# WalMart Announces End Of Gun Sales In Some Markets



## Nick (Apr 7, 2006)

*Friday, April 14, 2006

CHICAGO - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) has decided to stop selling guns in about a third of its U.S. stores in what it calls a marketing decision based on lack of demand in some places, a company spokeswoman said Friday. The world's largest retailer decided last month to remove firearms from about 1,000 stores in favor of stocking other sporting goods, in line with a "Store of the Community" strategy for boosting sales by paying closer attention to local differences in demand."This decision is based on diminished customer relevancy and demand in these markets," said Wal-Mart spokeswoman Jolanda Stewart.Stewart declined to specify what stores were affected.Wal-Mart, based in Bentonville, Ark., has about 1,200 discount stores and 1,900 Supercenters, which include a full grocery section, in all 50 states. Wal-Mart says it sells rifles and shotguns. In Alaska, it also sells handguns."As with all merchandise decisions that we make, our decision to remove guns from Wal-Mart locations is simply based on the lack of customer purchase history of firearms in a given community," Stewart said.Wal-Mart's experimental new Supercenter for more upscale shoppers, which opened last month in the affluent Dallas suburb of Plano, does not carry guns.

As Wal-Mart seeks growth by moving from rural America into cities and suburbs, it finds it needs to retune its inventory to appeal to more urban consumers.
The Plano store is a testing ground for ideas, from trendier products to more subdued interiors, that are part of a broad effort at Wal-Mart to rekindle sluggish growth by luring more affluent shoppers away from faster-growing rivals such as Target Corp.
Chief Executive Lee Scott has said that in communities like Plano, Wal-Mart's sports department should shift from a traditional emphasis on hunting and fishing to more home fitness and exercise products.

*


----------



## Guest (Apr 14, 2006)

actually I think this is good news...

It's good news for the smaller gun shops around. It will bring them more business now. 

I hate walmart anyway, so I'm little bias...


----------



## Guest (Apr 15, 2006)

I hate Walmart too, but as much as I shoot, it’s hard to beat the Wally-World-White-Box ammo prices. Especially when I haven’t made it to a gun show in a while.

Think I’m going to mention this in the next show. See what people think.


----------



## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

I think after the whole Katrina thing, they are looking for ways to cut their gun stock.


----------



## Guest (Apr 15, 2006)

Shipwreck said:


> I think after the whole Katrina thing, they are looking for ways to cut their gun stock.


Speaking of Walmart/Katrina and the aftermath... This is a must see video clip

http://www.berettagunforum.com/video/NOPD-Looting.wmv


----------



## Nick (Apr 7, 2006)

Classic. I liked the black cop who said she was "lookin for looters", not minding that apparently she didn't see the one also in uniform dragging a shopping cart down the aisle in front of her.


----------

