7 Ways Walmart Will Be Different After Coronavirus

In just a few months, the novel coronavirus managed to change entire sectors and industries, from retail to healthcare and education. Numerous measures have been taken to stop the spread of this invisible virus and countless adjustments had to be made to ensure people’s safety. Walmart made no exception.

Read on to find out how your shopping experience at Walmart will be different amid the coronavirus pandemic.

You won’t be able to return certain products

Walmart has always had a very generous return policy but because of the coronavirus pandemic, the retailer announced that certain items will not be taken back. “If someone stocked up on too much toilet paper, or dry goods like rice, don’t expect to be able to return those when things begin to change for the normal again,” says consumer analyst Julie Ramhold with DealNews.

More than that, Walmart temporarily stopped accepting returns on health and beauty products, cleaning supplies, paper goods, pharmacy items, clothing, and food. That said, find out 6 Laws You Can Now Break Because of the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Stores will no longer have two-way aisles

Gone will be the days with overcrowded Walmart aisles. To limit the virus spread and encourage social distancing, the popular retailer has decided to make certain adjustments to their aisles and passageways. Thus, on April 4, Walmart announced that the stores will no longer have two-way aisles but single-direction aisles for an undetermined period of time.

“We’ll also institute one-way movement through our aisles next week in a number of our stores, using floor markers and direction from associates. We expect this to help more customers avoid coming into close contact with others as they shop,”, informed the retailer.

You will have to say goodbye to crowded in-store cafes

Tricking your teenager into helping with grocery shopping by promising a nice, delicious McDonald’s menu won’t work anymore. That’s because as of March 16, the popular dining brand announced its outposts will be closed, to help limit the spread of the novel coronavirus. People can still enjoy McDonald’s takeaways in many locations but more than 50 dining rooms, among which the ones in Walmart stores, have already been closed since the beginning of March.

Read also 10 Things You ‘re Never Going to See Again in Malls after Coronavirus!

You’ll have to queue to get inside the store

Walmart stores have plenty of space to accommodate dozens of customers, the company decided to “limit the number of customers who can be in a store at once. Stores will now allow no more than five customers for every 1,000 square feet at a given time, roughly 20 percent of a store’s capacity.”

Furthermore, customers will have to line up at a single-entry door and wait for their turn to enter the store while Walmart employees will have to remind patrons to maintain social distance inside the store, to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

You will no longer be able to shop 24 hours

Remember those 2 a.m. runs to Walmart for medicine or late-night snacks? Well, you can forget about them, at least for a while. The retailer has recently informed its customers that the stores will be closed during the night for cleaning and sanitizing.  As such, many of the stores that were once open 24/7 will now be open from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Speaking of shopping, discover 7 Things That Will Cost Much More After Coronavirus.

Employees and customers will be wearing face masks

In addition to the social distancing and sanitizing measures, Walmart announced they will go above and beyond to ensure the safety of its employees and customers. For this reason, Walmart employees will have to wear masks or other coverings for their faces while working inside the store. Shoppers will also be required to protect themselves by wearing masks. On the other hand, here are 4 Places Where You Should Not Be Wearing a Face Mask.

Another major change implemented by Walmart is checking the employees’ temperature before entering the building and starting their shift. If you are wearing a face mask and experience certain unpleasant reactions, here are 8 Ways to Protect Your Skin from the Side Effects of Wearing a Face Mask!

You’ll have to use a different door to leave than the one you entered through

As the coronavirus crisis continues to develop, Walmart announced they will try to eliminate all risks for both shoppers and employees. Therefore, to prevent people from running into each other, Walmart instituted separate entry and exit points.

“We’ll also institute one-way movement through our aisles next week in a number of our stores, using floor markers and direction from associates. [..]And once customers check out, they will be directed to exit through a different door than they entered, which should help lessen the instances of people closely passing each other”, announced Dacona Smith, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Walmart U.S.