Retail giant Walmart grants 20,000 complimentary Walmart+ memberships as part of the Mother's Day promotional offer
In the bustling world of retail membership services, Walmart+ and Amazon Prime are two giants vying for consumer attention. As of 2022, Walmart+ had approximately 20 million members in the United States, according to industry reports, while Amazon Prime, with its significantly higher membership, boasted a U.S. consumer penetration rate of about 58 percent as of late 2024.
Walmart+ offers a range of benefits designed to save time for busy moms, including unlimited free shipping on eligible items, in-store mobile scan and go, access to the Paramount+ streaming service, and fuel discounts, among others. The service is growing, but specific numbers were not provided during the third-quarter earnings call.
Amazon Prime, on the other hand, remains the dominant player, with an estimated 168 million members in the U.S. as per CIRP estimates. This translates to a majority of U.S. consumers being subscribed to Amazon Prime, far outpacing Walmart+ membership penetration, which was around 25 percent of consumers within the food/grocery subscription category in 2024.
Last year, Walmart cut the price of an annual Walmart+ membership to roughly $49 for a three-day promotion ahead of the holiday season. The promotion was in partnership with the Pampers hospital gift bag program, offering new moms 20,000 Walmart+ memberships next month.
As for Mother's Day spending, it was expected to reach a record high of $31.7 billion in 2022, up $3.6 billion from the previous year. This surge in spending saw 27% of shoppers planning to give experience gifts like concert or sporting event tickets, up from 23% in 2021.
Greeting cards, flowers, and special outings remained the top gift categories for Mother's Day last year. Walmart, recognising the importance of this day, will be offering a reusable fabric bag, a sample pack of wipes, and a one-year subscription to Walmart+ to patients who have recently delivered a baby, starting in May.
In a bid to attract more customers, Walmart also highlighted celebrity mom motherhood hacks from Cardi B, Stephanie Beatriz, Janelle James, and Jenny Slate as part of the promotion.
While Walmart does not share metrics on its Walmart+ membership base, it is clear that the service is making strides to compete with Amazon Prime, offering benefits tailored to busy moms. As the retail landscape continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these two giants navigate the market in the coming years.
[1] Source: Statista, CIRP, and Walmart earnings calls.
- In an effort to appeal to busy parents, Walmart+ has incorporated benefits such as unlimited free shipping, mobile scan and go, Paramount+ access, and fuel discounts, all designed to save time.
- Meanwhile, the health-and-wellness sector isn't being overlooked by Walmart, as they plan to offer a reusable bag, wipes sample pack, and a Walmart+ subscription to new mothers starting in May.
- Recognizing the growth potential in the home-and-garden sector, Walmart has also partnered with Pampers for a membership promotion, offering 20,000 Walmart+ memberships to new moms.
- Walmart's focus on parenting isn't limited to membership offerings; they've also collaborated with celebrity moms like Cardi B, Stephanie Beatriz, Janelle James, and Jenny Slate to highlight motherhood hacks, further solidifying their position in the lifestyle segment.
