An interesting announcement from Walmart that is unique foray into the HVACR Distribution Channel
By John Gunderson
At the end of March Walmart.com announced that they will begin directing HVAC inquiries to Bryant Heating & Cooling dealers as it expands its available offering to its customer bases. Walmart states they are the second largest ecommerce provider in the US with 120 million weekly online customers in the United States. The US Census Bureau currently estimates their are 336 Million US residents just to give you an idea of the reach of walmart.com.
Walmart in the release reported that customers who purchase through the new platform will receive an instant 5% off at the point of sale, convenient financing options with monthly payments and flexible terms, and a 10-year warranty.
Bryant, will offer Walmart a wide range of energy-efficient ducted and ductless HVAC systems, as well as the latest in digitally enabled lifecycle solutions through participating Bryant dealers.
Which distributors will be participating in the initial rollout was not released, but it appears in going through the Bryant HVACR Distributor Channel.
Walmart shared that “we are committed to helping our customers save money and live better. Offering quality HVAC services to our online customers is one more way we are working to bring the goods and services people need to them in a convenient and affordable way,” said Darryl Spinks, Group Director of Walmart Everyday Services. “Offering Bryant’s high-quality line of residential HVAC products through participating dealers will add incredible value to our online shopping experience for homeowners.”
They also shared that customers searching for HVAC on Walmart.com in select markets will be directed to a dedicated Bryant landing page to enable participating local Bryant dealers to connect with Walmart customers looking for HVAC solutions and services. The only information they shared on the markets was that additional markets will be added as the program expands with a national rollout planned for 2025.
I went online and checked out the services myself (I live in Atlanta) and found it had an easy to find and use search functionality on Walmart.com. I found a 3 Ton 14.5 SEER Gas Furnace and AC system in a quick search but it did not appear I was in one of their rollout markets. Walmart does an excellent job of gecoding your search locations, so I would encourage you to try it out yourself and see where your local search directs you.
As part of the press release Bryant shared that “We’re pleased Walmart has chosen Bryant as the preferred provider of HVAC solutions for their customers,” said David Meyers, Vice President Distribution and National Accounts of NA Residential and Light Commercial HVAC Carrier, of which Bryant is a part. “Our highly trained Bryant dealers and technicians are known for their passion for excellence and will proudly serve Walmart customers across the nation.”
It’s an interesting development and as Walmart shared they they will be adding additional markets as the program expands. The key phrase for me was that they anticipate a national rollout in 2025.
In my opinion for the “participating Bryant dealers” it will be interesting to see if this is business booster and helps them grow above market. The leads, sales, and interactions from this partnership from Walmart with Bryant will be fascinating to watch.
As always we appreciate your feedback, please feel free to reach me at john.gunderson@dorngroup.com
Very interesting John. I presume that this is through their marketplace offering. I’ve seen similar outreach / distributor engagement in the electrical industry. Companies either ask distributors / dealers for a cost (the marketplace’s acquisition price) or they negotiate a margin. Some let dealers / distributors upload their own sell price and charge fees (similar to Amazon.) Wonder what model Walmart is using and wonder if this was negotiated by Bryant on behalf of its dealer network (perhaps a Bryant dealer will share or contact us.)
I’ve been talking to a company offering to do similar but targeting the property management and infrequent MRO buyer market. They’ll be entering the HVACR market later this year or early 2025. If interested, reach out to me and I’ll add you to the list for when they are ready.