Walmart: Tariffs Have Nothing to Do With New Basket Fee

Walmart recently reinstated a so-called “basket fee” for customers on government assistance, but denies the move is linked to President Trump’s tariffs.

Walmart charges a $6.99 fee for grocery delivery and pickup orders under $35. During the pandemic, it waived that fee for those who participate in the Walmart+ Assist program, which offers discounts if you get SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, and other benefits. But it returned in late April.

The Daily Mail claims that “Walmart says the rollback is part of broader cost-cutting efforts, citing financial uncertainty caused by new tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.” But Walmart told Mashable that the basket fee revival has nothing to do with Trump’s tariffs, noting that these types of fees are standard practices for comparable retailers like Target.

During an April 9 investment community meeting, Walmart President and CEO Doug McMillon said the company was “still working through what [the new tariff environment] means for us.” He noted that “more than two-thirds of what we sell in the US is made, grown or assembled in the US,” but acknowledged that “China and Mexico are the most significant” import partners.

Walmart dealt with Trump tariffs during his first term, McMillon said. “It’s a management opportunity, and that’s the way that I think about it, [and] we’re going to focus on what we can control. We’re going to do our best to keep prices as low as we can. Inventory management is always important, but it becomes even more important in this environment.”

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) recently estimated 20% to 30% price increases for various electronics if Trump ramps up his tariffs on China and other Asian countries. Desktop prices could jump by an average of $287, followed by monitors at $111, while consoles could increase by a whopping $428, assuming vendors fully pass on the tariff cost to consumers. 

Smaller companies are already getting hit hard. Adafruit, a New York-based DIY computer parts reseller, posted a $36,126 import bill for a shipment of components earlier this week. “Tariffs just got real,” it said in a post on Bluesky.

Walmart has also been making some fairly big cuts recently, including axing hundreds of jobs in one of its offices in North Carolina in February.

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About Will McCurdy

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I’m a reporter covering weekend news. Before joining PCMag in 2024, I picked up bylines in BBC News, The Guardian, The Times of London, The Daily Beast, Vice, Slate, Fast Company, The Evening Standard, The i, TechRadar, and Decrypt Media.

I’ve been a PC gamer since you had to install games from multiple CD-ROMs by hand. As a reporter, I’m passionate about the intersection of tech and human lives. I’ve covered everything from crypto scandals to the art world, as well as conspiracy theories, UK politics, and Russia and foreign affairs.

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