Walmart Plus The Unexpected Treasure That Could Save Us All From Tariff Troubles!?!

Fortune and Membership

Right let's get down to brass tacks. It seems Walmart that behemoth of bargains has stumbled upon something rather… lucrative. Forget dusty tombs and booby traps their real treasure lies in Walmart+ their membership program. It appears nearly half of their online and app spending comes from these subscribers. I suppose even treasure hunters need a discount on rations and rope eh? And they shop twice as much and spend three times as much as those who aren't subscribers? Blimey that's quite a haul! I've raided tombs with less valuable contents.

Tariffs? Pah! Bring 'Em On!

So these 'tariffs' are causing a bit of a kerfuffle are they? Apparently some tangerine toned chap announced them sparking fears of a global recession. Honestly it sounds like another Tuesday in my world! But Walmart+ might just be their lucky charm. It's not just extra cash; it's creating loyal customers. Loyalty is a valuable thing indeed. Something that those double crossing mercenaries I keep running into could learn a thing or two about. Maybe I should offer them a Walmart+ subscription… Nah they'd probably just use the discounts to buy more explosives. Never mind.

Walmart's Secret Weapon: Low Prices and Burgers

The bigwigs at Walmart seem rather pleased calling Walmart+ a 'frequency driver.' They're even offering discounts to those on government assistance. Good on them. Makes a change from the usual corporate shenanigans doesn't it? Plus with the extra profits they can keep prices low and invest in other areas. Low prices are definitely good for everyone. After a tough day exploring a lost city a girl's gotta eat and maybe even grab a burger.

E Commerce Boom and Paramount Plus?!

It seems Walmart+ isn't just about groceries and gas. Oh no it's also fueling their e commerce explosion. Free shipping same day deliveries gas discounts and a Paramount+ subscription... that's quite the package! I wonder if they deliver artifacts as well. Walmart's answer to Amazon Prime eh? It's like a battle of the retail titans! Apparently it has been able to grow profits faster than sales. The membership program was Walmart's answer to Amazon Prime. It's just another page the retailer has taken from the playbook of Amazon.

Walmart+ Week: Deeper Deals Than a Hidden Tomb!

They're even throwing a Walmart+ Week with 'deeper deals' on gas and free sandwiches from Burger King. Honestly it sounds almost as exciting as discovering a new civilization. Almost. Speaking of new civilizations Walmart+ launched almost five years ago. They plan to build on member loyalty using another tool deployed by Amazon. Starting April 28 it will throw Walmart+ Week a special event with deeper deals on the program's existing perks like gas discounts and free sandwiches from Burger King.

Trump's Tariffs Loom Another Obstacle Course

These tariffs are expected to start on Wednesday after 10% tariffs took effect on Saturday. Walmart gave its forecast for the full year in February ahead of Trump's broad tariff expansion. In late February the discounter said it expects full year net sales to grow 3% to 4% and adjusted operating income to increase between 3.5% and 5.5% on a constant currency basis. That includes a 1.5 percentage point headwind from acquiring smart TV company Vizio and from having a leap year in 2024.The company said in February that it expects full year adjusted earnings of $2.50 to $2.60 per share which includes a 5 cent per share headwind from currency. Escalating global trade conflicts have raised concerns that a recession may be looming. Sounds like just another obstacle course eh? As retailers brace for the impact of tariffs Walmart Is "not immune," but should be better positioned. This Seth Sigman chap says Walmart is better positioned to weather the storm. As the nation's largest grocer its business is steadier even if shoppers pull back on other kinds of spending he said. As a giant company it has greater ability to nudge suppliers to share higher costs and to absorb some of them. And as a well known value retailer it can gain sales if upper and middle income shoppers seek lower prices he said. Plus he added new moneymakers like membership have brought greater profitability and "a stickier customer."