Wal-Mart Launches Aggressive Holiday Price Cut Promotion
Consumer Electronics Products Highlighted
By Colleen Bohen -- TWICE, 11/6/2008
Bentonville, Ark. — Wal-Mart has announced an aggressive fourth quarter price-cutting promotion with CE products taking a lead role.
Called “Operation Main Street,” the promotion is described by Wal-Mart as “a series of initiatives” that will start Saturday, Nov. 8 and run for seven weeks and is designed to help those consumers hit by the economic downturn.
The retailer is anticipating the initiatives will help consumers save $200 million on top of any savings they might see by shopping Wal-Mart’s regular prices.
Wal-Mart will offer discounts on thousands of products from a wide range of categories such as CE, toys, home, grocery and health. For instance, in electronics, it said it will reduce a Magnavox Blu-ray Disc player from $229 to $198.
In addition, this Saturday, Nov. 8 there will be special offers on certain CE products. Featured items will include a 2GB Sony Walkman MP3 player for $49, a Compaq CQ-13WM 15.4-inch laptop with 2GB RAM and 160GB hard drive for $298, as well as a variety of video games at $19.82. The retailer will also include a $100 Wal-Mart gift card with the purchase of a $399 Sony PlayStation3 or a $30 Wal-Mart gift card with the purchase of a $129 Sony PlayStation2.
Wal-Mart has launched a Savings Alert mobile service that will give consumers constant access and weekly notifications of special weekly holiday savings. Customers can sign up at www.walmart.com/mobileinfo or by dialing #WMT from any cellphone. All of the special sale items for Nov. 8 will also be shown at www.walmart.com.
Wal-Mart also announced that it has extended the cutoff date for consumers to place Site to Store orders by seven days. Now Internet shoppers can receive free shipping of on Christmas orders placed through Dec. 17; they will be able to pick up their orders at their local Wal-Mart store. For more on the program, visit www.walmart.com/sitetostore. The company said it expects the service to save customer more than $40 million in shipping fees this Christmas season.
Finally, “Operation Main Street” will have a charitable side as well. The Wal-Mart Foundation will give more than $20 million combined to local community organizations over the next seven weeks. Today, it announced plans to give a $1.25 million grant to The Salvation Army, whose Red Kettles will be in front of the retailer’s Wal-Mart stores and Sam’s Club locations. The retailer said that in addition to its regular run from Nov. 28 through Dec. 24, the Salvation Army will also be on hand ringing its bells during the special savings day on Nov. 8.
