Walmart is known for constantly opening new branches in different locations to serve a wider range of customers. And if you’ve been paying attention to the different Walmart stores around you, you may have noticed a different sign, “Walmart Neighborhood Market.”
So, what is the Walmart Neighborhood Market?
The Walmart Neighborhood Market is a small format of the Walmart stores that was launched in 1998. However, in recent years, the company has put the spotlight on the Walmart Neighborhood Market, drastically increasing its number of stores in the past couple of years.
And in this guide, we’ll be diving deep into these unique Walmart stores, what they sell, and how they differ from other Walmart branches.
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What Are Walmart Neighborhood Markets?
The Walmart Neighborhood Markets was originally launched in 1998. But while they have been around since the late 90s, a lot of people have only heard of them or seen them in recent years.
This is because Walmart had recently focused on building these stores, nearly doubling the number of locations in the US from 2013-2015.
These stores are small-format Walmart stores, meaning they are significantly smaller and offer a less varied set of products. These stores are normally built near urban centers that are easy to access for a lot of people.
Walmart Neighborhood Markets are more concentrated and mostly focus on essentials, but more on that later.
What Does Walmart Neighborhood Market Sell?
Since they are much smaller, you can expect significantly lesser products and variety when shopping at a Walmart Neighborhood Market.
So, customers won’t be able to find clothes and some of the other services you may associate with Walmart such as their AutoCenter and Money Center. Instead, Walmart Neighborhood Market focuses mostly on essentials such as groceries, fuel, and prescriptions.
At an average Walmart Neighborhood Market, you can find a pharmacy and a bunch of other household essentials. Additionally, these stores are known for having stand-out fresh produce that you may not be able to find at the average Walmart SuperCenter.
Along with the essentials, you can also find a bunch of other household items at a Walmart Supercenter such as alcohol, flowers, stamps, gift cards, cigarettes, and more.
Walmart Supercenter vs Neighborhood Market
The first and most significant difference between a regular Walmart SuperCenter and a Neighborhood Market is the size.
Walmart Supercenters are known for being extremely large, measuring in at over 180,000 square feet on average. However, the Neighborhood Markets are only about 1/5th of that size, as they are more targeted for everyday essentials shopping.
Additionally, a Walmart Supercenter has more product variety than a standard Neighborhood Market.
Can You Return Walmart Items To Walmart Neighborhood Market?
Yes, you can return Walmart items bought at a Supercenter to any Walmart Neighborhood Market store and they will accept the return.
However, keep in mind that Walmart Neighborhood Markets don’t stock up on the same items as the Supercenter. So, there’s a large chance that an item you bought at a Walmart Supercenter can’t be returned to a Walmart Neighborhood Market.
If you plan on returning food items and produce readily available at the Neighborhood Market, the store can easily process your return.
However, if you plan on returning, for example, a shirt that you bought at a Walmart Supercenter, the Neighborhood Market won’t be able to process the return since the store doesn’t stock up on clothing.
Is Walmart Neighborhood Market More Expensive Than Walmart?
Yes, because of their smaller stocks and store size, Walmart Neighborhood items tend to be slightly more expensive than Walmart Supercenter items.
Another main reason for this price difference is that Walmart Neighborhood Market locations are often in places that don’t have a lot of competition. Hence, the Neighborhood Market can charge slightly higher than Walmart Supercenters.
Conclusion
Walmart Neighborhood Markets offer a scaled-down Walmart experience. They offer a wide range of groceries and necessities, with an especially high-quality fresh produce section. Walmart Neighborhood Markets are roughly 1/5th the size of a standard Supercenter.
Additionally, these stores tend to charge a bit higher than standard Walmart stores, which is something you need to take into account before doing your regular shopping at a nearby Walmart Neighborhood Market.
