When you need to buy something, Amazon and Walmart are generally the stores that will come to mind when looking to make a purchase. Both companies offer an extensive product selection with quick shipping times and convenient store locations.
However, because both Amazon and Walmart are so successful, you may be wondering if Amazon owns Walmart? If you’d like to find out, keep reading to see what I learned!
Does Amazon Own Walmart In [currentyear]?
Amazon does not own Walmart and has never tried to acquire the company as of [currentyear]. However, Amazon owns other companies like Whole Foods and Zappos. Also, Walmart owns companies like Parcel and Jet.com to better compete with Amazon’s eCommerce network. It’s unlikely Amazon will ever try to buy Walmart because the company’s too expensive.
If you want to learn more about Walmart and Amazon regarding how the companies are different and gain a better perspective on the types of companies they’ve acquired, keep on reading!
What Company Owns Walmart?
Currently, Walmart Inc. owns the chain of Walmart stores, including Walmart Neighborhood Markets, Walmart Supercenters, and international locations.
Additionally, Walmart Inc. owns Sam’s Club, a chain of warehouse stores that allow customers to buy food and household products in bulk. Therefore, in no way does Amazon own any part of Walmart’s business.
How Are Amazon and Walmart Different?
The primary difference between Amazon and Walmart is that Amazon is an eCommerce platform, while Walmart generates most of its sales from physical store locations.
Still, Amazon has started to open up physical stores called Amazon 4-Star stores, which feature trending top-rated products.
In the same manner, Walmart operates an eCommerce platform where customers can buy their favorite products from Walmart online and have them shipped to their doorstep.
Overall, where Amazon and Walmart rely on sales is their main differentiating factor.
Has Amazon Ever Tried to Buy Walmart?
Currently, there’s no evidence that Amazon has ever tried to acquire Walmart, and it’s unlikely the company will ever try to do so.
If Amazon were to try to buy Walmart, it wouldn’t make financial sense, as Walmart is already such a huge company.
Instead, Amazon is probably more focused on buying smaller companies that help expand its supply chain and its services (see below).
What Companies Does Amazon Own?
Although Amazon doesn’t own Walmart, the eCommerce giant has acquired several other companies over the years.
Additionally, Amazon has purchased companies in various categories, like grocery stores, apparel companies, and gaming sites, to name a few. Listed below are some of the companies Amazon currently owns:
1. Whole Foods
In 2017, Amazon acquired Whole Foods, an organic grocery store that has locations throughout the United States.
Amazon purchased Whole Foods for $13.7 billion. Also, since Amazon bought Whole Foods, prices on essential food products are lower and integrated into Prime.
For example, Amazon Prime members can now order groceries from Whole Foods and have them delivered on the same day in select areas. Unfortunately, this service isn’t available to everyone yet and is usually only available in larger cities.
2. Zappos
One of Amazon’s earlier acquisitions was Zappos in 2009 for $1.2 billion. Further, Zappos is a footwear and apparel company, and was the first time Amazon expanded beyond selling books.
3. PillPack Inc.
Another significant acquisition for Amazon was its purchase of PillPack Inc., an online pharmacy service. In 2018, Amazon acquired PillPack Inc. for $753 million.
Essentially, Amazon’s purchase of PillPack Inc. allows the company to ship prescription medications overnight to locations throughout the United States.
As you can imagine, Amazon’s extensive delivery network helped PillPack Inc.’s shipping process become much more efficient.
4. Others
The previously listed companies are just a handful of companies Amazon has acquired. Further, some of the other companies Amazon has purchased include the following:
- Kiva Systems
- Twitch Interactive
- MGM Holdings Inc.
What Companies Does Walmart Own?
Like Amazon, Walmart has also purchased a number of companies to offer a variety of services and expand its supply chain network.
1. Jet.com
In 2016, Walmart bought the rapidly expanding eCommerce company Jet.com for $3.3 billion. Initially, Walmart purchased Jet.com to compete with Amazon’s extensive eCommerce platform.
Also, as part of Walmart’s acquisition, Jet.com founder Marc Lore joined Walmart’s executive leadership team.
Moreover, Walmart was able to expand its eCommerce net sales by over 25% in 2020, thanks to its partnership with Jet.com.
2. Parcel
To help streamline its delivery network, Walmart also acquired Parcel in 2017 for an undisclosed amount. Parcel is a technology-based delivery company that uses unique algorithms to help ship products the same day a customer places an order.
Essentially, Walmart purchased Parcel to aid its online orders and delivery capabilities to be more efficient.
3. ShoeBuy
Another eCommerce platform Walmart acquired is ShoeBuy. In 2016, Walmart purchased ShoeBuy for $70 million.
Further, Walmart actually acquired ShoeBuy because Jet.com initially bought the company only months before Walmart bought Jet.com.
Also, this acquisition was significant for Jet.com because it was the first time the eCommerce platform stepped into the footwear industry.
4. Others
Walmart has acquired other companies throughout the years, in addition to the ones listed above, including:
- Bonobos
- Moosejaw
Which Company Is Bigger- Amazon or Walmart?
When it comes to which company is bigger in terms of annual sales and net profits, Amazon and Walmart compete very closely.
However, Amazon is currently on track to overtake Walmart as the largest retailer in the United States.
Also, Amazon has grown at a much faster rate than Walmart in terms of gross merchandise volume.
Still, although Amazon may overtake Walmart, Walmart accumulates massive amounts of sales and annual net profits, so the company isn’t at risk of going out of business.
To learn more about Amazon, you can also see our posts on whether or not Amazon owns eBay, if Amazon owns Target, and if Amazon owns Whole Foods.
Conclusion
Amazon does not own Walmart, and it’s unlikely the eCommerce giant will ever own Walmart, as it’s an incredibly successful company on its own.
However, Amazon does own other companies like Whole Foods and Zappos. Also, Walmart has acquired companies to expand its supply chain network like Parcel and Jet.com.
