When you think of Walmart, you generally picture a few things – a wide selection of goods under one roof, and low prices.
But as retailers increasingly use technology to improve the customer experience, there’s a flipside.
Technology and instant access to data make it easier for retailers to introduce dynamic pricing – a strategy where product prices can change automatically in real time due to factors like broad demand or even customer demographics.
Now, Walmart is making a major promise to shoppers about how it sets prices. And as the retail giant continues to grow its business, it’s reassuring customers that new technology will not come at the expense of its longstanding affordability strategy.
Walmart shares reassuring message on prices
In a Sept. 25 letter to customers, Walmart CEO John Furner reaffirmed the company’s commitment to Every Day Low Prices, saying the retailer will not use personal information to charge individual shoppers more for the same products.
“I want to tell you where we stand: We price the product, not the person,” Furner wrote.
The letter addresses growing concerns about artificial intelligence, digital shelf labels, and whether retailers could use customer data to adjust prices based on shoppers’ individual circumstances.
Walmart said it will not use a customer’s income, shopping history, urgency, or perceived willingness to pay to determine the price they see.
The company also pledged not to use information shared with its AI-powered shopping assistant, Sparky, to raise prices or conceal lower-priced alternatives.
The announcement reinforces a central part of Walmart’s business strategy – winning customers by offering low prices consistently rather than relying primarily on temporary promotions.
The company pledged to continue offering “low, consistent prices you can count on without guessing whether Monday or Tuesday is the better day to shop or wondering if someone else is getting a better price than you.”
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Walmart says technology will support its pricing promise
Walmart’s statement comes as retailers increasingly use technology to streamline operations, personalize shopping experiences, and manage inventory.
The company’s challenge is to convince shoppers that these tools improve efficiency without undermining their trust.
One technology receiving particular attention is digital shelf labels, electronic displays that replace traditional paper price tags.
Walmart says these labels help employees update prices more efficiently and ensure that shelf prices match what customers pay at checkout. They also reduce the time associates spend replacing paper tags.
The concern, of course, is that digital labels could allow the retail giant to adjust prices based on customer details and demographic information. But Walmart maintains that the labels do not independently set prices or use customer information to determine what shoppers pay.
Walmart also says that Sparky, its AI shopping assistant, is there to make personalized recommendations that help customers find relevant products without creating personalized prices.
Walmart is investing in lower prices to win customer loyalty
Furner’s letter also aligns with comments he made during Walmart’s second quarter 2027 earnings call.
“Customers tell us they’re still feeling some pressure, but it’s clear. Customers are looking for value and convenience and they want things fast, and that’s where Walmart shines,” Furner said.
He also highlighted the company’s investment in price reductions.
Walmart U.S. offered more than 11,000 rollbacks during the quarter, up from 7,200 at the end of the first quarter.
The company said it received approximately $2.9 billion in tariff refunds and directed much of that benefit back toward lower prices and customer experience investments.
The strategy appears designed to strengthen Walmart’s competitive position by giving customers more reasons to shop there regularly, particularly when budgets are under pressure.
Walmart reported $187.9 billion in revenue for the second quarter, up 5.9%, while global e-commerce sales increased 23%.
Membership fee revenue also rose 17%, supported by growth in Walmart+ and Sam’s Club memberships.
These results underscore how affordability, convenience, and membership programs increasingly work together in Walmart’s business model.
Maintaining trust in pricing is therefore more than a public relations exercise. If shoppers believe prices are fair and consistent, they have a stronger reason to keep returning to Walmart and signing up for Walmart+ orSam’s Club.
Walmart’s challenge, of course, is to deliver on that promise while continuing to use technology to improve efficiency and compete with other major retailers.
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Furner closed his letter by emphasizing the company’s responsibility to customers.
“Technology will keep changing,” he wrote. “Our responsibility to earn your trust and help you save money and live better won’t.”
Maurie Backman owns shares of Walmart.
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