topic Re: Walmart in Community Chat

Walmart

MorningLover — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 14:55:33 GMT

Made In The USA

As part of a $250 billion commitment to supporting American jobs, Walmart is determined to give prospective suppliers opportunities in this tough retail climate. 3,000+ businesses have applied to pitch their products at Walmart's virtual Open Call.

(I copied the article for anyone interested in reading it)

Aug. 4, 2020
By Laura Phillips, SVP Global Sourcing & U.S. Manufacturing

It’s a been a year of challenges, but in many ways Walmart’s amazing supplier community has helped get America through the first half of the year. In fact, one of the bright spots was watching our suppliers rise to the challenges COVID-19 threw at our nation.

Each year, our Open Call for U.S. Manufactured Products gives entrepreneurs and small businesses an opportunity to join our community of suppliers who help meet the everyday needs of Walmart customers. It would have been an easy decision to cancel the event with everything going on, but we didn’t feel that was the right move for our customers, our communities or the small businesses looking forward to this annual event.

Our merchants were determined to meet the challenge to give prospective suppliers opportunities in this tough retail climate. So, we’re holding our first-ever virtual Open Call on October 1, and it’s shaping up to be an amazing day.

In years past, the Home Office in Bentonville, Arkansas, hosted hundreds of Open Call participants over a couple of days. The lobby and the hallways were jammed with those hoping to make the most of the unique opportunity. This year’s event will be different, but we’re planning an equally exciting program and think making Open Call virtual might give many entrepreneurs who wouldn’t normally make the journey a new opportunity to attend and learn in new ways. In fact, we are thrilled and encouraged to see broader geographic representation among applicants than in previous years, including applicants from 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

We’ll kick off the day with comments from Walmart’s President and CEO Doug McMillon, Chief Merchandising Officer Scott McCall, other Walmart executives and special guests. We also have a full line-up of informative sessions designed to help suppliers succeed in their businesses, like pivoting to address the challenges of COVID-19 and doing business with Walmart.com, Walmart Marketplace or our private brands.

In addition, we’re opening some sessions to the general public, including current suppliers and other businesses. Sessions about how to access capital to grow your business, manage risk and creating great online content planning will stream live, allowing anyone to watch, regardless of where they are.

We want businesses everywhere to be stronger and better prepared to manage the challenges they may face throughout the course of their business. It’s a day you don’t want to miss!

And just like all the previous Open Call events, our buyers will be meeting with potential suppliers throughout the day – making deals to bring new and innovative products to our customers. A big difference this year, however, is the addition of Walmart Marketplace in a bigger and better way.

As more customers choose to shop online, Walmart has strengthened its position through Walmart.com and Marketplace, with the latter outpacing the company’s overall U.S. eCommerce business. Growing our Marketplace is a strategic priority, and that’s another reason why this year’s Open Call presents such a powerful and unparalleled opportunity to entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Open Call is a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs from all over the country to pitch their U.S. Manufactured products and to reach customers through Walmart stores, Sam’s Clubs and online. We learn about innovative new products, and it helps us fulfill our commitment to help boost job creation and U.S. manufacturing through buying an additional $250 billion in products supporting American jobs by 2023.

There’s already a lot of interest. So far, we are tracking ahead of last year’s submissions with more than 3,000 businesses applying for the opportunity to pitch their products to Walmart buyers and more than 10,000 buyer meetings requested.

Check out our virtual event program and join the conversation on social media with #WalmartOpenCall. It’s one of the most exciting days of the year at Walmart. I hope to “see” you all there!

Re: Walmart

MamaWick — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 15:05:03 GMT

DH formerly worked for a manufacturer who supplied to WM. WM tells the suppliers what they will pay for "X" and if supplier can make a profit, fine. But if supplier cannot make a profit, then too bad. Suppliers will lose money in order to get their product on WM shelves.

Re: Walmart

ScrapHappy — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 15:12:00 GMT

I think it's great to see efforts to bring USA products to the shelves and I like Walmart. The problem(s) I have are shopping Walmart.com. It seems the products I've shopped for are "open market" and sold by third party vendors and cannot be returned to the store. Return of these items are via Fed Ex and shipping is expensive.

Re: Walmart

Ibby114 — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 15:20:36 GMT

Yes, as they're attempting positive efforts they're also closing stores! What's going to happen with those American jobs?

Re: Walmart

Ibby114 — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 15:24:22 GMT

@ScrapHappy wrote:
I think it's great to see efforts to bring USA products to the shelves and I like Walmart. The problem(s) I have are shopping Walmart.com. It seems the products I've shopped for are "open market" and sold by third party vendors and cannot be returned to the store. Return of these items are via Fed Ex and shipping is expensive.

@ScrapHappy whenever I search on Walmart.com, I check the 'Retailer' box to include only Walmart. That way I eliminate the 3rd party vendors --

Re: Walmart

4kitties — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 15:40:09 GMT

@Ibby114

Thanks for the tip! I did not know I could filter out those 3rd party sellers.

Re: Walmart

MorningLover — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 15:41:53 GMT

First time I heard of this event.

The annual event supports the next generation of manufacturers by offering aspiring entrepreneurs the opportunity to meet with Walmart buyers this fall.

This OH winemaker is now sharing Walmart Open Call success. Marisa Sergi CEO at RedHead brands wine attended in 2017 and is now in Ohio and WV Walmart stores

Re: Walmart

Still Raining — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 16:04:19 GMT

QVC used to do the 50 in 50 tour. If indeed this is not just a publicity stunt, it is a wonderful idea. There are some wonderful regional products.

Re: Walmart

Foxxee — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 16:47:09 GMT

@Ibby114 wrote:
Yes, as they're attempting positive efforts they're also closing stores! What's going to happen with those American jobs?

@Ibby114

There will be more jobs for Americans when Walmart buys "Made in America."

Probably, a lot don't know, Walmart closes low-performing stores every year. They offer employees positions in other stores if they want. There are so many Walmarts around, often within 10 to 20 miles of each other, so if an employee is willing to drive those miles or move closer, they may be guaranteed a job.

At the same time Walmart closes stores, they are building new ones in more lucrative locations.

Re: Walmart

danedylan — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 17:06:08 GMT

to ScrapHappy--I shop on WM.com BUT I will only buy something that can be returned to the store--I always check that out before I purchase--I find most of the time it says it can be returned to the store--to send anything back to a 3rd party supplier is not something I would ever do--just sayn!--------------------marynj

Re: Walmart

Kachina624 — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 18:17:47 GMT

I think Walmart will have trouble finding manufacturers in the US with whom they can spend $250 billion, if that is the correct ffigure. I doubt that many exist.

Re: Walmart

Foxxee — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 21:49:05 GMT

Walmart has been working on this for several years.

Not explained in the article is Walmart is helping entrepreneurs start their businesses if they have a product of interest. This will mean new businesses that will offer products made here instead of buying them from China or any other foreign country.

For small businesses, Walmart is helping them grow by buying products from them.

Walmart is a stickler for low prices, so these companies will need to find a way to offer those low prices. Walmart has been known to advise companies on how they can run their companies more efficiently cutting down on operating costs.

I think this is all very exciting.

Re: Walmart

tototwo — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 11:53:26 GMT

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought that waay back when Walmart first came to be, they only sold Made In America products. That's what made them popular; that was their business model at the time. Somewhere along the way, they started selling other country's products to keep prices low. And some of their usual brands moved their manufacturing out of the USA.

???

Re: Walmart

MorningLover — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 19:26:35 GMT

To participate in Walmart Open Call, the only requirements for businesses are that their merchandise is produced on U.S. soil and that the product is ready for sale.

"The products can be of any type, clothing, toys, cleaning products, food, sports equipment, everything. But the product has to be ready for sale. They can’t bring us an idea because this is not to help creation, said Adriana Pereira-Reyes, Walmart’s public relations director. It has to be a product that is in stock and ready to be sold in a store.

Selected businesses will have the opportunity to participate in a virtual event scheduled for Oct. 1. On that day, they will give a 15-minute sales pitch to buyers, meet Walmart executives, and learn from company leaders during smaller sessions designed to inform, train and encourage participants."

In Open Call, suppliers must try to convince Walmart buyers to select their products. The final decision depends on each case, according to Pereira-Reyes. “At that point they can give you a no, they can give you a yes, or, sometimes the conversations continue and after a few months they can select you,” she said.

In previous years, the event was held at Walmart’s corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. But this time it will take place virtually in response to the spread of COVID-19 infections. “Being virtual, it eliminates the cost of traveling to Arkansas and gives the opportunity to more people who could not afford this cost,” said Pereira-Reyes.

Open Call is part of Walmart’s mission to help drive job creation and product manufacturing in the U.S. by purchasing $250 billion in products that support U.S. jobs by 2023.

According to Pereira-Reyes, people who shop at Walmart are increasingly demanding locally manufactured products.

“It’s a priority for our customers to buy homemade products. It is also our duty to support jobs in America,” Pereira-Reyes said.