Jetblack is a new shopping service from Walmart that has launched by invitation to customers in Manhattan and part of Brooklyn today. The idea is that users can shop using text message and the services of a personal shopper and they already have a hefty waiting list.
Members can text nearly any shopping request and Jetblack will find the right products and deliver them the same or next day for no additional charge. It costs $50 a month. The service is the first to launch from Walmart’s technology incubator, Store No 8. Although it is surprising that this new frontier in ecommerce is powered by text.
Through curated shopping recommendations sent via text, they say they can help time-strapped urban parents with everything from birthday gifts to household essentials. The service uses a combination of artificial intelligence and expertise from professional buyers across the home, health, parenting, fashion and wellness categories, as well as parents themselves.
Some items will be sourced from Walmart and Jet.com while other goods and speciality products are procured from local brands and shops. Examples cited include sourcing a specific beauty cream from a member’s favorite local boutique, custom Easter baskets and delivering them once the kids are asleep and rushing beach essentials to a family on vacation.
We are thrilled to introduce Jetblack to the world today. Consumers are looking for more efficient ways to shop for themselves and their families without having to compromise on product quality. With Jetblack, we have created an entirely new concept that enables consumers to get exactly what they need through the convenience of text messaging and the freedom of a nearly unlimited product catalogue. We are confident this service will make shopping frictionless, more personalized and delightful.
– Jenny Fleiss, Co-Founder and CEO of Jetblack
You can watch a video about the concept here:
https://vimeo.com/257540964
