Walmart - Pricing and Distribution Strategy

        I recently signed the lease to my new apartment and I am very excited about living on my own again.  Although this excitement is extreme, I also have a bit of anxiety because of all of the things I will have to purchase for my home.  Technology is a huge part of my life and I have chosen to discuss two products that are used constantly.  My computer may be one of my most significant necessities.  I use it most often out of any appliances.  The television is my other requirement.  I multitask doing everything and regardless of what I am doing, I am watching television, whether it is cooking, cleaning, etc.

        Walmart is the perfect place to go for someone in my situation.  I will be able to find and purchase most of the products I will need for my home all at once.  I purchased my new laptop from their store a couple of months ago.  They had a huge variety to choose from, the top brands, and as you can see in the advertisement below, they offer great deals for every budget.  

        Companies use a promotional mix or marketing communication mix to reach their consumers.  This consists of specific blends of advertising, personal selling, sales promotions, public relations, and direct-marketing tools.  They use this mixture to persuasively communicate customer value and build customer relationships.  Advertising includes any paid forms of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods, or services by an intended sponsor.  Public relations focus on building good relations with the company’s diverse communities by acquiring favorable unpaid publicity.  Personal selling is any form of personal presentation by the organization’s sales force for the purpose of making sales and building customer relationships.  Sales promotion is used to provide short-term stimulus to encourage the purchase or sale of a product or service.  Direct marketing tools use communication with customers seeking instant response for targeted individual customers.  

[pic 1]

        This advertisement was for Black Friday/Thanksgiving season.  There are usually bigger sales during the holidays.  This holiday is often regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.  Walmart was offering deals on the Compaq and HP Laptops and Desktops.  Each item in the advertisement was specifically described informing the potential customers of the size of it, what features they offered, and their prices.  The Compaq computers regular prices range from $250.00 to $1300.00.  This particular laptop was on sale for $179.00.  The HP laptop and computers range from $519.00 to $1300.00 while Walmart had this sale of the purchase costing no more than $400.00.

...