Walmart’s response to the super-bowl and the stimulus package

By Magdalini Ioannidis
Collegian Staff
January 30, 2008

Wal-Mart is known as the world’s largest retail store and even more renowned for its slashed prices on their products. The company has come up with a brilliant idea to bring in more revenue. They are going to utilize the most popular TV viewing day on television, Super Bowl Sunday, to increase sales.

Their tactic is to reduce prices as much as possible on thousands of items that consumers would purchase for the most revered football day of the year. These items would include electronics, beverages and foods, like snack chips and frozen pizzas.

Wal-Mart is hoping to surpass its various competitors: Target, BJ’s Wholesale, Costco Wholesale, Best Buy and Circuit City Stores. All of these retail stores notice a slight bump in sales on the days leading up to the Super Bowl, so Wal-Mart hopes to capture some of its rival’s market share. However, Wal-Mart has to make its consumer market aware of its even more than usual reduced prices. If the company makes their message clear, Wal-Mart may have tremendous sales. Considering Wal-mart’s almost unreal success, there is little doubt this will fail.

According to CNBC News, it is no coincidence that Wal-Mart has come up with this idea. The plan to reduce prices comes at a perfect time with the government intends to send rebates out. The rebates are expected to be given to lower to middle class shoppers who will benefit most from them. Wal-Mart’s hope is that these rebates will be spent in its stores. Not only is this benefiting their company, but also the national economy.

Wal-Mart is looking at this as its economic stimulus plan. Cutting its prices from 10 to 30 percent is its way of giving back to the economy. Wal-Mart is not looking at this as cutting prices, but helping its customers pay for their items. This is the best time to take advantage of Wal-Mart's bargain prices and to give back to the suffereing economy.

ioannidism 1@lasalle.edu