The new store format, which Walmart has called Time Well Spent, features improved lighting and use of space, more dynamic digital displays, and includes QR codes and digital screens that the retailer said “create opportunities for digital exploration” for customers. 

Walmart also said the space would take the “store-within-a-store experience to the next level”. Using apparel as an example, Walmart said the store will highlight its own- and third-party brands. There is also more of an emphasis on showcasing products to “touch, feel and try” that customers might later choose to purchase online in areas like beauty.

The retailer’s vice-president of marketing, store design, innovation and experience, Alvis Washington said: “We’re amplifying the physical, human and digital design elements in our stores to inspire customers and elevate the experience.