Posted on 04/24/2011 12:48:46 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Seeking to reverse seven straight quarters of same-store-sales declines at its U.S. namesake chain, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Monday that it’s expanding the number of items on its shelves, launching TV advertising and working with its suppliers to lower costs.
The Bentonville, Ark.-based retail giant, which was hurt by a previous strategy to narrow its product assortment, said it’s adding about 8,500 items, or 11 percent, to an average store.
Fishing supplies, crafts and fabric are among items being added back to store shelves, Walmart U.S. Chief Merchandising Officer Duncan Mac Naughton told reporters, adding that the company is tailoring some merchandise to local demand, such as selling ice-fishing tools in markets such as Minnesota.
To make room for more items, Walmart U.S. is raising the height of its shelves and bringing back what it calls “action alleys” – or products in the center of busy aisles – which the company said has boosted comparable sales. Previously, the retailer had embarked on a remodeling campaign to lower shelf heights and de-clutter its aisles to make its stores more appealing to higher-income shoppers.
The company is now pitching its stores as a one-stop shop at a time when its low-income shoppers are facing rising prices for gasoline, food and possibly apparel, analysts said.
Meanwhile, Wal-Mart has lost traction to its rival Target Corp. and to dollar-store chains such as Dollar General Corp. and Family Dollar Stores Inc., the analysts said.
Wal-Mart also is refocusing on its everyday low-price strategy after a previous move to cut prices temporarily on some items didn’t fare as well as expected.
As part of the low-price moves, the retailer said its store managers and product buyers will check on competitors’ prices more often. It also said it will match a lower advertised price even if customers don’t bring in a competitor’s advertisement, and it is training employees to make sure the simplified policy is implemented consistently across all stores.
Workers, for instance, engage in role-playing and watch videos as part of their training to better assist customers, Mac Naughton told MarketWatch.
Walmart U.S. is launching a national TV campaign to tout its ad-match guarantee and will install in-store signs nationwide in May. Products that have returned to shelves will be placed next to signs that read, “It’s back.”
About 80 percent of products such as pasta, beverages and snacks have been added to its dry grocery aisles, and that will continue, the company said. In the next few months, the company plans to add to its fresh grocery and consumables aisles, including such items as paper towels, toilet paper and laundry detergent.
General-merchandise categories such as electronics, sporting goods, apparel, fabrics/crafts and outdoor living will expand later this year, Wal-Mart said.
In March, Bill Simon, president and chief executive of the company’s biggest sales division, said he’s seen “an improving trend in business.”
Ammo? I’d like my local Wal Mart to carry my .380
I liked their turn to the wide, spacious aisles and fewer items to dodge in the store. I still never went there though because of the lack of cashiers. Walmart has 50 registers in the store and three are working at any given time.
I used to buy pillow ticking there for muzzleloading patching material, until they did away with materials, now they are bringing it back.
If snmart. in the right stores they sould also bring back handguns, and start carrying reloading supplies.
All my local Wal Mart Super Stores carry sewing material but all have dropped firearms. Just 50 miles away, near my deer hunting area, long guns are still on the shelves. All stores carry a wide variety of ammo, though.
In Bullhead City, AZ, Target (lousy store IMO) parking lot is almost always empty, at Wal-Mart, hard to find a parking place.
I remember when Target bragged about going upscale, just in time for the bust.
Here’s a thought:
“BUY AMERICAN”
It was good enough for Sam Walton.
Over the last few years Walmart has dropped many items I bought on a regular basis, maybe that will change.
Every time I go to another store it means pulling the mobility scooter out of the trunk and putting it together. It's no big deal but gets tedious when I have to do it all for one item or just a few. The super stores are just too big for me to cover on foot.
I maybe have been in a Target store 10 times since they started opening them. Target does attempt to present its merchandise in what could be described as 'upscale'. And while I have not enjoyed the WalMart SuperCenters because of the crowds, it certainly saved $$$$ to be able to go to one place to purchase household items as well as majority of grocery items.
I live closer to WalMart and attempt to make my venture out to purchase items needed once or twice a month. So I just do not normally get to or drive by Target. But the WalMart that I live closest to has been overhauled and it reminds me of going to Target. I can't find anything that I once knew where exactly to go and pull said item off the shelf. And many of the usual products I purchased WalMart no longer carries. And WalMart has added food products that cater to somebody else as I have never seen nor heard of some of these ethnic foods... My guess is that WalMart stocks each store based upon the demographics of that neighborhood, and I certainly have been enlightened in changing demographics by what items WalMart stocks.
“Didn’t Target ban the solicitations by the Salvation Army? “
Yes, they did and you can still find the Salvation Army red kettles in front of the WalMart’s where I live. I have not been to Target since that happened.
Only when they offer DIY Drill yer own Oil Derricks, will the sales return!
Drill Here! Drill Now! Let the muzziez eat sand!
I wish they would do two more things. Sell more Made in the USA and bring back lay away which had to me a money maker for them. I also hope their CD selections get put back like they once were also. My wife wants the craft department back the way it was.
What started most of this was Walmart going to an insane On Time Delivery Inventory system. Shelves were staying empty from some items for weeks. When you can't even find Penzoil 10W30 motor oil or any brand something bad is wrong.
Walmart got spanked by it's angry customers. Ingles was beating their food prices and Ingles unloaded the buggy for and carried groceries out to your car if you wanted them too. It looks like they just got a new CEO. The last few were the ones causing the loss. Such insane ideas as embracing GREEN and being a major political supporter of things like the CFL bulb did not set well either.
Walmart reached a cross road it seems. Either they had too return to what worked well for several decades under Walton management and policies or be replaced soon by a store chain which would do what Walton ran Walmart used to do and take their business. If the change had not happened then in a decade they would be the new K-Mart.
Now let's watch and see if they keep their word.
(Have at it, grammer police ... /8^) ... )
I have to use the store scooter when I shop. My local Wal-Marts generally have plenty of charged up scooters available. However, it seems every time I shopped there something I regularly buy is no longer available. I gave up and now go to Kroger’s and other stores. Overall I spend more but at least I get what I need.
As for buying green, no thanks.
The local groceries have those middle of the isle displays. They’re nothing but a hazard and one less reason for me to shop there.
Many of the grocery items walmart dropped was to punish the suppliers for trying to raise prices
That worked out well for them......
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