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Geospatial tech helping Walmart expand delivery coverage

The technology divides geographic areas into precise hexagonal grids instead of relying on traditional zip codes.

Photo: Walmart.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. Walmart is making a significant leap in its delivery capabilities, announcing that an additional 12 million U.S. households now have access to its same-day delivery service. According to a story published on the company’s corporate website, the expansion is driven by a new geospatial technology system that redefines how delivery zones are mapped and managed, enabling faster, more efficient service.

The technology divides geographic areas into precise hexagonal grids instead of relying on traditional zip codes. These hexagons function like “pixels in a digital image,” Walmart explained, each packed with real-time data such as store capacity, customer demand, and delivery availability. This approach allows Walmart to optimize its delivery coverage dynamically and better respond to customer needs.

Image: Walmart.

Previously, customers outside a defined delivery zone might have been excluded from service. The new grid model removes those gaps, expanding access to more households and improving delivery accuracy. It also reduces split shipments by enabling orders to be fulfilled by multiple nearby Walmart stores. If one store doesn’t have an item, another can fill in, ensuring that customers receive their whole order in one seamless delivery.

Built on open-source software and customized in-house, the geospatial platform integrates internal and external data sources. Walmart emphasized that all data is anonymized and managed per its privacy policies.

The move is part of Walmart’s broader strategy to blend technology with convenience. In addition to geospatial tools, the company is investing in AI and automation across its fulfillment network to keep pace with growing consumer expectations for speed, reliability, and availability.

“Convenience is a key driver of our growth,” the company said. “And technology is what enables us to meet customers where they are.”

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