Sam’s Club is set to integrate Walmart’s advanced data analytics platform, Scintilla, in the U.S. next year, offering a powerful tool for merchants and brands to gain insights into consumer habits. This move will enable Sam’s Club’s suppliers to understand and anticipate member behaviour more effectively.
Expansion of Data Capabilities
Walmart CFO John David Rainey informed investors that the expansion of Scintilla to Sam’s Club is in response to significant demand from the company’s suppliers. Originating under Walmart Data Ventures in 2021, Scintilla was formerly known as Walmart Luminate and is designed to leverage consumer data.
The platform offers a comprehensive view of data including sales figures, inventory levels, shopping patterns, and customer perception surveys. This expansion follows previous rollouts in Mexico and Canada planned for 2024. Last year, Scintilla introduced AI tools including a conversational feature for data analysis, summaries of customer surveys, and enhanced marketing strategies.
Enhancing Member Experience
Myron Frazier, chief merchant at Sam’s Club, emphasised that Scintilla will deepen understanding of what members need and desire. “It gives us a clearer view of what matters to our members so we can bring them the right items, create more moments of discovery and keep making Sam’s Club a place they are excited to come back to,” said Frazier.
This data-driven approach aligns with Walmart’s ongoing strategy to merge its tech capabilities with Sam’s Club across areas like supply chain, e-commerce, and advertising. Scintilla equips merchants and suppliers to improve product assortment and availability, ultimately enriching the member experience.
Broadening Access to Data
Walmart has also been opening up access to its commerce data to advertising agencies and tech partners. Earlier this year, a new API was introduced that enables agencies to securely share this first-party data. This development, reported by Digiday in April, was highlighted by Mike Feldman, SVP of commerce at Omnicom, who noted its value in understanding the complete marketing impact within the Walmart ecosystem
“The American consumer is Walmart, so now we can see the entire purchase behavior of those people across every touchpoint,” Feldman explained, underscoring the platform’s potential to revolutionise how Walmart connects with consumer behaviours.
Reporting based on coverage first published by modernretail.co.