As far as I know they weren't selling pistols at all.
We do in AK only. As for some of the other comments:
we have a few FFL's on here, maybe they can chime in on how well they are moving now-a-days.
What sells at the LGS and what sells at Wal-Mart aren't necessarily the same thing. I know this because I have worked at both.
I'd have to think that semi-auto rifles are one of their better sellers.
No, they are not. Bolt action rifles, both .22 and centerfire are. Pump shotguns sell good, too.
By Julia Glum.Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the largest gun retailer in the United States, confirmed Wednesday it will stop selling assault and sporting rifles at its stores.
Just a little typical reporter bias there. Wal-Mart has never sold assault rifles, which as
we all know, are NFA items.
"We previously carried modern sporting rifles in less than a third of our stores,” Lundberg said. “Our merchandising decisions are driven largely by customer demand. In our everyday course of doing business, we are continually reviewing and adjusting our product assortment to meet our customers’ needs."
This statement is correct. AR's were not sold in that many stores, and they were not a big seller in those. Whether this is due to the socioeconomic status of the customer is debatable, as many affluent people also shop at Wal-Mart. I personally think it was due to people generally not associating Wal-Mart with modern sporting rifles.
"Our focus in terms of firearms should be hunters and people who shoot sporting clays, and things like that," said McMillon in June. "So the types of rifles we sell, the types of ammunition we sell, should be curated for those things."
When asked at the time if he would curtail sales of semiautomatic guns, McMillon said "yes."
Do you have a source for this quote? One was supplied for the above quote.
Wal-Mart has gone through CEO's faster than they (the CEO's)can change underwear, it seems. Just about the time I find out who the head honcho is, it's changed. So policies vacillate. McMillan does sound a bit Fuddy in that quote.
What are the odds that Wal-Mart would still be selling AR15s and AKs all day long if they were Norinco brand?
That's a good one!
In reality, they'd have made the same decision.
They aren't - most folks who frequent Walmart do so because finances are a little tight these past few years - they might have enough to buy a Pardner pump or similar, but they aren't shelling out $800+ for an AR.
Walmart has some of the best inventory analysts anywhere and the company operates on huge volumes at tight margins to create low prices. Their costs are WAY up after granting almost a billion dollars in wage increases alone, so expensive stuff that doesn't sell gets axed; plain and simple.
There might be one or two in mgt who think it might lessen some $$$ exposure because high-capacity weapons are the supposed favorite of mass murderers and if they don't sell them, their fannies are better protected - but in reality it simply comes down to dollars and cents. They do not want an $800 item - no matter what it - languishing for months on the shelves eating their margins with carrying costs.
For some, this is true, but people of all income levels shop at Wal-Mart, from those on public assistance to millionares.
The rest of your statement is spot on.
