Walmart+ and Amazon Prime are increasingly utilizing fuel discounts as a lever to drive subscription growth and customer retention. Walmart+ members currently receive a 10-cent-per-gallon discount at over 13,000 participating stations, while Amazon Prime offers a 10-cent-per-gallon discount at 7,500 locations, reflecting a retail strategy to increase membership value through everyday savings.
How Walmart+ Uses Fuel Savings to Drive Engagement
The Walmart+ fuel discount serves as a perk of the membership value proposition. According to Deepak Maini, senior vice president and general manager of Walmart+ membership, the benefit is designed to encourage repeat visits and provide financial relief as members navigate gas prices.
Data indicates that the program succeeds in deepening customer loyalty. Maini noted that the company observes members returning to fuel more frequently, with utilization rates improving. The discount applies to more than 13,000 locations, including Exxon, Mobil, Walmart, and Murphy stations. Notably, the program operates differently in certain regions; in Alabama, for example, the savings are limited to 5 cents per gallon.
Amazon’s Expansion into Fuel Benefits
Amazon integrated fuel savings into its Prime membership in October 2024. Jamil Ghani, vice president of Amazon Prime, stated in an October 2024 press release that the company is always looking to add more value for Prime members and that “perhaps the broadest and most popular additional benefit we could offer is fuel savings.”
The benefit provides members with 10 cents off per gallon at 7,500 bp, Amoco, and participating ampm and Thorntons locations. Amazon has also utilized limited-time promotions to drive interest; for example, the company offered a 50-cent-per-gallon discount on one fuel purchase over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Market Context and Membership Growth
The competition between Walmart and Amazon in the fuel sector reflects a battle for subscription dominance. Walmart+ has seen significant momentum, with a February Morgan Stanley survey reporting that the program reached 28.4 million members following double-digit growth.
While Walmart introduced its fuel benefit years before Amazon, both retailers now view gas discounts as a tool for maintaining share of wallet. The following table compares the current landscape of these retail fuel programs:
| Feature | Walmart+ | Amazon Prime |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Discount | 10 cents per gallon | 10 cents per gallon |
| Participating Stations | 13,000+ | 7,500 |
| Primary Partners | Exxon, Mobil, Murphy, Walmart | bp, Amoco, ampm, Thorntons |
| Regional Variance | 5 cents per gallon in Alabama | Not specified |
As both companies continue to refine their membership perks, the focus remains on leveraging services to ensure that subscribers view their memberships as valuable.