Wal-Mart goes shopping for customers
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is bringing back thousands of products that were unceremoniously dumped from stores, saying it is ready to roll up its sleeves to win the lowest-price battle with its rivals, CNNMoney.com reported after the company outlined steps to end a long sales slump.
To show its resolve, the world’s largest retailer is adding a new tagline to its slogan “Save Money. Live Better.” That tagline, which will now appear throughout Wal-Mart stores, is “Low prices. Every day. On everything.”
“What our customers are telling us is that they want the right products in a one-stop shop at the lowest prices. We’re trying to re-establish that message,” said Duncan Mac Naughton, Wal-Mart’s chief merchandising officer.
Among the products returning to Wal-Mart shelves are Hellman’s mayonnaise and Febreze and Glade trigger-handle products.
Nationwide, Wal-Mart is making localized additions to its stores. For example, the retailer is increasing fishing supplies in Central Florida stores, adding more ice fishing and ice hockey products in Minneapolis, and boosting inventory of hiking and pool supplies in its Phoenix stores, CNNMoney.com said.
Sales at Wal-Mart stores open at least a year — a key performance measure known as same-store sales — have fallen for seven straight quarters.
The discounter is losing more shoppers to its competitors. Target Corp. has been beating Wal-Mart’s prices on some groceries and household products, CNNMoney.com said.
After a disappointing holiday season, Wal-Mart executives were quick to admit to a faulty strategy and reiterated an urgent need to fix merchandising mistakes made while navigating through the recession.
Mac Naughton said the “Low prices. Every Day. On Everything” message better communicates Wal-Mart’s founding principle of providing low prices day in and day out.