Walmart activates automated e-commerce logistics center in California

Walmart has opened its fifth advanced fulfillment center in Stockton, California, on Thursday, expanding its capacity to process online orders and provide faster shipping to West Coast customers. The 900,000 square foot facility incorporates state-of-the-art automation, AI-powered systems, and a high-density storage and retrieval system that reduces the fulfillment process from 12 steps to five steps, increasing storage and order capacity compared to traditional centers.

Located in California's Central Valley, the center brings significant fulfillment capacity closer to West Coast customers, enabling faster shipping options for millions of items and alleviating pressure from other fulfillment centers in Walmart's network. The company operates four other next-gen fulfillment centers in Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Texas, strategically placed to enable next-day or two-day shipping to 95% of the U.S. population.

E-commerce sales now account for 23% of Walmart's total sales. Walmart plans to build a sixth ultra-modern e-commerce logistics hub in Carnesville, Georgia, covering 1.5 million square feet, with total investment of $1.3 billion. Both the Stockton and Carnesville locations are expected to employ over 1,000 workers each upon full operation.

This automated e-commerce logistics center is crucial for Walmart to compete with Amazon, Target, and other retailers in the online sales market, as faster delivery motivates customers to complete digital checkouts.