Company exits Walmart Express pilot as part of closing 269 stores globally;

Well folks, more layoffs by the giant WM. Seemingly, 10,000 or more will lose thier jobs. Sadly
It looks like a few of them are in my neck of the woods. What say you ATS?

As part of today’s action, the company will close 154 locations in the U.S., including the company’s 102 smallest format stores, Walmart Express, which had been in pilot since 2011. Walmart instead will focus on strengthening Supercenters, optimizing Neighborhood Markets, growing the e-commerce business and expanding Pickup services for customers. Also covered in the closures are 23 Neighborhood Markets, 12 Supercenters, seven stores in Puerto Rico, six discount centers, and four Sam’s Clubs.

Internationally, the company is following a disciplined strategy of actively managing its portfolio. Consistent with this strategy, the company is closing 115 stores outside the United States. This includes 60 recently-closed, loss-making stores in Brazil, which represents only 5 percent of sales in that market. The company has already been able to relocate many affected associates in Brazil to other stores. The remaining 55 stores are primarily small, loss-making stores in other Latin American markets. Walmart will disclose more detail about those actions, including the number of stores per market, after completing local associate and community outreach.

Walmart will continue to invest in its future, with plans to open stores worldwide in the coming fiscal year. Domestically, Walmart intends to open 50 to 60 Supercenters and 85 to 95 Neighborhood Markets in Fiscal 2017, which begins Feb. 1. In the same period, Sam’s Club plans to open in seven to 10 new locations. Internationally, Walmart intends to open between 200 and 240 stores during the coming year.

news.walmart.com...

People on this website should be happy.
They don't like walmart minimum wage jobs.
Now they don't have as many to complain about.

a reply to: ReadLeader

It is also interesting that these wal-marts that are closing all seem to be
located in the southern states!

I only concerned myself with the store closures in the U.S.

a reply to: ReadLeader

What say you ATS?

Much ado about nothing.

The world's largest retailer also will open as many as 405 stores globally in the coming fiscal year, as it shifts its focus toward Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets in profitable locations.

Closing 269 stores, but opening 405 new stores. Net gain: +136 stores. This is a good thing!

Source

EDIT: My source says that 10,000 U.S. employees would be impacted; not lose their jobs.

In all, 16,000 employees will be impacted by the store closings, about 10,000 of whom are in the U.S....

More than 95 percent of the closed U.S. stores are within 10 miles of another Wal-Mart store. When possible, it will transfer store associates to nearby locations.

a reply to: ReadLeader

Sounds like they are trying to perhaps take on Costco. There's a Walmart right by my house, but there is also a Costco. I'd rather go to the Costco. Although slightly more expensive it saves me time looking for deals and such, and employees at Costco are nicer.

Walmart is opening a bunch of stores here in Canada. It is a little unsettling to me how it came to be.

A few years ago Target got the go ahead from our ministry of industry to take over Zellers as it was a popular move for consumers. Billiona were spent by Target renovating Zellers locations across Canada. Then as many of you know Target "failed" to stock their shelves and hire enough staff. Target lasted a year before closing their doors. Somehow Walmart ended up with all of Targets closed lications. We are currently renovating those to be opening in Febuary.

Would Canada approve a Walmart take over of Zellers? Absolutely not. So was Target sent in, being popular with the consumer, to secure the Zellers locations for Walmart? You dont fail as bad as Target did unless you want to or you failed to have a plan. You do slend billions without a plan.

On a side note. I was involved in both the Target and Walmart renovations and Walmart is spending less than a 10th of what Target did getting the store ready for Walmart.

I have also heard rumors that Walmart lent Target the cash for the Zellers sites and the now Target is turning over these sites to Walmart as part of the default process.

I could go on as well how Walmart is scamming the contractors who are building these stores as well. I honestly cant say for sure if we are going to get paid.

a reply to: MALBOSIA

I will usually shop ( when I absolutely must go into a store ) @ Target over WM for many reasons. Mostly for the fact that they are less cluttered and cleaner and the lighting is better.

And lastly, none of those creepy walmartians that wind up on websites..... walmartians

They're mostly closing the large super stores and replacing them with smaller neighborhood stores.

They're also expanding their grocery stores. Some places have "unfair" laws that won't allow WM to have grocery and retail together. So they separate them.

What attracts me to Walmart is they are open 24 hours (not all are) and they have everything.

You have people drop by unexpectedly and need a BBQ? Walmart is your friend. Have a craving at 3am? Walmart is your friend. Work odd hours? Walmart is your friend.

a reply to: Annee

Great points, really. Even those who despise WM, at one time or another will usually cave to thier low opinion of WM & walk in to purchase that thing tey cannot find elsewhere OR @ 0300



Here in the U.S. one in particular, has a better weapon & ammo selection than most dealers.....

originally posted by: ReadLeader
a reply to: Annee

Great points, really. Even those who despise WM, at one time or another will usually cave to thier low opinion of WM & walk in to purchase that thing tey cannot find elsewhere OR @ 0300

Here in the U.S. one in particular, has a better weapon & ammo selection than most dealers.....

I fought it for 10 years. I tried to use only local businesses --- but, succumbed to the convenience of everything in one place, lower prices, and convenient hours.

I was living in a military town. They have 5 Walmarts.

You would see many military families shopping together at 3am (non school age kids). They apparently arranged their "living" hours according to their work schedule.

I eventually fell in love with Walmart.

Laws are just gonna have to keep them "honest". Not my job.

a reply to: Annee

I also tried to cut the umbilical cord as well last year. I tried a couple of other local pharmacis. . What was 125.oo @ others was 40.oo @ WM. I can't say anything bad about them

I think that WM was late to enter the market for small grocery stores in "food deserts". General Dollar (with their Market stores) had gotten the jump and owned most of the smaller grocery stores. WM business model was always the Big and Biggest Box retailing, and I just think that they realized that they couldn't "downsize" competitively (i.e. be the only guy around).

WM in general is having major challenges to its Big/Biggest Box store model, from online shopping and from shoppers just wanting to drop into a small store for a few food items. Also, it finally can't squeeze any more $ out of its typical shoppers; the American economy is just not geared to their customer base. With gains in the economy flowing upward, those shoppers are not shopping at WM.

Just my 2c ..... hey, at least opinion is still worth 2c

originally posted by: ReadLeader
a reply to: Annee

I also tried to cut the umbilical cord as well last year. I tried a couple of other local pharmacis. . What was 125.oo @ others was 40.oo @ WM. I can't say anything bad about them

I just switched two of my prescriptions over to the Walmart pharmacy. One prescription was close to 30.00 at CVS and at Walmart it was only four bucks! The other one, was 6.00 per month at CVS and I got a 3 month supply for I think ten bucks.
They have movie bins where you can get a DVD for either 3.00 or 5.00 which is great! Vitamins and other things are much less. I save a fortune on various items and appreciate having a Walmart near me.

a reply to: Night Star

When it comes to saving money, WM is the place to go. I know my checkers one a personal level, so it is nice.

originally posted by: ReadLeader
a reply to: Annee

I also tried to cut the umbilical cord as well last year. I tried a couple of other local pharmacis. . What was 125.oo @ others was 40.oo @ WM. I can't say anything bad about them

I can't say anything bad about them either. At least not as a consumer.

They've upgraded their food. They now carry organic and have a lot more health conscious foods. And yes, their gun dept is really good (In areas that allow it).

I worked for Consolidated Foods, renamed Sara Lee which used to be just one of their brands. Most people don't understand all the different brands are owned primarily by 3 large corporations. Mom-Pop stores can not compete in any market. If you want to own your own business, franchise.

I'm a progressive futurist, so I support evolving. To me it's the right thing to do. Stagnation is pretty self explanatory.

originally posted by: desert

WM in general is having major challenges to its Big/Biggest Box store model, . . .

Where I am now has a smaller Walmart.

I really miss the Super Walmart. The smaller ones just don't have everything. It's like shopping at Target.

Wallmart is also opening 282 stores, most in the same location where one is closing: Walmart strategy drives growth and sustainable returns, Plans $20 billion share repurchase program over two years

One factor for store closing is when they open a new building, it has x amount of time to start making a profit. If it doesn't, it's closed. Others are: chasing tax abatements, nixing unionization, ending their 'wallmart express' plan.

a reply to: mamabeth

Great little snide remark that.
Living in Texas, I can tell you that 1) we don't much give a crap what happens in the US and 2) many of us wish we weren't still part of the so-called Union.

So now that they have killed off all the mom/pop businesses and rewarded all with cheap # they are folding some of their stores..I'm not a fan of walmart in any shape or form

They are opening a Walmart Neighborhood Market down the road from me. I guess it's supposed to compete with the likes of Whole Foods, Albertson's, New Seasons, etc. I haven't been inside a Walmart Superstore since we've moved to Oregon. I can't stand them. I may check out this smaller market though.