Walmart Delivery Service in South Africa Challenges Sixty60
Walmart delivery service in South Africa has officially arrived, and if our recent test is anything to go by, the landscape of on-demand grocery shopping is about to shift dramatically. For years, Checkers Sixty60 has reigned supreme as the undisputed king of 60-minute delivery, setting a standard that competitors have struggled to match. However, the entry of the global retail giant into the South African market signals that the battle for consumer convenience is entering a fierce new phase.
We put the service to the test shortly after the launch of the retailer’s second location at Fourways Mall, which opened its doors on Friday, 28 November 2025. The results were a mix of blistering speed and frustrating technical hiccups, suggesting that while Checkers Sixty60 should indeed “watch out,” Walmart still has some ground to cover to perfect the user experience.
A New Contender at Fourways Mall
The launch of the Fourways Mall store marks a significant milestone in Walmart’s expansion strategy. As the second dedicated Walmart location in the country, it serves as a hub for the retailer’s aggressive push into online grocery shopping. We placed our test order at 09:12 on Saturday, 29 November, just a day after the store’s grand opening, to gauge how the system handles real-world demand.
The immediate takeaway? Speed. In the world of on-demand delivery, time is the only currency that matters. The Walmart delivery service in South Africa clocked an impressive time of just 28 minutes from payment to doorstep. To put that into perspective, receiving an order at 09:40 after ordering at 09:12 rivals, and in some cases beats, the average delivery times of established local competitors.
However, a service is only as good as the products it delivers. This is where we encountered the first hurdle.
Product Availability: The Meat Conundrum
Considering the store had only been open for 24 hours, some stock limitations were expected. However, we found the selection of meat products to be surprisingly sparse. For a brand synonymous with bulk buying and variety, the options were limited to packs of mince, pre-cooked ribs, marinated wings, and Mozambik marinated chickens.
Standard cuts of fresh meat—steaks, chops, and roasts—were noticeably absent from the app. As a result, we were forced to omit meat from our test basket entirely. This is a critical area for improvement. If Walmart on-demand delivery hopes to become a primary grocery solution for South African households, it must offer a full butchery range to compete with the comprehensive selection available on Checkers Sixty60 and Woolies Dash.
On a positive note, other categories were well-stocked. Fresh produce, dairy, baked goods, and cold cuts offered a wide variety of choices. The pantry section, along with cereals, snacks, and beverages, was equally impressive, mirroring the deep inventory Walmart is known for globally.
Payment Hurdles and User Experience
While the product selection showed promise, the technical backend of the Walmart delivery service in South Africa revealed some “teething problems.” In 2025, digital natives expect frictionless payment processes. Unfortunately, Walmart’s current system adds unnecessary friction.
Unlike its competitors, the app does not currently allow customers to store card details within their profiles for one-tap payments. Furthermore, there is no integration for popular digital wallets like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or Google Pay. Instead, the retailer relies on PayU, a third-party payment platform.
The “Space” Glitch
The payment process presented a specific, frustrating usability issue. When entering card details on the PayU page, the system proved highly sensitive to formatting. Many banking apps, such as Discovery Bank, allow users to copy their card numbers with spaces after every fourth digit for readability.
When we attempted to paste this number into the Walmart app, the payment failed repeatedly, prompting an error message to “correct field entries.” It was only after manually removing the spaces that the transaction was successful. While PayU does allow users to save details on its own platform, the lack of native app integration is a drawback that slows down the checkout process—a critical flaw for an “on-demand” service.
Tracking and Mapping Issues
Once the order was placed, the Walmart on-demand delivery app notified us within 15 minutes (at 09:27) that the driver was en route. This rapid dispatch is commendable. However, the “last mile” of the delivery experience was marred by mapping errors.
The app’s map system incorrectly pinned our complex to a different address on the same street. While seasoned delivery users are accustomed to minor GPS drifts, Walmart’s app lacks a crucial feature: live in-app tracking. Instead of watching the driver’s icon move in real-time within the app, users are sent a third-party link.
This third-party system was slow to update and offered no means of direct communication with the driver. When we realized the driver was heading to the wrong location, we had no way to alert him. This is a significant regression compared to the seamless chat and call functions found in Checkers Sixty60.
Responsive Support Saves the Day
Despite the communication blackout, the situation was salvaged by Walmart’s support team. Realizing he could not find the specific unit, the driver presumably contacted support. We received calls from both the driver and a Walmart agent shortly after noticing the issue.
The rider was just across the road, and the order was handed over by 09:40. The proactive nature of the support team was impressive, but it highlights a reliance on manual intervention that could become unsustainable as order volumes scale.
Comparison: Walmart vs Checkers Sixty60
So, how does the Walmart delivery service in South Africa stack up against the market leader?
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Speed: Walmart is incredibly fast. A 28-minute turnaround is world-class.
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Variety: Excellent for pantry and general goods, but currently poor for fresh meat.
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Tech: Walmart lags behind. The lack of native payment storage, digital wallet support, and integrated live tracking makes the app feel clunky compared to the polished experience of Sixty60.
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Support: Excellent responsiveness, though the need for it was caused by app deficiencies.
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Conclusion
The arrival of the Walmart delivery service in South Africa at Fourways Mall is a wake-up call for the local retail sector. The speed of fulfillment proves that Walmart has the logistical muscle to compete at the highest level.
However, for a service that relies on convenience, the user interface and payment friction are significant barriers. If Walmart can smooth out these technical wrinkles, expand its meat selection, and integrate better tracking, it won’t just be a competitor—it could be a market leader. For now, Checkers Sixty60 retains the crown for user experience, but they should definitely be watching their rearview mirror.
Delivery Timeline Summary
| Time | Status | Time Since Payment |
| 09:12 | Order Placed | 0 minutes |
| 09:27 | Order on its way | 15 minutes |
| 09:34 | Call from Support/Driver | 22 minutes |
| 09:40 | Order Delivered | 28 minutes |
Here are two references from South African mainstream media reporting on the launch of the new Walmart store and its delivery capabilities:
1. The Citizen
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Article: Walmart opens second store at Fourways Mall, promising low prices
2. BusinessTech
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Article: Second Walmart store location and opening date in South Africa revealed
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