Posted on 02/16/2010 10:01:48 AM PST by Star Traveler
Published by diamondpoet
December 4, 2009
What is Walmart really up to.
Walmart is one of the biggest supermarket chains in the world. As of August 31, 2008, Walmart has as many as 100 food categories:
United States 4,227 total units.
International 3,210 total units
This is a time where families needs to make every penny count, Walmart expansion of its Great Value brand is replacing many of the name brands, we have used for so many years.
The new improved Great Value products which has been appearing on shelves and various sections of the store, is slowly being integrated into Walmart stores across the country, within the past few months will provide families with affordable and possible high quality groceries. This is some sales jargon that Walmart has come up with, but what is really going on?
Walmart is the company, that is famous for their roll-back slogan, and now it would seem that they are also trying to monopolize the food industry. I am all for savings, but I prefer quality products and good taste. I grew up with many of the brand names and it is what I am accustomed to.
There are a few thing that I could settle for, that is not name brand, but when I was shopping during the Thanksgiving holiday, I was looking for McCormicks vanilla, this is the only brand that I use to make my pies. I discovered that Walmart had completely removed McCormicks brand and replaced it with their own brand Great Value. I rely on McCormicks products to prepare many of my meals.
I tried using substitutes, but there is no comparison to McCormicks Seasonings. I have never shopped anywhere other than Walmart, because I was comfortable and they basically provided most of my needs.
It would now see that I am being forces to shop somewhere else. Walmart no longer stock all the brand names that I desire. Since Walmart is trying to completely eliminate the middle-man, what type of effect will this have on many of the distributors and will this also have a spiraling effect on the economy as well?
Since so many distributors rely on Walmarts business, will they not suffer and be forced to downsize? I cant help but wonder is this really going to benefits the consumers or hurt us even more?
During the contaminated peanut butter kerfuffle, Great Value & Peter Pan were the recalled brands... I figured that means GV is just Peter Pan with a different label.
Again, it comes down to choice, and Im happy that we have the ability to make that decision for ourselves.
And that "choice" is the "issue" here and whether Walmart is "smart" in doing what it's doing now.
Other stores are giving "choice" within their own stores... setting the off-brand product right next to the name-brand one. That's one kind of choice and it keeps the customers inside that same store with "their choice". And that's great.
Now... here is what Walmart is doing. They are putting their own "off-brand" product on the shelf, and then (in some cases) kicking out the name-brand choice that was on the shelf. Now, it's only the "off-brand" that is there.
For "choice" in that case, the consumer must leave Walmart and go to another store. The consumer still has "choice" -- but what Walmart has now done -- is drive that consumer to another competitor of Walmart's.
Now, that's what I call stupid marketing on the part of Walmart... LOL...
The other food chains I mentioned closer to #1, are mainly upscale in that they attract a whole other more metropolitan-appearing clientele.
I know a Wal Mart worker and it has become "family" for him in many ways. He has health issues and relies on the insurance they offer. He receives a bonus for high store team sales often. He states that sees many customers in several times a week. It has become a meeting place for some younger mothers in a rural atmosphere. Often taking the older generation with them. It's a place to go, to get out see friends--it's a "self-selective part of their given lifestyle". People have been known to marry in Wal Mart. The latter instance not unusual.
I just know the parking lot is always full. Must be doing something right!
Do you have any Aldi’s near you? Great prices and excellent products.
Kroger is just one of many regional food chains that actually has taste tests of various products by the people who work in the corporate offices. If they don’t like it, it won’t end up on the shelf. I personally work with private label OTC products like diaper rash and other various creams and ointments and I can tell you from experience we get put through the ringer. Our products are tested side by side with the national brands and they better match up. Also - most national brands DO NOT make a private label equivalent unless they have a lot of excess capacity. In fact, many go out of their way to point the fact out on their labels.
Its not only WalMart. Most apple juice is made from concentrate from China. I can (and do) find apple juice made from US concentrate, but I have to be careful.
One must look for the faint, black printing somewhere on the bottle.
Shouldn’t it say Billy?
I've been buying a lot of Great Value products for the eight years I've been shopping at WalMart. I'll bet that many others have also without actually realizing it.
HEY FOLKS, THEY CHANGED THE PACKAGING!!
Well... that tidbit of information is fine and dandy, as far as it goes...
But, it doesn't address the issue of this article above. And that is that Walmart has caused some of their customers to go to Walmart's competitors -- in order to get the "name-brand product" that they have always bought there at Walmart -- but Walmart discontinued the name-brand product and only has the "off-brand" from Walmart.
Thus, now Walmart has caused their customers who may have always shopped totally within Walmart -- to go out and buy other products from Walmart's competitors...
That's what I call "dumb marketing" on the part of Walmart... LOL...
***I hate hearing Walmart called Walmarts!***
I used to shop at a Mom and Pop store called Walton’s 5&10 back in the 1950s and early 1960s. West side of the square in Bentonville, Ar. Wonder what ever happened to them? ;-D
Is the author a PR shill for McCormick?
It just doesn't taste salty!
I’ll just have to be more careful. Thanks.
I shop Walmart and find everything I have tried of Great Value no different then name brand but for less. In fact I like the Great Value provolone sliced cheese better then Sargento which adds smoke to theirs.
Walmart is closer to me plus their prices are quite a bit cheaper then the local chain who bought out Albertson’s here. They are a little cheaper then the Target Super Store which is across town.
Use a local meat market for most meats. What Walmart has done is try to buy from local suppliers near their stores to cut costs. Walmart has improved here dramatically over the years and our stores are always very clean which is not the case when I have visited some of their stores in CA. But then here in OK, Walmart is not used as a babysitter.
You’re right about people shopping where their dollar will go further. I’m a homeschooling mom and though I work part-time, we are in a much lower economic bracket than most families who do not homeschool because most moms are working full-time. I have to make a dollar stretch and GV products allow me to do that. I can feed my family delicious homecooked meals utilizing GV products. We don’t even enjoy eating out very often because for the amount of money we spend at a restaurant, the response is usually something like “your (fill in the blank) is way better than this, Mom.”
I just know the parking lot is always full. Must be doing something right!
Walmart may have been -- but they just made one of the dumbest marketing moves, by driving some of their customers to Walmart's competitors to get the brand that they want.
Other stores keep the off-brand and the name-brand on the same shelves. Walmart has made it so that they don't carry some name-brands and you only have the "off-brand" there, instead. That causes some of their customer base to start shopping at other stores, where those customers would have never had to do it before.
Thus, this is a big mistake that Walmart will be paying for, a few years down the road...
Yeah but this is the same company that opened up a store in South American and shipped in winter coats, shovels and sleds and then could not figure out why they could not sell anything. Duh...HELLO!!
Oh!! It looks like Pirates of the Caribbean went horribly, horribly wrong! Not even close to a treasure! No to the Booty! Just take what you want and leave us all alone!
Hehe, neither can I.
Is the author a PR shill for McCormick?
McCormick was her personal example, but Walmart is doing this for other selected brands. I've seen the name-brands disappearing from the local neighborhood Walmart that I've gone to.
This is now getting me to think about looking around for a good store that carries all brands. The selection at Walmart is starting to look somewhat limited now, as compared to other big stores.
That's the big marketing mistake that Walmart is making with this kind of a decision.
It was a computer glitch... doncha know... (that programmer got fired, too...)
But, it doesn't address the issue of this article above. And that is that Walmart has caused some of their customers to go to Walmart's competitors -- in order to get the "name-brand product" that they have always bought there at Walmart -- but Walmart discontinued the name-brand product and only has the "off-brand" from Walmart.
I've seen name brand products disappear from WalMart shelves only to re-appear months or years later. It all depends on the deal the WalMart buyers can get for that product.
This is simply a very sensible trend.
My wife and I have spent half our adult lives overseas and one of the big problems we have noticed with US supermarkets is TOO MUCH choice. It must cost them a lot to stock so many brands and it is unnecessary. We have found many generic brands (not only Walmarts) are just as good or better and save us money. Some are not so we stick with the name brand. It’s called free choice.
Some items we have found better than name brands.
As pointed out by several posters, often the products come from the same production lines, the only thing different is the label. Dropping some name brands seems to be a trend (see this article http://money.cnn.com/2010/02/15/news/companies/walmart_dropping_brands/index.htm.)amoung many retailers. Interesting that Glad is now making Great Value storage bags as the price of staying on Walmart’s shelves. I think this is called the free market system and using your advantages to maximize profits.
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