Stuff "I" heard at Wal-Mart last night

Several of my family members have worked a few years at Walmart. I doubt the clerk has any knowledge of why, the managers have little say at what's stocked at the store or what goes on clearance.
I'm sure speculation rules the day, as with any massive entity. The big picture rarely filters down to the workers.
 
Though I cannot and will not speak on what their motives are I can confirm that EVERY Walmart within 100 miles of my area in the Florida panhandle have had similar flash sales on ARs and AR components. I saw a Colt AR that normally runs ~1000.00 go for 499.99. I wish I had caught on to the fire sale earlier so I could take advantage but alas I was too late!:(
 
http://www.wsj.com/articles/wal-mart...and-1440616954

Per the Wall Street Journal citation:

It would appear that, like it or not, pure market rationale was NOT the only factor in Wal-Mart's decision to no longer stock "modern sporting rifles". Whether it is behind the scenes, covert, or nuanced it would appear there are at least some forces advocating that Wal-Mart no longer carry these items for other reasons (liability, politics, etc.):

"The retailer has long held that it will carry products, including firearms, to serve hunters and sportsmen, but it doesn’t sell items such as adult films, or music with explicit-lyric warning labels or, outside of Alaska, handguns. Earlier this year, it vowed to remove merchandise from its stores that depicted the Confederate battle flag.

Wal-Mart has also faced pressure from shareholders to stop selling these items. New York’s Trinity Wall Street Church tried to get the retailer to have shareholders vote on a resolution that would have required Wal-Mart’s board to review management decisions to sell such weapons, as well as any other products that could harm the company’s reputation. Wal-Mart objected to the resolution, saying the matter involved everyday business decisions."
 
It's simply a matter of item "x" has to sell within "X" number of days, otherwise it's discounted. Then it's discounted again if it still hasn't sold. Items in stores like Walmart aren't meant to be there long at all.
If that product is going to continue to move slow it's not going to be restocked, something else that might will get the shelf space and transportation costs. Guns, garden equipment, a certain brand of toothpaste...whatever isn't moving fast enough.

If there's outside pressure, simply sell off and stop stocking those items at the stores where whatever product isn't selling or selling fast enough. Then you can claim later that you've stopped selling them at "x" number of stores or "x" percentage of stores...which ever way sounds better. IMO it's economics and/or PR and not politics.
 
Well, I guess it's official that Walmart is going to stop selling semiauto rifles due to lack of sales and not political reasons.

I just watched this on the news drinking my coffee.
 
Walmart SAYS they are dropping AR sales (not that any Walmarts near me sell guns, anyway) because of slow sales but that's a lie. They have been under tremendous pressure from anti-gun groups. So now the world will be safer because Walmart doesn't sell the most popular sporting rifle in the country.
 
saxonpig said:
Walmart SAYS they are dropping AR sales (not that any Walmarts near me sell guns, anyway) because of slow sales but that's a lie.
Click to expand...

There are 5 Wal-marts within 30 miles of me. 4 of them don't even sell guns, the 5th (more rural) one has had the same three AR-15's on the rack all summer. Seems like pretty slow sales to me.
 
Some news sources are trying to put an anti-gun spin on this....

But the reality is as everyone has said; Walmart simply jumped into the AR market too late. Everyone who wanted a base AR already had one.

Now entering the market late may have been a political decision, they probably pondered it way too long. Leaving it is based purely on sales.
 
I took advantage of the sale last weekend and came home with a Windham AR for $375 OTD. Picked up a nice grip and flip up sights for an extra $50. The best online price I could find was $699 plus FFL fees and sales tax so I think I did OK.
 
No fan of WALMART, but the AR stuff is not selling. I recently stopped at a "Gunshop" I have passed a few times and I bet there were less than a dozen manually operated rifles on the walls. The place was crammed with "Star wars" looking guns. You almost never see a car in the lot when you pass. Take it from there.
 
There are 5 Wal-marts within 30 miles of me. 4 of them don't even sell guns, the 5th (more rural) one has had the same three AR-15's on the rack all summer. Seems like pretty slow sales to me.
Click to expand...
Our Walmart is the same. I'll have to check to see if those ARs are vastly discounted. Hey, why not?
 
Affects me not. The local Wally World doesn't sell firearms. I think they messed up the paperwork and All The Fun wasn't happy with them. This is no surprise as the people in this area can be very lackadaisical.
 
I tend to agree with the folks saying it was mainly a business move rather than purely political. I'd bet it was something they had planned to do and recent events provided the perfect opportunity to save money and relieve some of the pressure from certain groups. If that's the case; well played, Walmart.
 
I got a new Blackhawk stock for $20 on rollback. It was pretty great. I just hope they keep stocking American Eagle .223, as otherwise Id have to buy online or pay ridiculous prices locally.
 
No it's political. Walmart is usually selective, tailoring stores to the area to put out the most profit. Some stores have dropped gun sales over the past few years as that floor space would make more money with something else.

Discounting all ARs to get them gone and out of the store, along with all associated accessories, for all stores nationwide, is a political decision. It is not "business."
 
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