Managing Editor of Robotics Trends Media. He can be reached at [email protected]

Tell Us What You Think! Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles Read More >

ABB demo
ABB robot 3D prints houseware in London storefront
urbx
Celestica to manufacture Urbx Logistics’ ASRS
Bossa Nova mobile app
Bossa Nova de-emphasizes robots in ‘retail AI’ rebrand
image of a fruit stand
Simbe receives patent for tracking fruit & vegetable freshness

2021 Robotics Handbook

The Robot Report Listing Database

Latest Robotics News

Robot Report Podcast

Anders Beck introduces the UR20; California bans autonomous tractors
See More >

Sponsored Content

  • Magnetic encoders support the stabilization control of a self-balancing two-wheeled robotic vehicle
  • How to best choose your AGV’s Wheel Drive provider
  • Meet Trey, the autonomous trailer (un)loading forklift
  • Kinova Robotics launches Link 6, the first Canadian industrial collaborative robot
  • Torque sensors help make human/robot collaborations safer for workers

RBR50 Innovation Awards

Leave us a voicemail

The Robot Report
  • Mobile Robot Guide
  • Collaborative Robotics Trends
  • Field Robotics Forum
  • Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum
  • RoboBusiness Event
  • Robotics Business Review
  • Robotics Summit & Expo
  • About The Robot Report
  • Subscribe
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2022 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search The Robot Report

  • Home
  • News
  • Technologies
    • Batteries / Power Supplies
    • Cameras / Imaging / Vision
    • Controllers
    • End Effectors
    • Microprocessors / SoCs
    • Motion Control
    • Sensors
    • Soft Robotics
    • Software / Simulation
  • Development
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Human Robot Interaction / Haptics
    • Mobility / Navigation
    • Research
  • Robots
    • AGVs
    • AMRs
    • Consumer
    • Collaborative Robots
    • Drones
    • Exoskeletons
    • Industrial
    • Self-Driving Vehicles
    • Unmanned Maritime Systems
  • Markets
    • Agriculture
    • Healthcare
    • Logistics
    • Manufacturing
    • Mining
    • Security
  • Financial
    • Investments
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Earnings
  • Resources
    • Careers
    • COVID-19
    • Digital Issues
    • Publications
      • Collaborative Robotics Trends
      • Robotics Business Review
    • RBR50 Winners 2022
    • Search Robotics Database
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
  • Events
    • RoboBusiness
    • Robotics Summit & Expo
    • Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum
    • DeviceTalks
    • R&D 100
    • Robotics Weeks
  • Podcast
    • Episodes
    • Leave a voicemail