Wally World (Wal-Mart, That Is) Ain’t Messin’ Around

November 15th, 2006 - - Filled in: Business/Consumer

Having previously ordered items from Wal-Mart.com, I recently received an email that there was “97 cent Shipping on Hot Holiday Toys at Walmart.com“. This is good news given that [1] I hate the crowds at Wal-Mart (or even Super Target for that matter), and [2] I don’t have to do battle with that persistent mom that will do anything to get her little angel that TMX Elmo. Aside from the super cheap shipping (I’m pretty sure it is not only limited to toys), Wal-Mart has decided to do what it does best…slash prices! Imagine that. In an effort to boost its 4th QTR sales, Wal-Mart wasted no time offering super ridiculous pricing (that’s a good thing) on its toys and electronics as those are obviously the focus for consumers this holiday season. Despite reporting a blowout summer, the Company’s CEO thought sales were “softer than we hoped for”, and he sees “real opportunities in the fourth quarter to build on the momentum of the aggressive pricing strategy…”. Yippie! This should make things easier for me since my son generally plays with things like the good ol’ Erector Set and has adopted my Optimus Prime as his newest plaything. Now I can replace OP with the newer version that includes a drill-bit, specially-made Nikes, and some Oakley sunglasses in place of that dated split windshield (I think). Luckily he’s young enough so that I’m not having to Preorder Nintendo Wii at Walmart.com…or an XBox 360 for that matter (I can’t wait to get the new PS3, though).

I’m anxious to see if the slashed prices on electronics, such as flat-screens, are going to effect the big box stores like Best Buy and Circuit City. If you ever get a chance to hear a representative from either of those companies speak with regard to “competition from Wal-Mart”, they’ll probably say something cliche like “we value service as well as price”. Just a little advice…go to Best Buy the week after Black Friday. Open Box items are all the rage. They’re missing a box…and that’s usually all that is wrong with them. Best of all, they’re discounted pretty nicely. I’m actually looking forward to this since I’m currently in the market for a big screen as well as a new laptop. According to each store’s Black Friday list, both will have great specials this holiday season.