Whilst this country is often divided on many issues, the supermarket giant, Walmart now appears to have plans to divide the country in a new way and enjoyers of home delivery stand to benefit greatly from it.
Now as we all know, in terms of geography, the United States of America is divided up into fifty states of varying shapes and sizes but what does this mean for delivery routes as a multi-billion dollar retail corporation. Walmart has now posed a bold yet innovative question: What if the nation was divided up in identical segments with no overlapping and not a single square foot left out? What shape would be capable of this? The answer: a hexagon and this sort of geomapping is about to revolutionize this retailer’s system of delivery.
Walmart is breaking through delivery boundaries
Believe it or not, this six sided polygon with its fascinating ability to seamlessly fit next to each other might just be the next big thing in delivery– but how does this fit into Walmart’s plan?
According to the company, by utilizing mapping of this nature for its delivery system, the supermarket giant should be able to offer its customers a much more optimized delivery service which would then give the company a much needed competitive edge during this time of economic uncertainty.
Usually, areas are divided by zip codes and delivery routes are planned using these as a point of reference. Instead of zip codes, Walmart now wants to make use of hexagons so as to allow for a better sense of uniformity in terms of delivery availability, particularly for those who live near each other but may have differing zip codes — ‘No Neighbor Left Behind’, the company calls it.
“A household that might have previously been just beyond the delivery boundary, now can enjoy the same convenient service as their neighbors across the street,” the company has stated.
Of all the shapes in the world, why hexagons?
When speaking of unparalleled levels of efficiency, a beehive is often used as an example and what shape is found repeatedly in a beehive? The hexagon. Whilst squares or unilateral triangles are also able to seamless fit next to each other with no overlap or gaps, the hexagon requires a smaller total of dimensions.
According to the retailer’s official statement, “Hexagons have a unique geometric form that fits together perfectly, covering an entire area without leaving gaps. Unlike square or circular grids, which can create inefficiencies and leave out small areas at the edges, this system ensures that every point within a delivery zone is included.”
Additionally, if the retailer works with smaller hexagons, the ordering and delivery process can be streamlined significantly, particularly in the case of orders with multiple items that can only be found at different locations. “Walmart delivery drivers can pick up products from both, ensuring customers receive everything they need in one seamless delivery,” the retailer additionally explained in its statement.
By using this geospatial technology, the supermarket giant will now be able to expand the total number of U.S. households it is able to offer same day delivery to. The company claims that through this hexagonal mapping system, it will now be able to reach 12 million more households. This means that Walmart’s same day delivery service can be enjoyed by a whopping 93% of households in the country.
As the market evolves, retailers are having to evolve with it in order to keep up and the case has been no different for Walmart, even as the top earner in the industry. From shuttering underperforming brick and mortar stores to putting the spotlight on its e-commerce platform, the retailer appears to be committed to restructuring itself to keep up with the times.
Last month, Walmart U.S. CEO, John Furner stated, “I am very, very grateful that we have 4,700, roughly, stores, since each one can also double as a delivery fulfillment center.”