New York (CNN Business) Traditional brick-and-mortar stores alone are not enough to stay ahead in the digital era. America's shoppers want convenient, hassle-free experiences.

So Walmart and Nordstrom are building physical stores that don't actually sell anything. The two retailers are creating small hubs in big cities and dense suburban areas for shoppers to retrieve their online grocery and clothing orders. These new locations give them access to shoppers who want their stuff in a hurry without schlepping out to regular big-box stores or waiting around for home delivery.

Earlier this month, Walmart opened Walmart Pickup Point , a 40,000 square-foot prototype store outside of Chicago in Lincolnwood, Illinois, to cater to customers' online pickups and deliveries. Customers drive up to the site to designated parking spots, and a Walmart worker will load up their trunk with their order.

The inside of the Lincolnwood locations looks like a Walmart with groceries and everyday items such as diapers, household cleaners and pet supplies. Unlike a traditional Walmart supercenter, however, customers won't be able go inside. It is also testing a similar model near its Arkansas headquarters.

The new location "gives busy customers the ability to shop how, when and where they want," store manager Nicole Olson said in a release.

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