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THE YEAR IN AMAZON VS WALMART, AND A LOOK INTO 2025

By PYMNTS  |  December 27, 2024
 | 



As 2024 comes to a close, the retail sector remains defined by the intense
rivalry between Amazon and Walmart. Over the course of the year, these industry
titans fiercely competed for consumer loyalty, market dominance and innovation
leadership. Here’s a recap of the major moments in this ongoing battle, as
covered by PYMNTS.

Market Share and Consumer Spending

The year kicked off with Amazon strengthening its lead over Walmart in consumer
spending. By the end of 2023, Amazon accounted for 10% of all U.S. retail sales
and 4.4% of total consumer spending, while Walmart captured 7.3% of U.S.
consumer retail spending. This momentum carried into 2024, with Amazon securing
3.5% of consumer spending in the second quarter, compared to Walmart’s 2.9%.

Digital Advertising and Retail Media

Both companies ramped up their investments in digital advertising. Walmart
expanded its retail media network, Walmart Connect, by adding display ads to
Sam’s Club’s Scan & Go feature and exploring new opportunities for non-endemic
brands to advertise on in-store screens. Meanwhile, Amazon enhanced the appeal
of its advertising services, including offering lower prices for Prime Video ad
placements compared to Netflix.

Loyalty Programs and Membership Perks

The battle for paid memberships continued to heat up in 2024. By midyear, Amazon
Prime led with a 67% penetration rate among U.S. consumers, while Walmart+ had
grown to capture 30% of the market. To fuel further growth and deepen
engagement, both companies introduced new benefits. Walmart teamed up with
Burger King to offer dining perks for Walmart+ members, while Amazon expanded
its Grubhub partnership, offering Prime members added food delivery advantages.

Sales Events and Consumer Participation

Prime Day and Walmart+ Week remained key battlegrounds in the retail rivalry.
Amazon’s Prime Day set new records, with sales jumping 11% to surpass $14
billion. Although Walmart+ Week had lower overall participation, it experienced
a massive 71% increase from the previous year. Interestingly, Walmart+ Week
shoppers outspent their Amazon counterparts, averaging $473 per person compared
to $326 for Prime Day shoppers.

Innovation in Physical Retail

Both companies advanced their efforts to digitize the in-store experience.
Walmart revealed plans to implement digital shelf labels in 2,300 stores by
2026, enhancing operational efficiency and customer experience. Meanwhile,
Amazon refined its Just Walk Out technology and smart shopping carts, while also
licensing these innovations to other retailers.

Expansion Into New Categories

The rivalry between Amazon and Walmart also extended into new markets. Amazon
ventured into the auto sales sector with its Amazon Autos platform, while
Walmart forged third-party partnerships to strengthen its position in the same
space.

Both companies also ramped up their quick commerce initiatives, with Amazon
testing 15-minute grocery deliveries in India to compete directly with
Walmart-backed Flipkart. Additionally, Amazon’s push into rapid delivery
services reflects its broader strategy to challenge Walmart’s dominance in the
eCommerce and delivery sectors.

Discounting Strategies

Price wars between Amazon and Walmart gathered steam as both retailers
intensified their discounting strategies to appeal to budget-conscious
consumers. Amazon was reportedly set to introduce a new section showcasing
low-cost items shipped from China, while Walmart unveiled its “largest savings
event ever” in July, aiming to capture more price-sensitive shoppers.

Looking Ahead

As 2025 approaches, the Amazon-Walmart rivalry shows no signs of slowing down.
Both companies remain at the forefront of innovation, expanding their offerings
with new technologies like Amazon’s MK30 delivery drone and Walmart’s gamified
marketplace, Walmart Realm. These initiatives highlight their drive to redefine
the retail experience and stay ahead of the competition.

Neil Saunders, managing director, retail, at research firm GlobalData, told
PYMNTS Walmart and Amazon were both “retail winners” this year.

“They are two of the main powerhouses of U.S. retail and are driving good
growth,” he explained. “The mainstay of Walmart’s success is in grocery which,
interestingly, is an area where Amazon continues to struggle. Amazon’s success
is mostly in general merchandise and making their delivery speed faster and more
convenient. Both retailers are seeing growth among more price-sensitive
consumers who are seeking value. Walmart and Amazon are well positioned for
further success in 2025.”

Meanwhile, Greg Zakowicz, senior eCommerce expert at Omnisend, agreed Walmart
and Amazon were both winners in 2024.

“Walmart took a long-term approach to building up its business to appeal to
higher-income shoppers without alienating its core base, and the combination of
economic challenges and improved offerings made 2024 a pivotal and successful
year for the retailer,” Zakowicz explained to PYMNTS. “It managed to increase
its share of higher-income households and reshape its brand perception through
its product offerings and logistics infrastructure — something Amazon is best
known for.”    

Memberships are key to customer loyalty, he added, and “Prime has been the
dominant membership and I don’t see that changing in 2025, but Walmart has made
substantial progress. Its perks, such as a Paramount+ subscription and same-day
grocery delivery, make it an attractive offering that effectively counters what
Amazon offers, especially as consumers look for value. I think Walmart has done
a good job of creating perks useful and appealing for customers. This is their
Trojan horse into becoming a first-choice retailer for goods once commonly
associated with Amazon.”

Walmart has an advantage over Amazon in groceries, particularly with membership
services, Zakowicz added. Same-day, free delivery and expanded product lines,
like organics, make Walmart appealing to all income levels.

“I’m most curious to see how Walmart’s renewal rates are in 2025, especially for
those who joined during their $49 promotion,” he noted. “This will be Walmart’s
indication of how well they are creating value for their members and can impact
their product strategy moving forward. Poor renewal rates could lead to choosing
to reduce certain product lines, such as organics, which could lead to further
defections.” 

In 2025, Zakowicz said key areas to watch include:

 * Walmart’s membership renewal rates.
 * Amazon’s increased ads in Prime Video, and whether they impact renewals or
   drive paid ad-free upgrades.
 * The speed at which both companies adapt to new trends, like Amazon’s
   fast-follow of Chinese sellers with Amazon Haul versus Walmart’s more
   calculated approach.
 * The impact of tariffs on each company, and which one is better insulated,
   will be crucial to monitor.




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META EXPECTS AI CHARACTERS TO GENERATE AND SHARE SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT

By PYMNTS  |  December 27, 2024
 | 



Meta reportedly expects to see artificial intelligence (AI) characters
generating content on its social media platforms Instagram and Facebook.

These AI characters will exist alongside existing accounts on the platforms,
Connor Hayes, vice president of product for generative AI at Meta, told the
Financial Times (FT) in an article posted Thursday (Dec. 26).

“They’ll have bios and profile pictures and be able to generate and share
content powered by AI on the platform … that’s where we see all of this going,”
Hayes said in the report.

Hundreds of thousands of AI characters have already been created using a tool
that Meta launched in the U.S. in July and plans to expand in the future, though
most of these characters are currently being kept private by users, according to
the report.

While some observers warn that AI-generated content could be misused — for uses
such as spreading misinformation — or erode users’ confidence in the content
they see, Meta’s rules say that AI-generated content should be clearly labeled,
the report said.

Together with its tool for building AI characters, Meta has also been adding
AI-powered features designed to help creators improve their content. The company
has introduced AI-powered tools for editing photos and for creating AI
assistants that can answer questions from creators’ followers, and it plans to
add text-to-video generation software for creators next year, per the report.

It was reported in August 2023 that Meta was developing AI-powered chatbot
prototypes — known as “personas” — that can carry on humanlike conversations
with the users of its social media platforms.

The personas in development at the time included one that speaks like Abe
Lincoln and another that talks like a surfer and offers travel advice.
They’re meant to be fun for users while also providing a new search function and
recommendations.

In September 2023, Meta introduced 28 AI-powered personas that each have a
personality and unique interests and can interact with users on the company’s
social media and messaging platforms.

“We’ve been creating AIs that have more personality, opinions and interests, and
are a bit more fun to interact with,” the company said at the time in a blog
post.



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