Walmart has completed its acquisition of VIZIO, giving the retailer a top TV brand known for being an affordable alternative to some of the biggest brands.

Walmart announced its plans to purchase VIZIO in early 2024. The acquisition gives the company access to VIZIO’s line of TVs, as well as its SmartCast Operating System. The company says it plans to use the OS to drive new shopping experience for its customers.

“VIZIO offers great products at great prices that customers love. They’ve always put customers at the center of their business – and that’s core to Walmart’s values and the omnichannel experiences we’re excited to roll out,” said Seth Dallaire, executive vice president and chief growth officer, Walmart U.S. “VIZIO has also expertly changed their business over time, like building and quickly scaling a profitable advertising business. Pairing it with Walmart Connect will be impactful and allow us to invest in our business even further on behalf of our customers.”

“Since the inception of VIZIO, our mission has been to provide incredible value, great technology, and award-winning innovation,” said William Wang, CEO and founder of VIZIO. “Today, with the tremendous number of resources from Walmart, we will continue to further accelerate that mission around the best home entertainment experience.”

Why the Acquisition Could Be Horrible News for Consumers

TVs have become one of the hottest markets for advertisers, much to consumers’ chagrin. As if it’s not enough for people to purchase the TV and pay for cable, satellite, or streaming services, companies seem hell-bent on inundating consumers with advertisements in every, single, possible venue…including their TV interfaces.

The fact that Walmart intends to do just this is the reference to Walmart Connect, which the company describes below:

Walmart Connect, the retailer’s closed-loop, omnichannel retail media business in the U.S., grew 26 percent in Q3 this year. The business offers Walmart suppliers and sellers attractive opportunities to reach their desired customers no matter where, how and when they shop. Walmart Connect continues to innovate to bring to life distinct omnichannel solutions – across on-site and off-site digital properties and in stores – for brands of all sizes to accelerate shared growth. The business experienced 60 percent advertiser growth in Q3 of FY25, working with suppliers, emerging brands, Marketplace sellers and – more recently – nonendemic brands.

Unfortunately, based on this acquisition, it seems Walmart plans to join the fray and inundate people with ads—not only for its own products and services, but also Walmart’s suppliers and sellers.

The deal is worth #2.3 billion, or $11.50 per share in cash.