Calling it the “next chapter” for its book department, Walmart has launched the Walmart Book Club, the retail goliath announced Monday (Aug. 22).
According to a news release, the club will pick five titles a year, four of which will be named seasonally throughout the year, leading to a “Pick of the Year.”
“Our team of book merchants will select titles based on reading trends, relevancy, and industry market data — helping to identify exciting titles Walmart customers are sure to love,” the announcement said.
The club will focus on adult readers, with titles available both in-store and online. To get involved, customers just need to look for the Walmart Book Club sticker on the cover of the book or the online product page.
The club is kicking off with the romance novel “Love on the Brain” by New York Times best-selling author Ali Hazelwood, set to be released Tuesday (Aug. 23). More titles, from a variety of genres, are set to be released in the fall and winter, the company said.
Learn more: Amazon to Shutter Physical Bookstores, Focus on Grocery Opportunities
Earlier this year, Walmart rival Amazon — which began as a bookseller — announced it was closing its physical bookstores, including “Amazon 4-Star” locations and mall pop-up locations, as it shifted its focus to groceries.
“We remain committed to building great, long-term physical retail experiences and technologies, and we’re working closely with our affected employees to help them find new roles within Amazon,” the company said at the time.
Last week, PYMNTS reported that Walmart could be considering an increase in its use of social media influencers to promote its products and products from its third-party sellers, having filed trademarks for “Walmart Creator” and “Walmart Creator Collective.”
The retailer already offers digital advertising services to its third-party sellers, and it has prioritized the expansion of its eCommerce business.
“The relationship between digital growth, marketplace growth, advertising is something that we’re trying to take advantage of,” Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said last week on the company’s quarterly earnings call.
See: Report: Walmart May Boost Use of Influencers to Promote Products
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