Walmart’s paid membership program, Walmart+, is officially available in Canada.

Last week, the retailer made its $89 annual subscription delivery service, which offers same-day delivery and free shipping, live to shoppers in Canada. It’s the first international expansion for Walmart+, which rolled out in the US in September 2020.

“This expansion shows that the value proposition of Walmart+ is not limited to one country or location,” Deepak Maini, SVP of Walmart+, told reporters during Walmart Associates Week in Bentonville, Arkansas. “The underlying need is universal.”

Benefits include unlimited free same-day delivery on orders over $35, discount on express delivery, free shipping with no order minimum, and access to Canadian streaming service Crave’s ad-supported tier.

At a high level, Walmart sits in the middle of serving customers both in stores and online and at scale. This overseas expansion of one of its tech-driven shopping experiences ties in with Walmart’s larger mission of serving and interacting with customers everywhere across physical and digital channels.

Keep reading here.—VC

Do you sometimes wish you could make a payment using a magic wand? Well, your wish is Cash App’s command—except it’s not magic.

The payment application platform has launched an actual Cash App Wand that will let users make real-time payments at vendors. Connected to Cash App’s Visa card, the NFC-enabled keychain-sized physical payment accessory—that looks like a literal magic wand—aims to replace physical cards or even phones, doubling as a payment method.

Users can activate the Wand through the Cash App, linking it to their Cash App card. Once paired, it functions like the card, complete with fraud protections, transaction notifications, and the ability to instantly lock or unlock it through the app.

“Apple Pay and Google Pay made things more convenient,” Thomas Templeton, hardware lead at Cash App parent Block, told Retail Brew. “You don’t need your wallet, you don’t need your physical card; you can tap with your phone or your watch. But I think where we diverge in philosophy is that those made payments invisible.”

Keep reading here.—JS

Was tapping on the plus sign next to a picture of quesadillas taking too long? Well, here’s some great news from DoorDash: The delivery app launched a new AI chatbot called Ask DoorDash that can fill your cart via photos of grocery lists, recipes, or other images you choose to upload.

Customers can also use voice or written prompts to place orders without scrolling. The bot can make recommendations based on your past orders and reviews on social media. Ask DoorDash will also Ask You if you’re running low on anything so it doesn’t leave you understocked with frozen burritos, ramen, and mac & cheese (i.e., grocery staples).

Keep reading here on Morning Brew.—DL

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