Wal-Mart Supplier Diversity Means Real Estate is Back

Just two years ago, you could hardly sell a house in NWArkansas.  The suppliers had left, for the most part, because all of fashion went to New York, and the smaller guys were sent packing.  The one to 3 person teams were gone, because Wal-mart MARKETING was in charge, and they wanted a clean store format.  Well, when the suppliers left town, so did the money.

Do the store's look different to you, today?  We came perilously close to looking like blue TARGET stores, in my opinion.  But thanks to the SALES being back in charge of Wal-Mart's internal decision making, the low price, impulse driven, store of the community focus... is back! :)

I haven't seen so much variety in the stores in years.  Since Duncan Mac proclaimed the goal of having 10,000 "new" SKU's back from their dismissal under John Flemings' regime, business has been great.

Huge Increase in Assortment

 Wal-mart is adding 10,000 SKU’s to its assortment in a rapid

fashion. This is a tectonic shift in the US retailing landscape, and has a major impact on market

share and category growth. Food and hardlines have been completed, while home and

entertainment are in the works. This will produce increased traffic

within Wal-mart stores even though there will be a one-time increase in dollars allocated to

inventory. After this one time increase, Wal-mart’s goal for inventory growth is that inventory

will grow at most 50% of the pace of sale’s growth. - Werner Development's Recap from YBM 2012

The packaging companies are back, the brokers are getting new business, and the shelves are taller and deeper (to accommodate more variety and volume).  Action Alley is full of good stuff to grab your attention, and impulse sales are affecting me (and my wallet) personally.
As a consumer, I am spending more in Wal-Mart than ever, and as a shipper, I am earning more, because the consolidation business is great.
It's healthy to be working with Wal-Mart again.  And I think most of the NWA economy would agree :)

I'm considering cashing-out on that lake house.