Wal-Mart Testing Home-Delivery Option

Wal-Mart Stores is testing a home-delivery system in California to allow customers to buy food, medicine and other products online, similar to Amazon.com and other retailers, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

The company launched its “Walmart To Go” service Saturday in San Jose, Calif., which allows household goods online and delivery for fees starting at about $5, the paper reported.

Wal-Mart said the San Jose launch is a limited test only and did not provide details on other possible test markets, though its website has a section where customers can learn about the service and see if it is available in their area, the Associated Press reported.

A number of other retailers, including Amazon and Sears Holdings Corp., are experimenting with similar programs, which are more common in Europe and available in some large U.S. cities, but the business is still largely the domain of smaller retailers in the United States, the Journal reported.

Wal-Mart ranks No. 4 on the Transport Topics Private 100 listing of U.S. and Canadian private carriers.