Walmart
has rolled back its rollbacks. Earlier this year, the retailer tried to
spark sluggish U.S. sales by lowering its prices — already bargains —
even further. One analyst called it "an initiative that screams: Price!
Price! Price!" These rollbacks, as they are known in Walmartspeak and
in the company's advertising, were intended to overwhelm the shopper.
In May, according to one shopping website, the price of a 40-oz. bottle
of Heinz ketchup, which had been $2.42, was chopped to $1. Kraft mac
and cheese, which had been going for $3.58, was reduced to $2.50. The
rollback of a 50-oz. bottle of Tide laundry detergent, which was priced
in the $7.48-$8.12 range, gave shoppers a $2.50 discount. Walmart
expected a flood of customers to its stores, which would help lift the
company's stock out of its rut and get Walmart rolling again.