- Walmart Plus is doubling its fuel discount to 10 cents a gallon.
- The cost of fuel in the United States has soared since the early spring.
- The retailer is partnering with Exxon Mobil for the new perk.
Walmart Plus is doubling its fuel discount as the retail subscription service strives to offer its customers perks to combat rising prices at the pump.
In addition, thousands of Exxon and Mobil stations will now offer discounts to Walmart Plus members.
In the US, the price of fuel skyrocketed to $4.196 per gallon in early March, and on Monday it stood at $4.211. Political leaders have taken action to try to bring the costs down. Meantime in the private sector, members-only services like Walmart Plus are offering cheaper gas as a perk to entice subscribers.
Walmart Plus subscribers will now get 10 cents off each gallon at 12,000 participating Exxon and Mobil stations across the US. These members can also save five to 10 cents a gallon at Walmart-run gas stations, as well as Murphy USA stations. How much customers can save at Walmart and Murphy USA stations depends on varying state regulations.
The spike in locations offering discounted fuel to Walmart Plus represents "a more than sixfold increase," Walmart said in a statement Wednesday.
Subscribers will also get access to the gas stations at Sam's Club locations. Like rival Costco, Walmart's members-only warehouse chain has a reputation for offering inexpensive fuel.
"Fuel is not a discretionary purchase, it's something that consumers need," Chris Cracchiolo, senior vice president and general manager of Walmart Plus, told Insider. "From that standpoint, we felt that being more aggressive on the discount and also expanding to get national coverage with an excellent partner like Exxon Mobil was the right thing to do."
Walmart Plus members can turn on "geofencing" capabilities to allow their smartphone app to detect when they are near a participating fuel station. By clicking on a push notification, they can select their pump and fuel grade. Cracchiolo said that there will be QR codes at the pump for those who opt out of geofencing.
Walmart Plus, which has been widely viewed as the Arkansas-based retailer's answer to Amazon Prime, costs $98 a year or $12.95 a month. The service's other perks include free shipping from Walmart.com with no minimum basket size, scan-and-go contactless checkout, and even a complimentary six months of Spotify Premium.