WEST DEPTFORD, NJ-Walmart's new "Project Impact" stores make an even more seductive bid for consumers strapped for cash, energy and time. With Walmart ads telling the nation's families that they can save an average of $3,100 this year by shopping at Walmart no matter where they originally shop, consumer technology dealers must pay attention to this new format, especially its thoughtfully merchandised electronics department.
Dealerscope recently toured a new Project Impact Walmart Supercenter in West Deptford, N.J., and was impressed not only by the electronics department but by the store as a whole.
This is a place where stressed out moms, retirees and folks looking for a deal or just working through a weekend shopping list might very well walk a few yards to a new department rather than driving to a whole different store.
One of the first things Dealerscope noticed about the West Deptford Walmart was its setting. Far away from any retail power center, this new Supercenter stands alone on an expansive corner lot bordered on two sides by two-lane thoroughfares that connect a string of contiguous South Jersey towns. A new Rite Aid serves as gatekeeper at the Supercenter's main traffic entrance, but there are no other heavy-hitter retailers in sight. Locally, median annual incomes for families hover under roughly $50,000.
The expansive Supercenter façade has three entrances, marked Outdoor Living, Home & Living and Market & Pharmacy. An attached Subway restaurant caters to the customers.
Shoppers can easily orient themselves upon entering the store. Store signage is clear and plentiful, with huge overhead banners highlighting major sections and directional "street" signs posted at aisles intersections.
Screen images flashing from a wall of 44 flat-panel TVs-from an 18-inch Magnavox LCD TV to a 52-inch Sony LCD HDTV-draw shoppers from the entrance into the electronics department positioned at the store's rear.
Whoever is merchandising the Supercenter electronics department knows the biz and has added needed interactivity to make CE sales on a Walmart sales floor: a Sony Blu-ray DVD demo capping the multi vendor Bluray display with 46 Blu-ray titles, a Sony soundbar demo, a digital photo kiosk, and gaming demos kiosks that promote Wii, Xbox 360 and Playstation.
Within its target scope for a cash-and-carry crowd, Walmart offers CE in good, better and best categories: in BluRay players (Magnavox, Philips, Visio, Samsung, Panasonic, Sony), remotes (from a $7 Universal model to a $70 Logitech Harmony 610), home theater systems (from a Philips DVD to Sony Blu-ray DVD) and HDMI cables (Monster, Sony and Philips).
Dealerscope recently toured a new Project Impact Walmart Supercenter in West Deptford, N.J., and was impressed not only by the electronics department but by the store as a whole.
This is a place where stressed out moms, retirees and folks looking for a deal or just working through a weekend shopping list might very well walk a few yards to a new department rather than driving to a whole different store.
One of the first things Dealerscope noticed about the West Deptford Walmart was its setting. Far away from any retail power center, this new Supercenter stands alone on an expansive corner lot bordered on two sides by two-lane thoroughfares that connect a string of contiguous South Jersey towns. A new Rite Aid serves as gatekeeper at the Supercenter's main traffic entrance, but there are no other heavy-hitter retailers in sight. Locally, median annual incomes for families hover under roughly $50,000.
The expansive Supercenter façade has three entrances, marked Outdoor Living, Home & Living and Market & Pharmacy. An attached Subway restaurant caters to the customers.
Shoppers can easily orient themselves upon entering the store. Store signage is clear and plentiful, with huge overhead banners highlighting major sections and directional "street" signs posted at aisles intersections.
Screen images flashing from a wall of 44 flat-panel TVs-from an 18-inch Magnavox LCD TV to a 52-inch Sony LCD HDTV-draw shoppers from the entrance into the electronics department positioned at the store's rear.
Whoever is merchandising the Supercenter electronics department knows the biz and has added needed interactivity to make CE sales on a Walmart sales floor: a Sony Blu-ray DVD demo capping the multi vendor Bluray display with 46 Blu-ray titles, a Sony soundbar demo, a digital photo kiosk, and gaming demos kiosks that promote Wii, Xbox 360 and Playstation.
Within its target scope for a cash-and-carry crowd, Walmart offers CE in good, better and best categories: in BluRay players (Magnavox, Philips, Visio, Samsung, Panasonic, Sony), remotes (from a $7 Universal model to a $70 Logitech Harmony 610), home theater systems (from a Philips DVD to Sony Blu-ray DVD) and HDMI cables (Monster, Sony and Philips).
Please be advised that this WalMart is located in the TOwnship of Deptford, New Jersey. The Township of West Deptford is several mile away. Currently Walmart maintains two store in the Township of Deptford. THe first Walmart was opened approximately one year ago and is located on the east-side of the Township. The most recently opened store is located on the west-side of the Township. Walmart also has a contract to acquire property on the south-end of the Township to construct a third store.