Google adding support for Walmart purchases through Google Home

Google has announced that it has partnered with Walmart as an extension of its Google Express shopping service. The service already supports a number of popular stores including Walgreens, Costco and Target, but soon, you’ll be able to buy Walmart goods directly through the Google Home too.

“We’re entering an exciting partnership with Walmart to bring you hundreds of thousands of products at Walmart’s Every Day Low Prices,” wrote Google in its announcement post. “Everything from laundry detergent to Legos [can be bought] through voice with your Assistant on Google Home or on the Google Express website or app.”

Google says that those who already have Walmart accounts can also link it to Google to receive “personalized shopping results” based on previous purchases online and in-store. This includes Walmart’s “easy reorder” feature which helps you repurchase products that you buy regularly.

In addition to the Walmart news, Google has also ditched its $10 per month membership fee for free delivery (and anybody who took out an annual subscription to this will be refunded their current difference). Instead, Google says that delivery will be free so long as it meets the minimum necessary to qualify for it at the individual stores — generally between $25 and $35 dollars.

Through this move, Google is inching its Google Home closer towards its nearest rival, the Amazon Echo. Amazon customers are currently able to make voice purchases directly from its store using the Echo — something that Google can’t compete with on the same scale. By partnering with other major retailers, though, Google has a chance to offer a similar service to what the Echo does, and generate some revenue through the scheme. Presumably, other retailers would be happy to get on board with such an initiative to try and keep money away from Amazon’s pockets too.

Walmart support will roll out to Google Express and the Google Home from late September.