Walmart’s challenger to Amazon Prime will launch in two weeks

Walmart Inc’s answer to Amazon Prime finally has a launch date.

The new subscription program, dubbed Walmart+, will be available on Sept 15, the world’s largest retailer said in a statement. The program costs $98 a year, a discount to rival Amazon’s $119 annual Prime membership, and includes unlimited free delivery — including on groceries — plus gasoline discounts.

“We’ve tried to make a membership that makes it easier for customers to shop, manage their daily lives, and to manage their pocket books,” Janey Whiteside, Walmart’s chief customer officer, said in an interview.

The roll-out heightens Walmart’s competition with Amazon as retailers of all types try to capitalize on soaring consumer interest in e-commerce during the pandemic.