Thursday, August 20, 2026
Walmart points to speed, delivery and everyday value as key to member engagement as Walmart+ records its strongest second quarter for net member additions.
The retailer reported a 17% year-over-year increase in global membership fee revenue for its fiscal second quarter. Walmart+ also recorded its strongest second quarter for net member additions to date.
Sam’s Club, Walmart’s membership-based warehouse business, grew its member accounts and increased the share of customers choosing its higher-priced Plus membership. Sam’s Club China reached a record member count during the quarter.
The 17% figure covers Walmart’s membership programs globally. It is not a Walmart+ growth rate.
What Walmart Says Members Actually Value
Walmart+ includes a broad mix of benefits, but management keeps coming back to a few everyday needs: delivery, easy returns and speed.
In a May investor discussion, Walmart CFO John David Rainey said the company’s historical data shows those are the benefits members value most.
Walmart has been investing in faster delivery. In the latest quarter, Walmart U.S. store-fulfilled delivery grew 40%.
The company says faster delivery leads to greater customer engagement. Walmart says that increased engagement adds to the value of its memberships.
Walmart+ members generally spend about four times more than nonmembers and make about seven times as many eCommerce visits each year, according to the company.
Fuel savings are also getting more use as higher gas prices put pressure on household budgets. Walmart said earlier this year that members were using the fuel benefit more frequently.
Other perks are part of Walmart+, including streaming, but Walmart’s comments about member growth have focused on everyday shopping benefits.
Sam’s Club Is Part of the Growth Story
In the second quarter, Sam’s Club U.S. member accounts grew, and a larger share of members chose the Plus tier.
Walmart also highlighted members’ use of club-fulfilled delivery and Scan & Go.
Sam’s Club raised its annual U.S. membership prices on May 1. The standard Club membership increased from $50 to $60, while Plus rose from $110 to $120.
Those higher prices began contributing to membership revenue during the quarter, although their full impact will take time to show up.
In the previous quarter, Sam’s Club U.S. membership fee revenue rose 5.6%, driven by higher member counts, renewal rates and Plus memberships.
What the 17% Doesn’t Tell Us
Walmart does not disclose the total number of Walmart+ members.
It also does not report a Walmart+ renewal rate or churn rate.
And the company has not broken out how much of the 17% global increase came from Walmart+, Sam’s Club U.S., international membership programs, higher prices or Plus upgrades.
Walmart+ posted record second-quarter net member additions, Sam’s Club is adding accounts and more members are choosing Plus.
INSIDER TAKE
Walmart’s membership strategy is increasingly centered on how often customers use the core business.
Management says faster delivery increases engagement. Walmart+ members spend roughly four times more than nonmembers and make seven times as many eCommerce visits. That helps explain why Walmart continues to invest in speed as membership revenue grows.
The 17% figure still can’t tell us how much growth came from Walmart+, Sam’s Club, higher prices or member retention.
Walmart+ posted record Q2 additions, while Sam’s Club grew both member accounts and Plus penetration. Membership is becoming a bigger part of how Walmart keeps customers coming back.
Sources
About Subscription Insider®
Subscription Insider helps executives make better decisions across the business of subscriptions. Decisions involving growth, pricing, retention, billing, compliance, and customer experience are connected, but they rarely sit within one department. Since 2009, Subscription Insider has combined independent reporting and analysis, real operating experience, and practical guidance to help leaders see what’s changing, understand what it means for their businesses, and decide what to do next. Subscription Insider serves executives leading subscription, membership, and recurring revenue businesses. Learn more at SubscriptionInsider.com.