BEIJING (Reuters) - Walmart Inc (N:WMT) said on Monday it has opened its first small-sized high-tech supermarket in China, which will stock products that customers will also be able buy on the U.S. retailer's store on Chinese online marketplace JD.com (O:JD).
The move comes as "smart retail" gains popularity in China, as retailers and tech giants such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (N:BABA) and Tencent Holdings Ltd (HK:0700) cut deals to integrate shoppers' online and offline experience.
Walmart's store, located in the southern city of Shenzhen, will stock more than 8,000 items ranging from stir-fried clams to fresh fruit, 90 percent of which will also be available online.
Items shopped can be delivered to customers within a 2 kilometer radius as quickly as 29 minutes, said Walmart, which owns a stake in JD.com.
Walmart said that customers at the new supermarket will be able to use a mini program on Tencent Holding Ltd's (HK:0700) WeChat as they shop, and bypass traditional checkout counters by paying via their mobile device.