Does Walmart Deliver To The UK In 2022? (No, But Here‘s How To Get Walmart Items In The UK)
The short answer is unfortunately no, Walmart does not currently deliver items from its US online store or physical locations to anywhere in the UK.
However, with some extra effort, UK residents can still get their hands on Walmart products from the US using package forwarding services. It just takes a few more steps and costs compared to standard Walmart delivery within the US.
Operating over 5,000 stores, Walmart is by far America‘s largest bricks-and-mortar retailer. In 2021 alone, Walmart‘s US sales reached a mammoth $370 billion.
With Walmart fulfilling over 2 million online orders daily in the US, expanding to handle global delivery from this scale would require a huge investment and operational overhaul.
Let‘s explore why Walmart only ships within the US, how you can still use package forwarders to receive Walmart items in the UK, what it will cost, and the best local alternatives.
Why Doesn’t Walmart Ship To The UK?
Walmart focuses its retail operations and delivery network entirely within the 50 states that make up the USA.
Here are the key factors behind Walmart restricting deliveries to US addresses only:
Huge Established Domestic Presence
- 5,300+ Walmart stores across all 50 US states
- Covers 40% of food retail alone in the US
- Ships 2 million+ online orders daily within US
- Would require massive investment to expand delivery internationally
Complexities of International Order Fulfillment
- Must comply with customs procedures in each country
- Subject to varying import taxes, duties, regulations
- Increased costs for international shipping and handling
- Foreign exchange fluctuations affect pricing strategies
Limited Brand Availability
- Most Walmart brand partnerships are for US distribution only
- Carries over 35 million products – majority are US-focused
- Supplier terms negotiated for US retail pricing strategies
Challenges Handling Added Volume
- Walmart ships over 500 million packages annually within US
- International orders would put severe strain on current capacity
- Lower prices draw high order volumes that are tough to sustain
Due to these sizable roadblocks, Walmart maintains its strategic focus on dominating the domestic US retail landscape for the time being.
How To Ship Walmart Orders To The UK
Since Walmart does not offer any direct UK delivery options itself, the only solution is to use a package forwarding service that gives you a US address to ship your initial Walmart order to.
The package forwarder will then handle re-shipping your items onward to your address in the UK.
Here is the step-by-step process to use a package forwarder for receiving Walmart orders in the UK:
Select package forwarder – Compare rates, sizes, reviews and pick a service like Stackry, Shipito, MyUS, etc.
Use forwarder address for Walmart order – Enter their provided US address instead of your own when you checkout on Walmart.
Package received at US warehouse – Forwarder emails photos of your received order so you can verify condition.
Pick international shipping option – Choose your preferred carrier and delivery speed for the UK shipment.
Pay any required duties/taxes – Cover any applicable import taxes and customs duties.
Receive tracking number – Use the tracking number to monitor your package status as it ships overseas.
UK delivery – Once cleared through customs, the package will be delivered to your address.
Here is a comparison of the leading package forwarding services for US to UK delivery:
Forwarder | Price Range | Transit Time |
---|---|---|
Stackry | $15 – $60 | 4-8 days |
Shipito | $30 – $70 | 3-6 days |
MyUS | $40 – $120 | 5-8 days |
ViaBox | $20 – $50 | 7-14 days |
To choose the best option, check detailed rate calculators on each site and read reviews carefully for feedback on reliability, item handling, and customer service regarding UK shipments.
What Does It Cost To Ship Walmart Items To The UK?
When budgeting for your Walmart order to be forwarded to the UK, expect to pay:
Forwarder’s service fees – Covers receipt/processing in US plus international reshipment. Can range from $15 for a small item like clothing up to $100+ for large items requiring significant handling.
International shipping – Carrier and speed you select for United States to United Kingdom transit. Faster transatlantic options cost more.
In total, costs typically range between $30 to $150+ depending on factors like:
- Package weight and dimensions
- Speed – economy vs express shipping
- Forwarder used and their specific rates
- Customs duties and import taxes
Tips To Reduce Package Forwarding Costs
Here are some tips to help minimize the amount you‘ll pay to ship Walmart orders from the US to UK:
- Keep package lightweight – higher weight means higher forwarding/shipping fees
- Use slower economy shipping – can be 60%+ cheaper than fastest options
- Compare rates across forwarders – some have large UK discounts
- Combine multiple items into a single shipment
- Avoid oversize items – large dimensions increase costs
- Request forwarder special handling like remove packaging
- Enroll in loyalty programs for repeat customer savings
While using a package forwarder provides access to Walmart’s US selection, the reality is you may spend the same amount or possibly more than local UK retailers once you factor in all the forwarding and shipping costs.
Shipping Large Walmart Items to the UK
For large Walmart purchases like furniture or outdoor equipment, arrange "freight forwarding" which uses ocean containers versus parcel carriers. This offers lower rates for heavy, oversized items.
However freight forwarding takes 1-2 months for ocean transit versus days for air parcel shipping. There are also higher upfront costs like container rentals and UK port charges. Speak to freight specialists at package forwarders to see if feasible for your large Walmart order.
Are Any Walmart Stores Located in The UK?
There are currently zero Walmart brand stores located anywhere in the UK. The company focuses its brick-and-mortar operations entirely within the 50 US states.
However, Walmart did previously have a major presence in UK physical retail between 1999 to 2020 by owning ASDA, the UK‘s second largest grocery chain.
Year | Milestone |
---|---|
1999 | Walmart acquires ASDA for £6.7 billion |
Early 2000s | Introduces EDLP model to compete with Tesco |
2018 | Walmart puts ASDA up for sale due to falling market share |
2020 | Walmart sells ASDA ownership to EG Group and TDR Capital |
Although no longer owned by Walmart, ASDA still provides a very similar retail offering and pricing model to Walmart stores in the US.
Alternatives In The UK That Offer The Walmart Experience
While Walmart itself may not operate in the UK currently, here are some leading retailers that provide a comparable one-stop shopping experience across groceries, clothing, homeware, and more all at value prices:
Grocery
ASDA – Walmart‘s former UK grocery arm. Over 600 stores across Britain. Every day low prices on food, household essentials, and more.
Tesco Extra – 300 large format stores. Highly competitive supermarket pricing plus wide range of general merchandise.
Department Store
Primark – Over 200 UK stores specializing in fast fashion clothing, shoes, accessories, beauty, and homeware. Always low prices on trendy styles.
B&M – Value department store chain carrying branded groceries, home furnishings, pet supplies, seasonal items, DIY, and more.
Online
- SHEIN – Fast online fashion brand from China offering a Walmart-sized selection of women‘s, men‘s, plus size and kids‘ apparel and accessories at dirt cheap pricing.
So while Walmart itself may be restricted to the US for now, savvy UK shoppers still have plenty of options to find everyday low prices across categories like groceries, apparel, homewares, and more!
Conclusion
Unfortunately, Walmart currently only ships products bought on their US website and in stores to addresses within the 50 states of America. They do not deliver to the UK or internationally.
However, by using a package forwarding service with a US warehouse address, UK residents can get their Walmart orders shipped over after paying an additional forwarding fee and international postage cost.
Popular package forwarders like Stackry, Shipito, and MyUS make the process relatively smooth. Just be aware of the extra time and costs involved versus standard Walmart delivery.
Alternatively, retailers like ASDA, Tesco, Primark, B&M and SHEIN aim to offer a similar item selection and everyday low pricing advantage to Walmart here in the UK across groceries, clothing, homeware, and more.
So while you can‘t get untouched Walmart items shipped directly from the US today, UK customers still have options to access the famous American discount shopping experience!