The news: Walmart will expand its Scintilla data platform to Sam’s Club in 2027 in response to popular demand, the company said. The move will give Sam’s Club merchants and suppliers access to more first-party data and deeper insights into customer behavior.

How it works: Walmart is positioning Scintilla as more than just a data provider. Data is certainly the backbone of the service, with customers getting access to transaction data alongside pre-purchase behavioral data from the retailer’s site and mobile app, receipt scans, and feedback from verified Walmart shoppers, among other details. But the real value lies in Scintilla’s ability to turn that information into actionable insights.

Early results are promising: The company said in October that merchants using Scintilla grew total omnichannel sales 15% faster than non-subscribers, with digital sales rising at an even greater rate.

Why it matters: Increasing the number of merchants with access to Scintilla benefits Walmart in several ways.

• Any resulting increase in sales is obviously also Walmart’s gain, helping to reinforce and even grow the retailer’s market share.
• Access to these insights could also encourage more sellers to join Walmart’s ecosystem and spend money on advertising.
• Lastly, Scintilla represents a high-margin revenue stream that could help offset slowing in-store sales.

Implications for retail: Expanded access to Scintilla’s insights could help make Sam’s Club a more attractive place to shop. While the warehouse club is using tried-and-true tactics like cheaper gas to drive consumers to its stores, suppliers can use Scintilla’s data to find new avenues to engage shoppers and boost sales.

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