Walmart is using advanced geospatial technology to divide geographic areas into precise hexagonal grids, optimizing delivery zones.
According to Walmart, the technology allows for more accurate mapping of delivery areas, enabling multiple stores to fulfill a customer’s order in one trip.
“Convenience is a key driver of our growth, and technology is what enables us to meet customers where they are,” the company said in a news release.
“That’s why we continue to invest in innovation to enhance our delivery capabilities — integrating automation into our fulfillment centers to boost speed and efficiency, leveraging AI to predict demand and optimize inventory, and ensuring customers get the items they need, when and where they need them.”
By redefining how the retailer maps delivery areas, 12 million additional households across the U.S. will have access to same-day service. Unlike square or circular grids, which can create inefficiencies and omit small areas at the edges, this system ensures every point within a delivery zone is included.
[RELATED: Walmart Highlights Business Strategy Focused On Driving Growth]
Walmart described the technology in detail and discussed how it plans to use it.
“Our geospatial platform is built on open-source software and customized to meet Walmart’s unique needs. Using advanced geospatial intelligence and a variety of internal and external data sources, we’ve created a dynamic system that optimizes our delivery coverage,” the company stated.
“Rather than relying on traditional boundaries like zip codes, we divide large areas into smaller, more precise hexagonal grids. Think of it like pixels in a digital image — each hexagon is a ’tile’ packed with real-time data such as slot availability, drive time, store capacity, customer demand and more. This allows us to adjust delivery zones with greater accuracy, ultimately serving more customers across the country.”
