Walmart has begun offering select free pool installations in Dallas as part of a pilot program.
On Tuesday, the massive retailer began offering customers free installations with the purchase of an above-ground pool. The product was reportedly chosen for the pilot program due to its big and bulky size.
While Walmart is starting with a pool, depending on how the test goes, the retailer could expand the service to other relevant items, says Walmart Vice President of OMNI Customer Growth Karthicka Krishnasamy.
“It’s a natural customer demand when it comes to convenience and time. So is there an opportunity here? And, if this works, then we want to expand it to all brands and nationally, wherever it is applicable,” Krishnasamy said to Axios.
As it stands, the offer is only available on a select Coleman pool.
The 22’ x 52’ round metal frame above-ground pool retails for $498. The 220-pound kit typically takes two people around one day to assemble. Under the current offer, however, logistics and service company GoConfigure will perform the assembly and installation free of charge, a $400 value.
The pilot program comes as Texas is experiencing a surge in summer temperatures. In fact, as recently reported in The Dallas Express, the state is expected to set a new record for peak energy demand this season, partly due to the surging heat and resulting air conditioning use.
According to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the Lone Star State could reach a peak demand of 87,500 megawatts this summer, breaking the record of 85,464 megawatts recorded in August 2023.