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Wal-Mart 'urgent' memo urges improvement at U.S. stores: NYT
Reuters ^ | 12 Nov 14 | Reuters staff

Posted on 11/12/2014 5:36:14 PM PST by SkyPilot

Wal-Mart stores Inc issued an "urgent agenda" memo to its store managers across the United States last month, laying out guidelines to boost sales of "chilled and fresh" food, the New York Times reported.

The memo, marked "highly sensitive", asks Wal-Mart marketing managers to make sure they discount aging meat and baked goods to maximize chances of selling them before their expiration dates, according to the report.

Wal-Mart, which has posted six straight quarters of flat or declining same-store sales growth, has been battling a stronger dollar and a reduction in U.S. food stamp benefits, which has eaten into the budget of the retailer's core customer base.

The Times said the memo calls for comprehensive markdowns across 32 departments, asks stores to find creative ways to sell clearance items and to keep "complete records of daily throws" of meat and poultry.

(Excerpt) Read more at ca.news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: economy; foodstamps; hitpiece; nyt; nytimes; recession; walmart
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...a reduction in U.S. food stamp benefits, which has eaten into the budget of the retailer's core customer base.

Anyone who has shopped at WalMart knows the EBT Food Stamp crowd swipes away our tax dollars there.

1 posted on 11/12/2014 5:36:14 PM PST by SkyPilot
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To: SkyPilot

Don’t go there on the 1st or 15th.


2 posted on 11/12/2014 5:36:55 PM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: SkyPilot

I got an email from Wal-Mart today. I glanced at their Black Friday specials which is what the email was about.

The one thing which caught my eye is they will have all firearms reduced 20% on one day.


3 posted on 11/12/2014 5:40:02 PM PST by yarddog (G)
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To: driftdiver

Walmart needs to think about becoming the customer oriented store they were circa 1980. They grew fat and complacent, and they no longer seem in touch with Americans. For example, I have written them at least two letters (yes, paper letters) in the past 10 years, and they have not responded to either one.


4 posted on 11/12/2014 5:42:49 PM PST by Arkansas Toothpick
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To: SkyPilot

Hey, discounted meat on it’s last day of sale is about the only way my family can stay as meat-eaters these days. $6 a pound hamburger, cheaper if you accept a certain percentage of pink slime? Why the heck didn’t we hear that in campaign ads? If I plan to cook it that day, the discount leaves more money for the FReepathon.


5 posted on 11/12/2014 5:43:56 PM PST by NonValueAdded (Pointing out dereliction of duty is NOT fear mongering, especially in a panDEMic)
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To: driftdiver

Not sure where you live, but most states these days reload EBT thruout many days the month based on name or SSN. Similar to how SocSec is done now.


6 posted on 11/12/2014 5:45:03 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: SkyPilot

Wow. Their core customer base is people with food stamps??

They are profiting from the war on poverty aren’t they?


7 posted on 11/12/2014 5:45:47 PM PST by Dilbert San Diego (s)
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To: Arkansas Toothpick

My local store was training a huge number of temps for the holiday season. They obviously are trying to up the manpower to improve customer service.


8 posted on 11/12/2014 5:46:27 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: SkyPilot

I view a trip to Walmart as a trip to a casino.

Sometimes they have all the items I want and I win, sometimes they are out of stock on 50% of my items. I lose.

Most of the time, I don’t want the hassle.

This is what killed them.


9 posted on 11/12/2014 5:47:07 PM PST by cicero2k
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To: Dilbert San Diego

WM does seem to be a very strong competitor on price in the food business. So EBT customers are acting rationally by going there rather than higher priced unionized food stores.


10 posted on 11/12/2014 5:49:45 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: driftdiver
Don’t go there on the 1st or 15th.

Yup.


11 posted on 11/12/2014 5:50:09 PM PST by SkyPilot ("I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6)
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To: SkyPilot

12 posted on 11/12/2014 5:51:48 PM PST by Brother Cracker (You are more likely to find krugerrands in a Cracker Jack box than 22 ammo at Wal-Mart)
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To: SkyPilot

What state are you in?
Tell your legislators to go to calendar sequenced EBT payouts like SocSec has done.


13 posted on 11/12/2014 5:52:24 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

Which supermarket doesn’t take food stamps?


14 posted on 11/12/2014 5:54:45 PM PST by ansel12 (The churlish behavior of Obama over the next two years is going to be spellbinding.)
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To: Brother Cracker

Walmart, the store that lefties hate the most.


15 posted on 11/12/2014 5:55:29 PM PST by ansel12 (The churlish behavior of Obama over the next two years is going to be spellbinding.)
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To: SkyPilot

The last significant thing I bought at a Walmart was a Henry 22 rifle made in USA.

I rarely shop there. I view their business model as being profitable to the Walton family but harmful to Americans and especially the USA taxpayers that subsidize them on many levels from food stamps to health care.

They are a global corporation that has no allegiance (except China) especially to the USA. They build a warehouse so they can profit, while they have their palm out to politicians who come out of the woodwork giving them special crony benefits. Capitalism was once based upon taking a risk by investment. Today it is about lobbyists working the tax code and economic development so that taxpayers take the risk and the crony global capitalist businesses reap the rewards.

WMT would be the last place I’d trust to buy food, but that’s just my opinion. You buy it where you want.


16 posted on 11/12/2014 5:56:52 PM PST by apoliticalone (Politicians work for their own self interest and their puppeteers not average Americans)
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To: SkyPilot

Walmart was a better store back in the day when the old man was alive. I’ve started shopping at a German grocery store here in the States called ALDI. The prices are like 1985. Check them out if you have one around.


17 posted on 11/12/2014 5:57:30 PM PST by LongWayHome
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To: cicero2k

The Walmart’s around here seem to have burned through their employee base. They constantly have “Now Hiring” signs posted.

And it shows inside. Shelves are not stocked, or are an outright mess.

I stopped into a Walmart about 30 miles north of here, right off of I-25. Clean, spotless, products fully stocked, neatly arranged.

I made a point of commenting on that. If I have a big Walmart list, I will probably go out of my way to drive that 30 miles for the better store.

And no, I am not going to pay $10 more a bag for a bag of dog food or other staples by shopping at other stores. If the other stores are competitive on price or quality, they get my business. Otherwise, I have better things to do with my money.


18 posted on 11/12/2014 5:58:26 PM PST by ican'tbelieveit
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To: NonValueAdded

Get a deep freezer and a vacuum sealer. I buy in massive bulk repackage and deep freeze. When it is vacuum sealed the meats will last 3+ years with no freezer burn.

I had a very nice sirloin tip roast today that I bought and froze in January of 2013. It defrosted perfectly over-night and was tender and delicious.

GFS sells 40#’s of boneless skinless chicken breasts @ $1.49 ($1.99# for 10 #’s) I vacuum pack and freeze them six at a a time and they last a long time. I just found some chicken quarters, (legs & thighs) $.59 a pound. They are great on the grill.

Look into a vacuum sealer and deep freezer. They pay for themselves quite quickly. You just need to keep an eye open and don’t forget to rotate the stock!


19 posted on 11/12/2014 6:00:46 PM PST by Jim from C-Town (The government is rarely benevolent, often malevolent and never benign!)
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To: LongWayHome

ALDI is super competitive.
They don’t have all the name brands, but they undercut everybody. If you are ok with what they sell, pretty much impossible to beat on price.

Our nearest one is about 10 miles away and I only shop for us 2, so groceries not a big budget item. For anybody with a bunch of kids, it would be a must.

There’s also a small chain in my old home town of Cleveland named Marcs which is very aggressive and often lower than WM.


20 posted on 11/12/2014 6:01:37 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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