Walmart announced the opening of its fifth next-generation fulfillment center in Stockton, California, spanning 900,000 square feet (Digital Commerce 360 - AI). The centerpiece is an automated, high-density storage and retrieval system that brings products directly to associates, reducing the fulfillment process from 12 steps to 5 (Digital Commerce 360 - AI). Combined with Walmart's broader network, the next-generation fulfillment centers now enable the retailer to reach 95% of the U.S. population with next- or two-day shipping (Digital Commerce 360 - AI).
Walmart now processes more than half of its ecommerce fulfillment volume through automated facilities (Digital Commerce 360 - AI). Critically, Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS), the company's third-party fulfillment offering for marketplace sellers, will also use the Stockton facility, making this directly relevant for brands and distributors selling on Walmart.com. Units shipped same day or next day through WFS grew nearly 150% in fiscal Q1 (Digital Commerce 360 - AI), underscoring the competitive intensity around fast fulfillment for marketplace partners.
Delivery speed has emerged as Walmart's key differentiator; the retailer can reach about 60% of the U.S. population through delivery in 30 minutes or less across 38 markets (Digital Commerce 360 - AI). For commerce practitioners, this facility expansion signals that automation and distributed fulfillment networks are now table-stakes for competing on same-day and next-day delivery at scale.