How Many Walmart Fulfillment Centers Are There? Step-by-Step Guide

Understanding how many Walmart fulfillment centers are there, and their role in the company’s success, sheds light on Walmart’s operational efficiency and how it maintains its competitive edge in the retail market.

What is a Walmart Fulfillment Center?

Before diving into the numbers, it’s important to define what a fulfillment center is and how it differs from other types of distribution facilities. A fulfillment center is a warehouse where products are stored, packed, and shipped directly to customers who order items online. These centers are critical to eCommerce operations, as they handle everything from receiving products from suppliers to processing returns.

For Walmart, fulfillment centers are part of a broader distribution strategy that includes traditional distribution centers (DCs) for restocking retail stores and cross-dock facilities, which move large quantities of items quickly to meet store demand. Fulfillment centers, however, are specifically designed to serve Walmart’s online shoppers.

Walmart’s Growing eCommerce Presence

Over the past decade, Walmart has significantly expanded its eCommerce operations to compete with Amazon and other online retailers. This expansion was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a surge in online shopping. As a result, Walmart has heavily invested in building more fulfillment centers to meet the growing demand for online orders.

Walmart’s fulfillment network is designed to enhance speed and efficiency, ensuring customers get their orders quickly. By strategically placing fulfillment centers in various locations across the U.S., Walmart can offer two-day and even next-day delivery for many products. This logistical advantage is one of the ways Walmart competes with Amazon’s Prime shipping.

Step-by-Step Guide How Many Walmart Fulfillment Centers Are There?

The Number of Walmart Fulfillment Centers in the U.S.

As of 2023, Walmart operates 31 dedicated eCommerce fulfillment centers across the United States. These fulfillment centers are strategically located in different regions to ensure efficient and timely delivery to the majority of the U.S. population. The distribution of these centers allows Walmart to offer faster delivery times, including next-day delivery in some cases, without excessive shipping costs.

These fulfillment centers are separate from the over 150 Walmart distribution centers that serve its network of brick-and-mortar stores. While both types of centers handle large volumes of products, the fulfillment centers are focused specifically on fulfilling online orders placed through Walmart.com, Walmart Marketplace, and other online channels.

Walmart’s eCommerce Fulfillment Center Locations

Walmart’s fulfillment centers are distributed across key regions in the U.S. to maximize their reach and effectiveness. While not all locations are publicly disclosed, some of the known fulfillment centers are located in the following states:

• Florida
• California
• Pennsylvania
• Indiana
• Georgia
• Texas
• Ohio
• Illinois

These states are home to multiple Walmart fulfillment centers due to their geographic location and proximity to large population centers. This strategic positioning helps Walmart reduce shipping times and lower transportation costs, offering more competitive pricing and faster delivery.

Walmart’s Micro-Fulfillment Centers

In addition to its large-scale fulfillment centers, Walmart has been experimenting with micro-fulfillment centers (MFCs). These are smaller, automated facilities located closer to customers, often attached to or near Walmart stores. The purpose of MFCs is to handle smaller, high-demand orders more efficiently. By using automation, Walmart can quickly pick, pack, and ship items, further reducing delivery times.

The development of micro-fulfillment centers is part of Walmart’s strategy to combine its vast network of physical stores with its growing eCommerce capabilities. Much of Walmart’s more than 4,700 stores across the U.S. act as local fulfillment hubs, offering services such as curbside pickup, same-day delivery, and grocery delivery. This network enables Walmart to provide seamless omnichannel services that few other retailers can match.

Walmart’s Global Fulfillment Network

While the U.S. is Walmart’s largest market, the company also operates fulfillment centers globally. Walmart has fulfillment operations in countries where it has a significant presence, such as Canada, Mexico, China, and India. These centers support Walmart’s global eCommerce efforts and ensure that customers in other countries receive the same level of service and efficiency as those in the U.S.

For example, in Canada, Walmart operates several fulfillment centers to handle online orders for both general merchandise and grocery items. In Mexico, Walmart operates under the name “Walmex” and is the largest retailer in the country. The company has been expanding its eCommerce presence there, investing in fulfillment infrastructure to support growing online demand.

The Role of Technology in Walmart’s Fulfillment Centers

Walmart’s fulfillment centers are not just warehouses; they are highly automated facilities designed to handle a vast array of products and process thousands of orders daily. The company uses advanced technologies such as robotic systems, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning to optimize the picking, packing, and shipping processes.

For instance, Walmart has partnered with Symbotic, a robotics company, to integrate automation into its fulfillment centers. These robots are capable of moving products throughout the warehouse and sorting them efficiently, which reduces the need for manual labor and speeds up the order fulfillment process.

Walmart also leverages data analytics and AI to predict customer demand, ensuring that products are stocked in the right locations. This helps the company reduce out-of-stock items and improve overall customer satisfaction.

Walmart Fulfillment and Sustainability

As Walmart continues to expand its fulfillment network, it is also making efforts to reduce its environmental impact. Walmart has committed to achieving zero emissions by 2040, and its fulfillment centers are a critical part of this plan.

To reach this goal, Walmart is investing in energy-efficient technologies, such as using renewable energy to power its fulfillment centers and adopting electric vehicles (EVs) for last-mile delivery. The company is also focused on reducing packaging waste and increasing the use of recycled materials in its supply chain. These sustainability initiatives align with Walmart’s broader goals of reducing its carbon footprint and promoting environmental responsibility.

Conclusion: How Many Walmart Fulfillment Centers Are There?

Walmart’s fulfillment network is an essential component of its eCommerce operations and a key factor in its ability to compete with online giants like Amazon. With 31 dedicated eCommerce fulfillment centers in the U.S. and a growing number of micro-fulfillment centers, Walmart is well-positioned to meet the demands of the modern shopper.

As Walmart continues to invest in technology and sustainability, its fulfillment network will likely become even more efficient, further enhancing its ability to provide fast, reliable, and eco-friendly delivery options to customers worldwide. This vast network is a testament to Walmart’s commitment to evolving with the retail landscape and maintaining its status as one of the world’s leading retailers.