Walmart and Amazon are accelerating online delivery speeds to capture the rural U.S. market. This demographic generates approximately $1 trillion in annual retail sales. Remote work trends are increasing the population in these historically underserved areas.
Walmart leverages its physical footprint as a competitive advantage. Approximately 90% of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of a Walmart store.
Amazon invested $4 billion last year to improve delivery times in thousands of smaller communities. Both companies are deploying logistics technology and delivery drones to enhance rural reach.