The snow blowers are coming back to Wal-Mart stores in Minnesota. Wal-Mart Stores Inc is adding about 8,500 items to its US discount stores, including some snow blowers, as it continues to try to recover from a disastrous decision to cut down on product offerings that drove shoppers away.
-- Wal-Mart bringing about 8,500 items back to US stores
Powerful snow blowers seem like a key item to keep in stock in Minneapolis, where residents need to uncover their driveways and sidewalks from about 50 inches of snow each winter.
But a couple of years ago, Wal-Mart decided to take some snow blowers, ice fishing gear and other goods out of its Minneapolis-area stores.
Shedding that merchandise, part of various cuts across the country, were part of an effort the largest retailer kicked off in late 2008 to get rid of items that were not top sellers and promote deep discounts on more popular goods. The project largely failed, as shoppers who could not find basic goods at Wal-Mart decided to shop at dollar stores and other competitors for everything from fishing lures to fabric. "It didn't resonate," said Duncan Mac Naughton, chief merchandising officer for Wal-Mart's US discount stores.
Now, Wal-Mart is going back to founder Sam Walton's strategy, touting low prices all of the time on a wider assortment of goods. The commitment is the first major effort unveiled by Mac Naughton since he started his new role in January.
"Low prices, every day, on everything, is what we're committed to," Mac Naughton said in an interview, echoing Wal-Mart's updated slogan. He said so-called rollbacks may still be used from time to time for promotional prices.
"If the customer wants it, it's going to go in the store," said Mac Naughton. The company is putting about 11 percent more items on the shelves in an average store, raising the height of some displays and making other tweaks to fit in the goods.
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