Posted on 04/15/2006 5:40:19 AM PDT by wallcrawlr
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has decided to stop selling guns in about a third of its U.S. stores in what it calls a marketing decision based on lack of demand in some places, a company spokeswoman said Friday.
The world's largest retailer decided last month to remove firearms from about 1,000 stores in favor of stocking other sporting goods, in line with a "Store of the Community" strategy for boosting sales by paying closer attention to local differences in demand.
"This decision is based on diminished customer relevancy and demand in these markets," said Wal-Mart spokeswoman Jolanda Stewart.
Hunting and shooting advocates said it was a surprise that Wal-Mart, which has a strong hunting and fishing tradition, would surrender the field in at least some areas to big-box outfitting stores like Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's.
"For some folks, it will affect them as far as where they get their deer rifle or shotgun," said Gregg Patterson, spokesman for the hunting and conservation group Ducks Unlimited.
Wal-Mart declined to say which stores in Minnesota may be affected by its gun sales policy. "In stores where there is sufficient demand, nothing will change," a spokeswoman said in an e-mail.
The National Rifle Association said it was concerned that people in rural areas, where Wal-Mart may be the only purveyor, may no longer have access to guns.
"We've been told by Wal-Mart that the decision would be made on a store-by-store basis based on demand. The NRA and our members will be watching closely to make sure they stay true to their word," NRA chief lobbyist Chris Cox said.
The change could be a boon for mom-and-pop hunting stores that lost business when Wal-Mart moved in, said Steve Wagner, spokesman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the shooting, hunting and firearms industry.
Wal-Mart's critics and gun control advocates welcomed the move.
"This a good first step," said Paul Blank, director of the union-funded group WakeUpWalMart.com, which contends there is a growing public safety concern about violence and crime at Wal-Mart stores.
The Violence Policy Center, a gun control group, said Wal-Mart's decision reflected what it called a decline in gun ownership. "The marketplace has spoken, and the losers are America's gun industry and the gun lobby," VPC Executive Director Josh Sugarmann said in a statement.
Wal-Mart, based in Bentonville, Ark., has about 1,200 discount stores and 1,900 Supercenters, which include a full grocery section, in all 50 states.
"As with all merchandise decisions that we make, our decision to remove guns from Wal-Mart locations is simply based on the lack of customer purchase history of firearms in a given community," Stewart said.
Wal-Mart's experimental new Supercenter for more upscale shoppers, which opened last month in the affluent Dallas suburb of Plano, does not carry guns.
As Wal-Mart seeks growth by moving from rural America into cities and suburbs, it finds it needs to retune its inventory to appeal to more urban consumers.
The Plano store is a testing ground for ideas, from trendier products to more-subdued interiors, that are part of a broad effort at Wal-Mart to rekindle sluggish growth by luring more affluent shoppers away from faster-growing rivals such as Target Corp.
Chief Executive Lee Scott has said that in communities like Plano, Wal-Mart's sports department should shift from a traditional emphasis on hunting and fishing to more home fitness and exercise products.
Take over and then control every area. Sounds like a disease. Walmart is no friend of conservatives.
You're a good man Charlie Brown :)
memory is not the first thing to go ....
thanks
If there is "a growing public safety concern about violence and crime at Wal-Mart stores," maybe I should avoid them and shop somewhere safer like Cabelas.
It's Saturday!!!!!!!
Business decisions are business decisions and it should be left up to the owners/managers to determine what shelves should be stocked with - I've got no problem there........
But with that said - if WalMartWatch.com is in favor of it - I'm opposed to it.
Now I guess I should go back outside to see if my husband needs anymore help putting together the grill we bought at WalMart this morning.
"...Wish a Cabela's would open in Nazi (New) Jersey. I'm not holding my breath..."
You can always plan on visiting the new Cabela's opening in East Rutherford, NJ in Spring, 2007. They are expecting to employ about 500 people and will have the signature indoor mountain decor with quality animal displays. They'll also have streams and waterfalls stocked with native fish. They always do a great job of designing their retail stores.
If you want to see one right away, just drive west on Route 78 into scenic Pennsylvania as you can't miss their gigantic Hamburg location. Bring a comfortable pair of shoes because it is quarter-million square feet in size.
~ Blue Jays ~
My sentiments exactly.
Earlier in the thread someone mentioned the fabric department of their WM Supercenter.......the fabric department at the local WalMart here is HUGE. which is a very good thing because there are NO, and I mean NO fabric stores within 50 miles of here.
"...I hope Wal-Mart keeps selling in my area. I don't have any any problem with Mom & Pop gun stores. The fact is I can get a gun a lot cheaper from Wal-Mart than a Mom & Pop store..."
The difference being that the dedicated Mom & Pop gunshop won't stop selling guns on the whim of disconnected management at distant company headquarters. There is a greater likelihood that the Mom & Pop gunshop also employs people working behind the counter who are genuine firearms enthusiasts themselves and can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various models one is considering for purchase.
Lastly, the local Mom & Pop gunshops are what continue to stoke the interest in this hobby and lifestyle for new shooters and old salts alike. If they're allowed to dwindle and die...and the Wal-Marts of the world are eliminating their stores of firearms...one better hope they live within driving distance of a Gander Mountain or Cabela's location.
~ Blue Jays ~
Logically then, there should be some stores that expand their amount of floor space dedicated to guns, ammunition and accessories. I suspect there won't be.
I also suspect this is the beginning of the end for guns at Wally World. It's not like we haven't seen this happened before with K-Mart, Wards, and Sears. Of course Wards has gone the way of the dinosaurs, while K-Mart and Sears have merged and still aren't doing all that well. We shall see.
"This a good first step," said Paul Blank, director of the union-funded group WakeUpWalMart.com, which contends there is a growing public safety concern about violence and crime at Wal-Mart stores.
Sounds like an argument for arming your members, not for stopping gun sales.
The Violence Policy Center, a gun control group, said Wal-Mart's decision reflected what it called a decline in gun ownership. "The marketplace has spoken, and the losers are America's gun industry and the gun lobby," VPC Executive Director Josh Sugarmann said in a statement.
Happy to be driving another American icon into the dirt huh Josh? Well I hope they do go the way of Wards, K-Mart and Sears (Whatever happened to Roebuck anyway?).
The Plano store is a testing ground for ideas, from trendier products to more-subdued interiors, that are part of a broad effort at Wal-Mart to rekindle sluggish growth by luring more affluent shoppers away from faster-growing rivals such as Target Corp.
Yep, sounds just like what Wards, Sears and K-Mart tried. Didn't work for them, probalby wont' work for WalMart either.
HUH? This has nothing to DO with gun control, it has to do with supply/demand. Frankly I find it cheaper to shop at a gun shop, (and I'm a walmart employee) but for anti-gun (anti-freedom) people to count this as a 'victory' for Gun Control makes me ill.
Growing crime in Walmart stores? What you mean like, the stealing of DVD's from their cases, flat panel monitors, etc?? The crime at Walmart stores is almost always THEFT ... and of things like computers and electronics and trying to scam the store by returning stolen items, stealing pharmaceuticals, and *not* of firearms. What does this 'crime at walmart stores' have to do with guns? These anti-freedom nuts are completely devoid of reality.
Don't worry, NRA, where Walmart is the only purveyor of firearms, those in rural areas likely won't have their firearms section closed... one would think.
Even so, there are plenty of smaller FFL holders who will help you out.
BTW the GOA is cooler than the NRA. :-)
So buy the american made products that Walmart stocks and support the real americans that work there.
I have to agree with you. In this area I know of only 2 stores, other than WM that sell firearms, and both are primarily hardware stores.
I doubt that'd be feasible. I wonder if special order guns would still be available in these stores? (You can special order some stuff that they don't stock) That would solve it.
The way they do some things has my head spinning, I'll admit. But I'd certainly rather work there than anywhere else in this town, for a department store. I'm freer there to speak my un-PC mind than anywhere else.
For example, at Target you get in trouble for talking about religion or politics, even if someone *asks* you about your beliefs...
Also there is virtually no room in the back room sometimes to move around, because 'money isn't made in the back room.' Well DUH yes it is! It's made in the back room because the back room provides storage for layaway etc. and overstock which DOES make money. I don't understand how whoever decided the square footage of each part of the store can say one place makes money and another does not, when all departments work together to provide the goods and services people want (as long as people actually do want them).
That is precisely, also, why a lot of people wouldn't come and shop there over another place with a better selection.
Not necessarily,if gun-sales just aren't happenening in certain areas of the country,carrying large inventories of same(at stores in those areas) just doesn't make business sense.
Just remember the old saw:"The Camel's Nose Under The Tent".These Lefty-Grabbers are very patient!They impose their will(and take our freedoms away)incremementally!!
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