World the power of passion From recycling to merchandising, customer service to community action, your enthusiasm helps us succeed. Inside Walmart.com Meet the People Behind the World’s Largest Online Retailer Ready for Some NASCAR? Walmart Goes to the Races Volunteer Heroes Retailtainment: Why It Matters to Your Store Great Grilling Ideas +
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Transcript
World
the power of
passionFrom recycling to merchandising, customer service to community action, your enthusiasm helps us succeed.
Inside Walmart.comMeet the People Behind the World’s Largest Online Retailer
702 S.W. 8th Street, Mail Stop 0311, Bentonville, AR 72716.
Walmart World is a proprietary publication of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and is intended for use by Walmart at its
discretion. The editor reserves the right to select and edit letters for publication, considering only those consistent with our Three Basic Beliefs. Some stories may appear in other publications, including those intended for external
audiences. All material that you submit to Walmart World shall become the property of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.,
and submission shall be deemed a transfer of all right, title, and interest to the materials submitted.
contents
Welcome
3 From the Editor
What’s Hot at Walmart4 Key Initiatives, News,
and Updates
Our Purpose6 California Dreaming
10 Enjoy the Show
The Walmart Opportunity12 Welcome to Walmart.com
The Communities We Serve16 It’s Your Choice
18 Local Impact
Pictured on the cover: Associate Ian Torres, of Store 3652, in West Sacramento, Calif., is proud of his store’s success with recycling.
See more on page 6. Cover photography by: Cody Pickens
21
Your Walmart Family21 Care for the Customer
23 What Do You Love to Do?
We Are Merchants26 Fishing for Success30 It’s Race Time!34 Off to College
Your Life36 Get Out. Really!
38 Your Best BBQ Yet
41 July 2011 Wellness Calendar
Associate Anniversaries44 July Anniversaries
26
18
Walmart World is available online:
WIRE > News > Magazinesand
mywalmart.com >Walmart World Community
41
WMW0711_TOC_legal.indd 1 6/10/11 2:22 PM
Issue 7 | 3
Printed on Recycled Paper
WorldEditor in chief Annie de Vona
Project managers Amanda FosterLayne Petersen
Legal counsel Rita GrahamLegal support Mary Trybulec
No responsibility can be accepted for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs, which
must be accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The views expressed in this
magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher or Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Hello, fellow associates! I’m thrilled to be able to share this issue with you—an issue
focused on associates who are passionate about doing great things for each other, for their communities, and for their customers. And each of these associates proves that passion drives success.
Take Patrick Haines, a senior director at Walmart’s Office of Global Food Sourcing in Costa Rica, for example. He’s so passionate about mountain biking that he took on the challenge of a grueling four-day bike race across Costa Rica, from the Pacific to the Caribbean Sea…and he loved it. Patrick’s passion also helps him succeed on the job, because mountain bik-ing with the local Spanish-speaking population allows him to connect with Costa Ricans and their culture, and helps him build the skills and relationships he needs to reach out to others and drive our business forward.
Here’s the thing: You don’t have to be a mountain biker in Costa Rica to show your passion, at work or at home. Walmart associates are passionate volunteers in their communities; they’re passionate about helping custom-ers and their fellow associates; and they’re passionate about being the best, most creative merchants around. This issue highlights each of those passions, and shows how being passionate makes us successful, not just as individuals, but also as a team and as a business. If there’s one lesson that I’ve learned in putting together these inspirational stories and speaking with all of the associates involved, it’s this: We can’t win unless we’re passionate about serving others.
So, what’s your passion? And how do you bring your passion to life on the job every day? We’d love to hear about it. Log on to our Walmart World Community page on mywalmart.com and share your thoughts with us and your fellow associates. Head to mywalmart.com > Get Connected > Communities > Walmart World and Request a New Topic to start a conversation, or select Comment to join a conversation on an existing topic. Or, simply drop us an e-mail at [email protected].
As always, thank you for everything you do in our stores, distribution centers, and trans-portation offices every day to help one another, and help our customers save money and live better. Walmart wouldn’t be Walmart without you!
from the editor
Jon Nathansonassociate marketing manager,
strategic platforms “Our Family Moments campaign is
another way that Walmart emphasizes the importance of family,” says
Jon. “We help families enjoy quality time together—without breaking the bank.” See more on page 10.
Todd Cruisemarketing manager, sponsorship
“With retailtainment events, we can highlight programs our customers love
and bring them to life in stores,” Todd says. “Retailtainment brings the customer experience to a whole new level.” See more starting on page 26.
Editor in chief Annie de Vona’s passion? Things that grow—and her local Walmart!
Go blue!July is National Blueberry Month.And yes, the fruit is worth celebrat-ing: Blueberries are high in antioxi-dants, fiber, and lots of healthy substances that can boost your immune system, help you lose weight, boost your brain health, reduce your risk of heart disease, and more. Enjoy the super fruit today—find a recipe on page 41.
YOUR BENEFITS:
Travel for lessSave on travel and entertainment this summer—and all year long—with the Associate Discount Center! There are hundreds of discounts available to associates, including great deals on hotels, car rentals, theme parks, water parks, movies, and more. It’s your way to bring the family out for less!
Visit the Associate Discount Center by logging onto mywalmart.com, clicking the Benefits & Resources tab, and then clicking on Discount Center (under
Marketplace).
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EDLP, tax free!It’s true, many states offer annual sales-tax-free weekends to help people with common purchases. (Some offer no sales tax on back-to-school items, for example.) During August, approximately 15 states are holding sales-tax-free week-ends—and those are great times to share our EDLP message! (Don’t forget, your associate discount card can help you save, too—any time!) See if your state is offering a tax-free weekend this year by visiting your state’s Internal Revenue Web site, or by visiting taxadmin.org/fta/rate/sales_holiday.html.
Big news, right nowIt’s time to fire up that backyard
barbecue—get recipes and insight into Walmart’s high-quality beef
selection on page 38.
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Key initiatives to know about in your store, our company,
the community, and across the country.
WMW0711_whats_hot_SHIP.indd 4 6/14/11 11:43 AM
BooksAuthor James Patterson is back with two new realeases this month: the suspenseful Now You See Her and the hilarious Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life. Also being released this month, new books by: >Danielle Steel>Catherine Coulter>George R. R. Martin
MoviesRango, the animated tale of a chameleon (voiced by Johnny Depp) who accidentally ends up becoming the sheriff of a Wild West town, will arrive on Blu-ray and DVD on July 15. Also being released this month: >Limitless>Soul Surfer>The Lincoln Lawyer>Source Code>Paul
Your ethics questions, answered!
Our Global Ethics Office is dedicated to making sure you have the resources you need
to make ethical decisions. That’s why we’ve added ethics FAQs to the WIRE, to provide
you with answers to common ethics questions and clarify what’s expected. Just visit
the WIRE > Knowledge Center > Corporate Support >
Global Ethics.
MusicBest-selling rock band 3 Doors Down returns this month with its fifth studio album, Time of My Life, which will hit shelves July 19. Also being released this month, new albums by:
Beat the heatSummer means fun in the sun…but those hot days can take a toll. So play it safe: Wear a hat and lightweight clothing, slather on some sunscreen (minimum SPF 30), and drink plenty of water. Feel dizzy or nauseous? Those are signs of overheating—get somewhere cool and take a break.
IN-STORE DEMOS
We love our furry friends!
With flea and tick season underway, it is important to keep your pets healthy and protected. Walmart is the exclusive mass retailer of PetArmor™ flea and tick
treatment, which uses the same active ingredients as
Frontline®. Swing by the Walmart Bright Ideas demo
station to learn more about PetArmor™ and the
advantages of keeping your pets safe all summer long.
MSP: Perfect for summerSummer is the perfect time to make or renew your commitment to MSP (My Sustainability Plan). The warmer months are a great time to volunteer outside, enjoy nature, walk or bike to work, or eat healthy, fresh produce. Visit mywalmart.com to create and track your MSP goals, starting today!
VUDU—movies for you!VUDU is a Walmart-owned
movie-streaming service, with no subscription or sign-up fees. Beginning in July, you’ll be able
to rent VUDU movies from Walmart.com. Look for VUDU in the movie department online,
where you can browse and rent videos to stream to your
computer or to a VUDU-enabled TV or Blu-ray player.
new releases
???
> Alicia Keys> Blake Shelton
> Eric Church> Colbie Caillat
Issue 7 2011 | 5
WMW0711_whats_hot_SHIP_rev.indd 5 6/15/11 5:29 PM
california dreamingRecycling, the Walmart Way
Associate Tong Heu moves a bale of cardboard behind Store 3652, in West Sacramento, to where it will be
picked up for recycling. At right: Associates Michelle Lor and Merry Williams operate Store 3652’s baler.
BENEFITS OF 80% If all of our facilities nationwide had an 80 percent reduction in landfill waste, we could prevent more than 11.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. That’s as much carbon dioxide as 2 million cars produce in a year.
reating zero waste is one of our three main sustainability goals. And today, we’re closer than ever to reaching that goal, thanks to the lessons we’ve learned
through our facilities in California. Here, we highlight three stores that have already reduced the amount of waste that they send to landfills by more than 80 percent!
Our Landfill Waste Reduction Program started in California in March 2009, in three pilot locations: Sam’s Club 6610 in Chino, Store 3464 in Chino, and Store 1789 in Lodi. Over the course of that summer, the program rolled out statewide—and completed rolling out nationwide to more than 4,400 stores and clubs by June 2010. The program that’s now in stores has three main parts:
Turn the page to see how it’s done, based on three California stores who have excelled in these areas. >>
By eliminating more than 80% of their landfill waste, our
Big Numbers, Coast to CoastAssociates at Walmart facilities across the country—associates like you—are delivering some
amazing numbers when it comes to creating zero waste. Take a
look—and keep up the great work!
4,000,000Number of oil changes made
possible by refining used oil from Tire and Lube Express Centers
256,000,000Pounds of food, equal to 197 million
meals, Walmart donated to hunger relief organizations in 2010
480Number of semitrucks that can
be fueled for one year with Walmart cooking oil converted
into biodiesel fuel
1,500 Megawatts of energy created from Walmart organic waste
19,600Number of homes that could
be powered by the energy generated from recycled tires
from Tire and Lube Express Centers and Tire and Battery Centers
RecyclingStore 3652, West Sacramento
Along with its high level of success in recycling cardboard, aluminum, plastic bags, and about 30 other items in the Super Sandwich Bale Program, the store has an outstanding 88.9 percent in landfill waste reduction. HOW THEY DO IT: “When the recycling efforts began, it was an education,” says Rene Puentes, manager of Store 3652. “But now it’s the expectation in the store. We assign recycling champions for each shift who check recycling areas to be sure they’re well maintained. That’s half the battle—knowing where to put the stuff.”
Food DonationStore 1988, Roseville
In addition to achieving an overall landfill waste reduction of 89.96 percent, this store in Roseville helped many members of the community with donations of healthy, nutritious food. Among the beneficiaries was the Placer Food Bank, which received fresh, perishable food. HOW THEY DO IT: “We have a daily pickup at which time the Placer Food Bank receives food that’s about to go out of date,” says Steve Proctor, manager of Store 1988. “Each day, associates will check the dates to see what can go to the food bank. We don’t give them anything that’s out of date, and they can either freeze or immediately distribute the food.”
Food Waste RecyclingStore 3464, Chino
With a whopping average landfill waste reduction of 93.27 percent from August to December 2010, the Chino store particularly excelled at food waste recycling. Food products that would have been otherwise sent to a landfill were used to create animal feed, energy, or compost. HOW THEY DO IT: “Trash cans for different kinds of recycling, including organics, are set up in departments,” says Larry Meza, shift manager of Store 3464. “The organic waste is removed and taken to be composted.”
“In this store, we have several associates who live green at home and have become very involved with our store’s sustainability,” Larry adds. “This program gives the associates a sense of involvement and reiterates their values.
Issue 7 • 2011 | 9
10 | WalmartWorld
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Get everyone involvedAdults and kids alike can prepare food, but it can be more fun for the kids to have a special task: running the box office for the main event.
> Help kids make a “box office” with a big cardboard box. Decorate the box with the name of the theatre (“The Smith Family Cinema,” for example) or the title of the movie you’ll watch that night.
> Have the kids make and decorate paper tickets to “sell” at the box office.
These can be great mementos for scrapbooks or photo albums.
> Give the kids flashlights and appoint them as ushers, guiding all the audience members (meaning mom and dad) to their seats before the start of the show.
> Help the kids make popcorn, or let them give you a hand setting up some snacks beforehand, so that they can serve any hungry customers (including themselves!) during breaks in the movie.
Spend some quality time together as a family—and make lasting memories—with a Family Movie Night, Walmart-style. Here’s how.
ENJOY the
SHOW
Everyone’s a CriticOne of the best things about movie night is that your family will have lots of good
things to talk about the next day. Encour-age conversation at the dinner table. Ask:
Popcorn party!Recreate an authentic movie-theatre experience by having plenty of popcorn on hand. Try Orville Redenbacher’s Movie Theater Butter style popcorn. Or go light with Orville’s SmartPop! Gourmet—it’s just
100 calories for six cups, and 94 percent fat free. TIP: Let kids make individual popcorn bags. It’s easy. Just take a sheet of con-struction paper, form it into a cone, tape it together, and fill it with popcorn.
Family Moments with Walmart
We’re supporting the creation of family-friendly entertainment.
Here’s what’s playing next.
Walmart is about supporting families. That’s why, when we learned that the majority of parents in
America are looking for more family-oriented enter-tainment, we knew we could do something about
it. We partnered with a number of suppliers—including Procter & Gamble, Pepsi, ConAgra, and
others—to create Family Moments, a series of fam-ily-friendly movies that would air throughout the
year for families across the country to enjoy. Here’s information on the next Family Moments movie. Look for another one to air in early September!
Relax!Before movie night
begins, make sure
the kids are in their
pajamas (and let
them set up some
pillows, too), in
case they fall asleep
while watching the
film. (Better yet,
have the whole
family enjoy the
show in their PJs!)
Who Is Simon Miller?When to watch: August 6 at 8/7 p.m. ET/CT, on NBCDetails: Simon Miller is an unassuming geologist…or is he? When he mysteriously disappears, his wife and two teenage children stumble upon a stash of passports with different aliases for Simon. So, who is Simon Miller, really? His family sets out to get him back, so they can find out for themselves.
Dinner theatreTake Family Movie Night to the next level with a fun family meal:Pizza night. Pick up a classic crust Marketside Pizza—go green with the Tuscan Veg-etable pie, or go nuts with the Supreme Pizza, loaded with everything from pepperoni to provolone.
Soup’s on. Let everyone help them-selves to some Marketside Loaded Potato Soup or Corn Chowder.Sip some hollywood fizz. Mix up a batch of sparkling punch. Combine a 2-liter bottle of Sierra Mist, 16 ounces
of Tropicana orange juice, and a 1-liter bottle of seltzer water. Stir, adding ice and some orange and lemon slices. TIP: Serve the kids in spill-proof reusable sports bottles.
Go to mywalmart.com > Get Connected > Com-munities > Walmart World and Request a New Topic to start a conversation, or select Com-ment to join a conversation on an existing topic. Post your comments and suggestions about Family Movie Night and the movies you and your family enjoy. Thanks for sharing!
Ever wonder what it’s like to work for the world’s largest online retailer? Here’s a look at the ins and outs of Walmart.com, according to
three associates who bring our dot-com to life.
welcome to walmart.com
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Issue 7 | 13
ou might think of Walmart.comas something that exists in cyberspace, but the associates
who keep this virtual store running smoothly—24/7, 365 days a year—spend their workdays just like you: in a brick-and-mortar building. Though Walmart.com has offices in various parts of the United States (including Bentonville) and other countries (such as China), most dot-com associates work in a Walmart campus on the San Francisco Peninsula. Since it was founded in January 2000, Walmart.com has seen exponential growth, and has improved in many ways—thanks to the talented associates who work behind the scenes. Here’s a look at what it’s like to be on the dot-com side of the Walmart family.
The day begins At 6 a.m., Paul Friday starts his hour-long commute to his office, but his workday really doesn’t have a beginning or an end. Paul is the senior buyer of computersand home office for Walmart.com, and he admits that he’s constantly surfing the Internet, looking for ways to make his
“aisle” of Walmart.com even better. “When I’m not at work, I’m checking out
what the competition is doing,” says Paul, whose team is responsible for selecting the 15,000-plus types of laptops, net-books, monitors, webcams, video cards, and other computer-related products sold on Walmart.com.
Like many in-store associates, Paul spends some of his days off in a brick-and-mortar store, shopping with his family for everyday essentials. “Last week, we needed a new car seat,” he says, “and the store I was in didn’t have it in stock. So I pulled out my phone, went to Walmart.com, and found that another local Walmart had one. I ordered it and paid for it using my phone, and 35 minutes later, I got an e-mail that it was ready for pickup.”
Pick Up Today (PUT) is just one way that Walmart.com and Walmart stores work together to give customers the best shop-ping experience possible. In fact, part of the success of Walmart.com is due to how store associates treat their customers.
“Because of customers’ great in-store experiences, they trust Walmart.com,” says
mPAUL FRIDAYsenior buyer of computers and home office for Walmart.com
“When a customer is online, it just takes a
few clicks to compare products and prices.
We have to make sure that we have everything—from the top
sellers to the obscure products—so we don’t lose that customer.
At the end of the day, we all want the same
thing: to keep our customers happy.”
CHRISTINE PUNsenior manager of the user interface design team for Walmart.com
“We would love to know what store associates
hear from customers about Walmart.com. Do
they see customers on their phone in the store,
checking prices or reading product information?
We’d love to hear from our associates so we can help improve the
customers’ shopping experience.If they use the site themselves, we’d
like to hear what they think, too!”
“Walmart.com hit its first $1 million Black Friday six
months after I joined the company in 2002. Last year, Black Friday sales were greater than $100 million. You can see how fast
Walmart.com has grown in just a few years!”
MING LUdirector of engineering in global e-commerce for Walmart.com
the walmartopportunity
Pick Up Today is a great Walmart.com feature that connects the Web site to local stores. Here’s how:
> While a customer is shopping, he or she can go to “Choose My Store” to select the Walmart store closest to them.
> As the customer shops online, certain products available at the local store will show a “Pick Up Today” option.
> When the customer purchases that item online, he or she can choose “Pick Up Today” as the shipping option.
> At the store, the customer would show an ID and a printout of the e-mail notification to pick up the item. It’s fast and easy, and it makes shopping conve-nient like never before!
Excellent tech for exceptional service
WMW0711_dotcom_SHIP_rev.indd 13 6/14/11 4:17 PM
14 | WalmartWorld
Paul. “One of our goals is to keep those loyal Walmart custom-ers when they choose to shop online. We want them to know that Walmart will always give them what they’re looking for at the Every Day Low Prices that they’ve come to expect from the Walmart brand, whether they’re shopping in stores or online.”
Creating the right experience Christine Pun clicks through the site and (and those of our com-petitors) to look for opportunities to improve the Walmart.com experience. Christine, who started with Walmart.com as an intern eight years ago, is now senior manager of the user interface design team.
“We’re experienced designers,” Christine explains, which means her team wants customers to feel comfortable. “We figure out what the site looks like and how the customer will move from place to place on it. Where is the ‘front door’? Where should each department be located?”
Christine and her team consider every step of our custom-ers’ Web site experience, to provide whatever they might need. “We want to make everything easy to understand,” she says. In a way, the site is designed to play the same role as our friendly Walmart associates, helping the customer find the products he or she wants, compare different brands, and make selections. Christine and her team also have to make sure that the virtual shopping cart doesn’t have any “squeaky wheels,” anything that makes it difficult for the customers to use it. And, they ensure that customers’ experience during the checkout and payment process is just as easy as it is in our stores. Finally, Christine’s team makes sure that everything looks good, just as store asso-ciates do when customers walk through the doors.
One thing that Christine has learned from customer feedback: Customers view Walmart.com and Walmart stores as one and the same. “Customers tell us what they think of the Web site,”
she says, “but they also tell us about their experience in the stores. They’ll say how wonderful a certain manager or associ-ate was. Right now, we have a team trying to figure out the best ways to share that feedback with the stores.”
Christine also gets some of her best ideas from Walmart brick-and-mortar stores. “One of the challenges we have online is that we are currently displaying all of our items the same way,” she
says. “But customers want different information, depending on the product they’re looking at. For clothes, they want to see a big photo and to be able to magnify the details on it. For electronics, they want the product’s specs and price. In Walmart stores, these items are displayed very differently. On Walmart.com, we’re look-ing at how we can do that too.”
Running smoothly Ming Lu is meeting with a team of engineers. His goal: to plan and prioritize how new features will be added to the Web site in the coming months. As director of engineering in global e-commerce for Walmart.com, Ming’s team does the behind-the-scenes work on the site, writing the computer programs (or “code”) that make it look good and work smoothly.
One example: “A few years ago, the company wanted to bundle a game console with some games,” Ming says. “We had to figure out how to set up the Web site so the customer could choose 5 out of 20 games, along with the console, and place the order so they’d get it all for one low price.” Ming was also involved in building the Site to Store feature, which allows customers to order product online and pick up it up at a store , with no charge for shipping—a project that shows how the site and stores work together.
Recently, Ming’s job took him to China, where he helped set up a team that takes over certain Walmart.com tasks when the group stationed in the United States goes home for the night. Ming enjoyed that opportunity, since it not only gave him a bet-ter understanding of Walmart.com, but showed him that one thing is the same everywhere: the quality of Walmart associates.
“I have met a lot of talented and dedicated people in America,” he says. “And it was the same in China. The associates at Walmart and Walmart.com are very creative and very, very smart. That is the same, wherever you go.”
To learn more about careers at Walmart.com, visit the Career Portal at WIRE > me@Walmart > My Career Path.
Insights Into Walmart.com> New products.products are added each day.
> Walmart.com goes global. In the past, Walmart.com only supported U.S. business, but it has now gone global. The company is building Web sites for China, Latin America, and other countries. And each one is different. For instance, customers in China are used to a Web site with a lot of information on one page—much busier than the U.S Web site. Also, they expect a product to be shipped to their home at no cost, where they can look at it, test it, and hand it back to the delivery person if they don’t like it.
Walmart.com extends the role of our friendly in-store associates by bringing an information-rich
shopping experience to our customers. It’s a continuation of the in-store
customer experience.
WMW0711_dotcom_SHIP.indd 14 6/10/11 2:43 PM
the walmartopportunity
About Walmart.com> Founded:
>Headquarters:San Francisco Bay Area, near Silicon Valley
> Products offered daily:
> Features to check out: Site to Store, Music
Value of the Day, Best Sellers, Clearance, People Who Bought This Item Also Bought, Customer Product Reviews
Adding a New Product
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4
It takes just one click to select a product from Walmart.com and put it in your virtual cart. But how it gets to the Web site in the first place…well, that takes a little more than one click. A product’s journey might go something like this:
A buyer hears about a great new product. The buyer then agrees to add the product to the Web site. The buyer talks to the supplier to figure out how Walmart.com can offer the product for the lowest price possible. Once the prices have been agreed upon, the buyer passes the item to Walmart.com’s Item Setup team.
While Item Setup builds the product’s support page (with its descrip-tion, pictures, etc.), Site Merchandising looks at how it should be displayed: where it should appear on the site, accessories, specs, etc., or if it’s a whole new category of products. Engineers then write the code to put the page into action so the prod-uct can be purchased.
Products are ordered and shipped to warehouses all over the country—with a focus on having the products near the locations where demand is expected to be the highest. When a cus-tomer goes online and buys the new product, the warehouse associates go into action, packing the product and shipping it according to the cus-tomer’s instructions.
If the customer doesn’t like the product, the call center handles the product return or the customer can return it to any Walmart store.
Note: If a new feature is being added to the site—such as Site to Store ship-ping—it would be tested by a group of customers who would give their feedback to the Walmart.com team. Then, the feature would be tweaked to make it better.
Issue 7 | 15
www.walmart.com
WMW0711_dotcom_SHIP.indd 15 6/10/11 2:43 PM
16 | WalmartWorld
Cast Your Vote
Through the WIRE or
mywalmart.com,
associates can view
the finalists in their state,
and choose one to
vote for. Ballots will be
cast from June to August.
Voting only takes a min-
ute, and it gives you the
chance to support an
organization in your com-
munity. For more informa-
tion and to vote, go to the
WIRE or mywalmart.com.
haritable giving has been a longtradition at Walmart, and through the Walmart Foundation’s Associate
Choice program, each and every associate in the United States can help decide where some of that money goes.
This year, voting begins in mid-June and
runs through early August, and the winners will be announced later that month. During the 2010 voting, more than 97,000 associates participated. We’re hoping that more than 500,000 of you will vote this year! Here’s how the $100,000 grant winners in six states used the money to help their communities.
ColoradoHunger Free Colorado
With its award money, Hunger Free Colorado supported its School Breakfast
Challenge. This program provides breakfasts to children who otherwise may
not have a meal in the morning. Last summer, the organization was also able to serve more than 1 million meals to communities throughout the state.
OregonOregon Food Bank
With its grant, the Oregon Food Bank opened a site in Beaverton, which
distributed more than 2.23 million pounds of food in its first six months of operation. The organization also used
the Foundation funds to support nutrition education classes and create a hands-on learning garden in a middle school.
it’s your choiceEvery year, associates vote to determine a
$100,000 charitable grant in each state. Below, six winners of last year’s Associate Choice program—plus how to take part this year.
Associate Angela Sanders, of Store 1248, in Memphis, Tenn., frequently volunteers at a local food pantry with other associates.
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Issue 7 | 17
How Candidates Are Chosen
> The Walmart Foundation, with the help of Public Affairs and our State Advisory Councils, selects five or-ganizations per state to compete
Award grant. Groups are nomi-nated because of their charitable work and how well they serve their communities. As part of the company’s commitment to hun-ger relief, one of the five finalists in each state is a food bank or similar hunger-relief organization.
> Nominees are posted on mywalmart.com and the WIRE.
> Between now and early August, associates cast their votes on mywalmart.com and the WIRE to determine who wins the
up organizations in each state
sure to cast your vote!
“I am so glad that the grant money is going to food banks and children’s hospitals. And I am so proud to work for a company that gives back to our local
communities. Blessings will come from that money!” —Maria Myers, Store 3201, McDonough, Ga.
“I’m glad to see so many food banks getting top vote. A big thank you to all associates
who participated in the voting. It takes guts to state your choices and opinions out loud.”
—Doris Hawkins, Store 3363, Owensboro, Kan.
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tate,
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com.
HawaiiPublic Schools of Hawaii Foundation
With their Associate Choice Award, the Hawaii school system boosted its science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
programs. The money helped build a science lab in a high school and funded
science and math training for kindergarten to eighth-grade teachers.
MissouriOzarks Food Harvest
With its $100,000 grant, the nonprofit food bank distributed about 540,000 pounds
of food, worth about $1 million, to charities throughout southwest Missouri.
South CarolinaSouth Carolina Food Bank AssociationWith their money from the AssociateChoice program, the association was able to increase the number of meals distributed throughout the state. One example: With its portion of the award, the Golden Harvest Food Bank was able
to provide more than 150,000 meals.
ArkansasArkansas Children’s Hospital
The Walmart Foundation award was used to purchase three Giraffe OmniBeds
for the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit. These specially designed beds
provide warmth for small infants, helping them maintain a normal body
temperature, and are a welcome addition to Arkansas’ only pediatric medical
center, which often runs near capacity.
the communitieswe serve
WMW0711_choice_SHIP.indd 17 6/14/11 3:57 PM
18 | WalmartWorld
s associates, we’re proud to make a difference in our communities.
That’s why so many of us volunteer—it’s a chance to help the causes that are impor-tant to us in our neighborhoods, and to improve the lives of those around us. Plus, doing good just feels good—and once you start, you won’t want to stop.
If you need proof, talk to Jermaine Jackson, area manager for Distribution Center (DC) 7005, in Carrollton, Ga. Jermaine and his fellow associates have been volunteering at the nearby Carroll County Soup Kitchen (CCSK) for years, offering a helping hand to the kitchen and some very welcome meals to those in need. And they enjoy doing so.
So when Jermaine heard about Fighting Hunger Together, Walmart’s five-year, $2 billion initiative to end hunger in America,
he knew just how to help in his commu-nity. He encouraged his fellow associates to redouble their efforts at the kitchen. And they delivered—big time. Sixty asso-ciates volunteered more than 300 hours over the course of two weeks. They made food, served lunches, and delivered take-out meals for those in need.
The benefits of volunteeringThe company was happy to recognize the efforts of these associates. The CCSK received a $5,000 grant through the Event VAP program, and then earned a $42,000 grant through the Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program. Add $3,000 in in-kind donations, and that’s an extra $50,000 to the pantry because of the volunteer efforts of these associates. The money has let the kitchen add a hot lunch every
When associates help through volunteerism, everyone has the chance to live better.
local impact
A few of the associate volunteers from DC 7005, in Carrollton, Ga. Left to right: Sherry Barber, Jessica Hyatt,
Jermaine Jackson, Ray Geter, and Blake Jordan.
Volunteer Patricia Binion is grateful for the help of Walmart associates.
Monday, with plans for another day to be added soon. This comes on top of the lunches already offered each workday during the last week of every month.
“Sometimes, with volunteering, it’s hard to know your exact impact,” Jermaine says. “Every Monday, we can drive to the CCSK and see the effect Walmart associates can have on the people.”
Making a differenceThe effect Walmart associates can have is huge, according to Eddie Adams, vice chairman of the CCSK board: “These associ-ates have helped us double our operating
hours and provide more good meals.” Volunteering at the kitchen was
extremely rewarding for associates, too. Quality assurance (QA) associate Ray Geter remembers meeting a disabled man in line. “Just communicating with him, help-ing him, really touched my heart,” Ray says. Sherry Barber, another QA associate, agrees. “It made me appreciate how good I have it all the more,” she says. ”I believe in giving back what you’re given.”
Thinking about volunteering? Jermaine says to do it: “When you’re doing some-thing you enjoy, volunteering isn’t a task. It’s a joy.” And it’s also a joy worth sharing.
Everyone knows the saying, “Time is money.” The Walmart Foundation’s Volunteerism Always Pays (VAP) and Event VAP programs offer just that—money for time. Associates who help eligible nonprofits through uncompensated, “off-the-clock” vol-unteer hours can apply for and earn financial grants benefiting those organizations in recognition of their efforts. In short, VAP allows associ-ates to make an even greater impact on their organization of choice.
VAP rewards individual associate efforts, while Event VAP rewards groups of five or more associates working as a team. With VAP, the organization benefiting from a qualifying project (which must
-
Event VAP grants range from $500 to $5,000 depending on the total number of associates involved and volunteer hours performed.
Interested associates can apply for grants or find more details about eligibility, requirements, and dead-lines on the WIRE: Me@Walmart > Walmart Foundation > Volunteerism > Volunteerism Always Pays.
VAP and Event VAP
Left: Associate Ray Geter carries a box of donated goods; above: Nancy Stevens and Russ Green volunteer in the kitchen; below: Associate Jessica Hyatt serves a meal to a thankful client.
ometimes, a single customer can change the way you think about customer service, in a wonderful way. That’s
exactly what happened to Molly Neely, manager of the toy department at Store 2277 in Clovis, Calif.
A few years ago, Molly and her husband Lyle, the store’s produce manager, were outside on a break when they saw a fragile-looking elderly man get off a bus, tumble, and fall to the pavement. The couple ran to help. Fortunately, the man wasn’t hurt.
Once in the store, Lyle got the man a wheelchair. Then Molly helped him shop for groceries before wheeling him to the
bus stop with his shopping bags.
The following week, the man—who told the Neelys that he had Parkin-son’s disease and no
family or friends in the area—returned to the store. He said that walking to and from the bus stop was becoming too difficult and that he wanted a three-wheeled bicycle so that he could pedal in to shop. Molly and her team of bicycle assemblers helped him choose a bike, taking special care to make sure it was roadworthy for a person with his disabilities.
“I never knew the man’s name, but I always looked forward to seeing him,” says Molly, who celebrates her 16th year with Walmart in September. “Every time he came in, I would send Brian Ashton or another bike assembler to check his tires and brakes.”
Unfortunately, the man’s health deteriorated, and eventually, he stopped coming into the store. Still, Molly remembers him fondly. She’s grateful for their chance meeting and happy that she and her fellow associates were able to help. “It makes me feel good to know that, because of that one sale and the fact that we cared enough to pay attention to this man, we were able to improve his life so much,” she says.
In the end, the interaction taught Molly a lesson: “He made us more aware of the impact of exceptional customer service,” she says, “especially for those who need a little extra help, for whatever reason.”
Molly Neely and her husband Lyle know the power of exceptional service.
“Because we cared enough to pay attention to
this man, we were able to improve his life.”
care for the customerAs these associates show, helping a customer
can lead to an important change in perspective.
WMW0711_molly_legal.indd 21 6/10/11 2:52 PM
Issue 7 | 23
your walmartfamily
what do you love to do?
These three Walmart associates bring their private passions to the workplace,
where they spread the love—and further Walmart’s success.
Passion is an important part of being a Walmart associate.We have a passion for serving the customer. A passion for being merchants. And a passion for helping people save money so they can live better.
Unlike many other companies, Walmart also embraces the idea that associates have passion for things outside of their lives at work. Part of our success is based on associates bring-ing a piece of their passions to work with them every day.
Associates Monica Garcia, Patrick Haines, and Shelly Meyers are proof of that. These associates have infused their time on the job with their post-work passions in a way that can inspire all of us—and make a difference in the communities we serve. >>
WMW0711_passion_SHIP.indd 23 6/15/11 5:37 PM
24 | WalmartWorld
Store 831, in Albuquerque, N.M., is a tight-knit family—one that associate Monica Garcia helped to create with her passion for volunteerism and helping others.
“I like to pay it forward,” says Monica, the store’s jewelry coordinator. “Always pay it for-ward. That is how I organize my life.”
A longtime Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals volunteer, Monica also throws her-self into fundraising for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. In fact, her involvement predates Walmart’s sponsorship of the event. (And her involvement seems especially important, as her mom is now struggling with terminal breast cancer. “See what I mean about paying it forward?” Monica says.) She even inspired her store to get involved with the cause years
ago, organizing hot dog and pink ribbon sales to raise money. Closer to home, Monica also routinely organizes potluck lunch sales at Store 831, with the proceeds going to associates in need.
These days, Monica’s free time is dedicated to her ailing mom, who Monica says needs her full focus and strength. She also says that she’s able to do that thanks, in part, to the loving support of her fellow associates. “I go to work and everyone asks me right off, ‘How’s your mom? How are you?’” she says. “They know about the tragedies in my life, and I know about the difficulties in theirs. We help each other, and we do it together. But this is what life is all about, no?”
It is indeed what Monica’s life—and the Walmart community—is all about.
Patrick Haines, a senior director at Walmart’s new office of Global Food Sourcing in Santa Ana, Costa Rica, is accustomed to tackling the seemingly insurmountable: He’s an English speaker
attempting to develop relationships in a Spanish-speaking region, and as an avid
mountain biker, he pushes himself to the limit through endurance races.
“I love the intense challenge of the sport,” says the 23-year Walmart veteran, a leader in the Walmart division that supplies fresh, sustainably farmed fruits and vegetables to our stores. “It takes me to places I wouldn’t get to otherwise, and I experience these places in ways that I wouldn’t if I were encased in a car, removed from the sounds and the smells and the sweat.”
Last November, Patrick’s passion took him on an extreme journey through the mountainous jungles of Costa Rica. Patrick rode in the La Ruta de los Conquistadores, a grueling, four-day bike race that crosses Costa Rica from the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean Sea, climbing more than 45,000 feet and covering 360 kilometers and nine differ-ent microclimates. “Doing La Ruta literally helped me acquaint myself with Costa Rica,” he says. “And biking has sped up my ability to connect with the culture here, and certainly helped my Spanish.”
When Patrick moved to Costa Rica, he spoke little or no Spanish. But riding with the locals helped him learn the language and develop relationships in the area. “Most people in busi-ness here speak both English and Spanish,” he says. “But, they greatly appreciate anyone who has taken the time to learn Spanish and to learn about their country. I get a lot of good will.” And that good will comes with a lot of good riding.
patrickhaines
Riding to success in a foreign land
MONICA GARCIA jewelry coordinator, Store 831, Albuquerque, N.M.
PATRICK HAINESsenior director, Global Food Sourcing, Santa Ana, Costa Rica
WMW0711_passion_legal_rev.indd 24 6/10/11 3:04 PM
Issue 7 | 25
If David Letterman put together a Top Ten list of reasons to visit Store 2916, in East Meadow, N.Y., number one would undoubtedly be Shelly Meyers. The friendly greeter and lifelong comedian—who, incidentally, once helped Letterman deliver a Top Ten list on the air—has been with the store since it opened and is now a friendly fixture to customers and fellow associates.
Usually positioned at the exit doors, Shelly chats up departing customers, many of whom know him by name. “I always say ‘Thank
you,’” he says. “But I’ll also try to give them a little extra smile. If it’s obvious, for example, that a mother and two daugh-ters are shopping in a group, I’ll say to them, ‘That’s what I like to see: three sisters shopping together!’ They get a kick out of that. They like coming by, and I like seeing them.”
Shelly has a passion for making people laugh—even well-known singer Marie Osmond. “About five years ago, Marie Osmond came to our store because she represents the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, and I told every-one that it was the Shelly and Marie Show,” he says. “Marie had a beautiful sense of humor. It was just a beautiful thing.”
Whether you’re a celebrity, an associate, or a customer, Shelly will get a laugh out of you. “I like to joke with people that one of the smartest things Walmart did eight years ago was hire me,” he says. His audience at the door just might agree.
Share Your Passion
Head to mywalmart.com >
Get Connected >
Communities > Walmart
World and Request a New
Topic to start a conversation,
or select Comment
to join a conversation on an
existing topic.
d
gly aker in a id
e
says
bly t se,
eat.”n s a e cean 000 er-ed
And the ” ke
i-e o arn
And g.
your walmartfamily
Shelly’s shaken hands with many famous people, including Bob Hope, Mickey Mantle, and Burt Reynolds.
shellymeyersBringing smiles and laughter to everyone who
crosses his pathSHELLY MEYERSgreeter, Store 2916, East Meadow, N.Y.
WMW0711_passion_legal_rev.indd 25 6/10/11 3:04 PM
26 | WalmartWorld
for successPrice, Product, Place, Promotion, and People: Retailtainment events bring the 5P’s to life like nothing else. Just take a look.
Retailtainment events bring together each of the Five Key Principles of our Business: Price, Product, Place, Promotion, and People. For proof, just look at our partnership with FLW Outdoors—and the events the partnership helps us bring to our stores and our customers.
fishing
Aaron Richardson (left) and Scott Canterbury fish on Alabama’s Lake Eufaula during an EverStart Southeast Division fishing
tournament, which was hosted by Store 1638, in Eufaula.
WMW0711_FLW_legal_rev.indd 26 6/10/11 3:33 PM
Issue 7 | 27
almart customers strolling through
the parking lot of Store 1638 in Eufaula, Ala., one Saturday in April probably thought they’d been transported to a fishing theme park.
In one spot, adults sped over “water” at 70 miles per hour in a bass boat simulator. In another, kids competed for prizes in a casting com-petition. Nearby, some of the area’s best fishermen signed autographs and joined expert Walmart associates to offer tips on equipment, lures, and just about anything anyone would need—all available inside the store, of course—to fish or enjoy a day with the family on Lake Eufaula.
At the end of the day, every-one could check out 10 profes-sional bass boats and rigs, cov-ered with sponsor logos, all lined up in front of a stage for the FLW Outdoors’ EverStart Series fishing tournament weigh-in.
“It was awesome,” says Kimberly Ray, Store 1638’s sporting goods department
manager. “We had the Walmart FLW boat and a big moonwalk for the kids. We had a dunking booth and hot dogs. We raised money for tornado victims. Everyone—all of the associates and customers—thought it was really cool.”
This is “retailtainment,” and events like this one will be coming to a Walmart store near you. Like Store 1638, many stores will see events related to Walmart’s partnership with FLW Outdoors, the largest fish-ing tournament organization in the world. (Our stores will play host to nearly 200 events this year, from the major-league Walmart FLW Tour to weekend tournaments.) Some stores will see events related to NASCAR (see page 30 for more), and others will plan their own unique retailtainment events. But no matter how stores bring retailtainment to life, the ultimate goal is the same: to connect with our customers and communities in a fun and exciting way, and to drive sales at the same time. >>
we are merchants
Exceptional Customer Experience
> Retailtainment events bring customers to our stores for a fun, engaging experience.
> Events give associates the opportunity to be creative merchants.
> Associate expertise—and willingness to share that expertise —is what leads to success.
> Retailtainment events can highlight national programs like FLW Outdoors and NASCAR, or can be unique events in your community. To put your idea into action, talk to your store manager.
a’s ng la.
Customers at the FLW Outdoors retailtainment event at Store 1638 in Eufaula, Ala., had the chance to win prizes, check out fishing boats used by the pros, and participate in special events just for kids. The event drew crowds—and increased sales.
WMW0711_FLW_legal_rev.indd 27 6/10/11 3:33 PM
28 | WalmartWorld
Connecting with customersOver three days, Store 1638 hosted the EverStart Series Southeast Division (the AAA-baseball version of the Walmart FLW Tour) and the National Guard FLW College Fishing tournament on Lake Eufaula, about a mile from the store.
At the store, associates in FLW Outdoors jerseys con-nected with customers in sporting goods, dishing up local knowledge and recommendations on everything from snacks and coolers to lures and poles. The entire hardlines action alley sported a fishing theme, and multiple features from the cart rail to the back of the store highlighted FLW Outdoors sponsors’ products, including items from Kel-logg’s, Igloo, Castrol, EverStart, and Diet Mountain Dew.
“We went big, with everything anyone could need to enjoy a day on the water,” says store manager Michael Reed.
“It added up to a lot of excitement and a lot of sales,” Michael adds. “It gave us a chance to reach out, bring in a big crowd, and talk with our customers. It created a wonderful bond with families in the community.”
Family and Walmart heritageThat family connection is at the heart of Walmart’s partnership with FLW Outdoors.
“The FLW is about fishing, and that’s family-friendly, wholesome, and something our customers have a lot of passion about,” says Todd Cruise, marketing manager, spon-sorship, at the Home Office. “It doesn’t cost a lot of money, and it’s perfect for our core customers—moms, dads, and kids looking for fun things to do together as a family.”
The fishing connection is another way to celebrate dedication to Heritage products: items that highlight
Walmart’s history, as well as our support of our custom-ers. (For more, see “Products That Matter,” at right, and watch for “It’s Back” tags in your store.)
“It’s so exciting for us,” says Store 1638 assistant manager Todd Phillips, who fishes in FLW Outdoors’ Walmart Bass Fishing League, a regional circuit, when he’s not working. “We’re creating excitement. The cus-tomers are thrilled, because they know Walmart is the fishing destination and the hunting destination—you can already see that in the sales and profits at our store.”
A chance to shineMichael, Kimberly, and both Todds say that any retailt-ainment event provides Walmart associates with the opportunity to be creative merchants.
At Store 1638, Kimberly and her team set up major features with fishing lures and poles—features that were manned by expert associates like Todd Phillips in their FLW Outdoors’ garb. At the front of the store, associates set up tables for the pro fishermen to sign autographs and mingle with customers. And big displays dominated the store.
“These events are exciting, and they bring people to our store,” says manager Michael Reed. “It’s up to us, as a team, to make sure they are fun for our custom-ers, to put together great displays, and to make sure we have the products that our customers want in a place where they can’t miss them.”
Out in the parking lot, Michael closed out the weekend as the star of the show, when hundreds of customers watched as he presented the winner’s check to Scott Can-terbury, for $34,090. “That was my Vanna White moment,” he laughs. “Seriously, the whole weekend was a blast.”
What is FLW
Outdoors?
Named for the
legendary founder
of Ranger Boats,
Forrest L. Wood,
FLW Outdoors is
the largest fishing
tournament
organization in the
world, with nearly
200 tournaments
slated for 2011.
FLW Outdoors’
circuits include
the Walmart FLW
Tour, the EverStart
Series, the Walmart
Bass Fishing
League, National
Guard FLW College
Fishing, and the
National Guard
FLW Walleye Tour.
The season peaks
with the Forrest
Wood Cup, which
will be held in Hot
Springs, Ark., this
August. Each fea-
tures retailtainment
events at area
Walmart stores.
Big tournaments
and the weekly
show “FLW Out-
doors” are televised
on the Versus
network. Fans can
also try FLW Fantasy
Fishing! For more
information, visit
flwoutdoors.com.
Displays with FLW Outdoors signage
highlight useful fishing items.
WMW0711_FLW_legal_rev.indd 28 6/10/11 3:33 PM
Issue 7 | 29
When the Walmart FLW Tour came to Rogers, Ark., in March, Walmart Store 1was ready. A full-size replica of a pontoon boat built with boxes of Cheez-It crackers decorated the grocery side of the supercenter. But the big hit of the weekend was the general merchandise side, where associates set up fishbowls on the floor, and kids—with help from professional anglers—cast toy fish into the bowls.
“The kids loved that they could cast fishing poles inside,” says store manager Petra Huntsinger. “Everyone had a blast.”
That’s just one inspiring idea for a retailtainment event—events that highlight the power of the 5P’s. Here’s how it all comes together.
Building Excitement—and Success
How retailtainment can bring the 5P’s to life.
1 PRODUCT. Whether it’s a Cheez-It
pontoon boat or a fishing-centric action
alley and beefed up sporting goods dis-
plays, retailtainment lets us get creative
with our great products. “Have fun and
be bold with your merchandising and
displays, and your customers will enjoy
it,” Petra says.
2 PRICE. Our focus on EDLP is evident
at every retailtainment event, with
signage and messaging to make it clear
that we won’t be beaten.
3 PLACE. The stores here used creative
displays—including some in the action
alley—to drive home the message that
we’re a convenient one-stop-shop. And
that message matters.
4 PROMOTION. Get customers excited.
The Eufaula parking lot buzzed with
giveaways, from hats and shirts to rod/
reel combos. A Red Cross dunking
tornado victims. And casting contests
let the kids (and, thus, the parents) have
fun. (The Event-in-a-Box kit can help
with this, too. Talk to your manager to
learn more about it.)
5 PEOPLE. You bring retailtainment to
life. Have fun with your merchandising,
share stories with your customers, and
help them find what they need to have
a great experience after they leave our
events. It’s a sure way to win!
Products That MatterThe promise of the Walmart/FLW Outdoors connection.
Our partnership with FLW Outdoors is an opportunity to show our customers that Walmart is the place to shop for fishing equip-ment and everything they need to enjoy summer on the water.
In our stores, this partnership means retailtainment events across the country, and a chance to highlight our renewed focus on fishing and other Heritage products, including hunting and DIY—the categories upon which Walmart was built.
“It’s a chance to get our customers involved and engaged, excited about what we have to offer,” says Michael Reed, manager at Store
and our connection with FLW shows that.”That big smile? It’s the
result of some inspired family-friendly fun, thanks to Walmart.
FLW nage seful
tems.
Pro fisherman Shaye Baker shows off his catch during the weigh-in at the store’s parking lot.
You can offer more for your customers by getting suppliers involved.
we are merchants
WMW0711_FLW_SHIP_rev.indd 29 6/14/11 4:20 PM
30 | WalmartWorld
ave the checkered flag, NASCAR fans:
It’s “Race Time” at Walmart! We’ve partnered with NASCAR, the country’s No. 1 spectator sport, to deliver something special for our customers (and for associates who love the sport, too): a great NAS-CAR experience that, combined with our Every Day Low Prices, allows them to enjoy NASCAR in the stands at the races, at home, and even in our stores.
“Our customers and associates are passionate about NASCAR,” says Todd Cruise, marketing man-ager, sponsorship, at the Home Office. “And we think sharing that passion with them is a great way
to help our customers and associ-ates save money and enjoy the sport they love.”
What it means for storesThe Race Time at Walmart partner-ship will bring NASCAR fans to 1,500 stores near NASCAR tracks from the Daytona 500 in February to Ford 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway in November. To make sure those customers get what they want, we’re expanding our selection of everything NAS-CAR: from exclusive licensed mer-chandise and Race Time products from key sponsors, to hamburgers and hot dogs for the grill and beer, snacks, and camping supplies. And
even more exclusive merchandise will be available on Walmart.com.
Connecting with familiesOur NASCAR partnership is bringing our EDLP philosophy to the track: Our $99 Walmart Family Track Pack (see above right for more), available only at Walmart.com, makes it more affordable than ever for a family of four to enjoy a day at the track.
We’re even giving folks who can’t get to the track a true race-day experience through exclusive fan events at our stores, featuring real stock racing car displays and racing simulator machines. Inside our stores, associates get to bring retailtainment to life, building
it’s race time!Our partnership with NASCAR brings
another retailtainment opportunity to our stores—and delivers the excitement
of Sprint Cup racing to our customers.
in stores nowwe are merchants
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Issue 7 | 31
“Awesome!”Jessica Lester is a huge fan of NASCAR driver Kyle Busch. When the Sprint Cup Series comes to Bristol Motor Speedway, Jessica, an associate at Store
this year’s Bristol Motor Speedway event, Jessica got to meet her driving hero.
excitement that our NASCAR partnership can
amazing promotional displays and sharing our passion and expertise to make our customers’ NASCAR experience second to none.
Get ready for race time!“The program is just awesome, and our associates get so excited,” says Kim Barrett, store manager at Store 620 in Bristol, Tenn., which got a big sales boost in March when the Sprint Cup Series came to town (see “Driving Sales through Retailt-ainment,” at right, for more). “Our customers are thrilled, too. They know they can come to Walmart and fulfill their every need.”
That’s what Race Time at Walmart is all about.
a couple miles from Bristol Motor Speedway, and when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series comes to town, the excitement comes to the store,
a retailtainment event with four -
ing lot, NASCAR simulators, and a host of activities from NASCAR
from the Coca-Cola Connection van
all out with merchandising displays
And that’s not all. Camp chairs
-ainment event can do for your
-
Driving Sales Through
Retailtainment
Hot
We’re bringing EDLP to NASCAR
Available only at
walmart.com/
NASCAR, the $99
Family Track Pack
discount ticket pack-
age includes four race
tickets, four hot dogs,
four beverages, and
one race program for
just $99—a savings
of nearly $100 for a
family of four! Learn
more and find more
exclusive NASCAR-
licensed merchandise
at walmart.com/
NASCAR.
WMW0711_nascar_SHIP.indd 31 6/14/11 12:30 PM
Issue 7 • 2011 | 33
we are merchants
Plan Your NASCAR Party!
Thanks to Race Time at Walmart, you can host—or help your
customers host—a great NASCAR party. Here are some ideas to
get you started.
> Stock up. Race Time at Walmart brings our Every Day Low Prices (EDLP) to great products like Pepsi Max, Coca-Cola, Coors Light and Miller Lite, Oreos, Doritos, Ritz Crackers, and M&M’s.
And don’t forget to add plenty of ice (and bring a cooler), Great Value bottled water, and Hefty trash bags to your list!
> Pick up a copy of the cookbook Race Day Grub: Recipes from the NASCAR Family (also on walmart.com/NASCAR) and plan your race-day cooking.
> Set the scene. Visit walmart.com/NASCAR for Camco Party Lights, Race Flags and
Tires, a checkered flag banner, or a 3-by-5–foot NASCAR flag.
> Get decked out. Outfit your crew with NASCAR-licensed T-shirts, available for all your favorite drivers.
> The Pre-Race Plan. At home, set up your video game console with
NASCAR 2011: The Game, so everyone can sit in the driver’s seat. At race time, have everyone pick a driver from a hat—the one who finishes best gets a special prize!
Tailgating Must-HavesEnjoying a $99 Walmart Family Track Pack?
Here are some must-haves for tailgating on race day.
Cooler
Lots of ice
Sunscreen
Camp chairs
Grill, and propane or charcoal
Food and drinks (Do the meal prep the day before.)
NASCAR-licensed t-shirts and other driver gear
Camera
off to collegeCollege is a huge step, for kids and parents alike. Here are some Walmart-focused ways to help
students build a cozy nest—and advice for parents dealing with their own empty nest.
Home away from homeIt may be four cement-block walls and carpeting that’s seen better days, but with these easy tips—and with our broad assortment of products available at our Every Day Low Prices (EDLP)—college students can turn a dorm room into a sanctuary, for less.
Laundry 101When it comes to laundry, don’t
leave the student in your life out to dry. Here’s a five-step plan
any student can use.
1. Read the care label—and do
what it says.
2. Sort your laundry by darks,
colors, whites, and delicates.
3. Bring a laundry basket
stocked with supplies like Arm &
Hammer liquid detergent,
OxiClean for tough stains, and
Snuggle dryer sheets. Read the
instructions carefully.
4. Empty the dryer’s lint trap
before you dry your clothes.
5. Know the details. The first time
you do a load of laundry at school,
loosely fill the washer with clothes,
then put those clothes into your
laundry basket: That amount of
dirty laundry equals one load. Time
how long it takes to wash a load,
then time the dry cycle. That way
you know when to come back and
move (or remove) your stuff.
Sweet dreams. Give a student’s room personality. Add colorful sheets (make sure they’re the right size—most dorm beds are twins) and a bright comforter—and
a backrest to match, for reading or studying in bed. Don’t forget to pick up a mattress pad and a couple of Mainstays pillows.
Have a seat. For curling up with math homework—or entertain-ing friends—set out two brightly colored Saucer Chairs. Add a large plastic tote or two to double as stor-age and a coffee table.
Shed some light. A three-way floor lamp gives a soft, inviting glow, and the Get It Together architect lamp is just right for study sessions at a desk.
Let there be snacks. Late-night study sessions work up an appetite. If you can swing it, set your student up with a dorm-sized GE 4.5-cubic-foot fridge and an Emerson .9-cubic-foot microwave—and a semester’s supply of ce-real, popcorn, and ramen noodles.
Creative spacesIn a dorm room, a student needs to pack a maximum amount of stuff in a minimum amount of space. The key to success: creative storage spaces.
Keep it neat. Mid-sized drawer sets help keep clutter at bay, and clear drawers (like those shown here) make it easy to see what’s inside.
Pile it high. An over-the-door shoe organizer can keep small items—from toiletries to office sup-plies—from getting lost. Pack it deep. A foot locker is a good choice for bigger or bulkier items, like workout gear or cold-weather clothing.
Research shows that the empty nest has a bright side: parents report
feeling happier, more energetic, and a whole decade younger when the
kids leave for college. Best of all, most parents say they develop a better
relationship with their college-age children—and with each other.
Tips for Mom and Dad:
> Make a list. What have you always
dreamed of doing, but never had the
time to do? From taking up tap dancing
to returning to woodworking, now’s the
time to make it happen.
> Start a new ritual. Replace
Saturday-morning soccer practice with
an outing you and your partner enjoy—
maybe a brisk walk and breakfast at the
local diner.
> Befriend your kid. This is the time to
develop an adult relationship with your
child (though this doesn’t mean you
shouldn’t send that care package, too).
Find time for a long walk and a
conversation when your son or
daughter is home, or if possible, spend
an afternoon on campus.
> Pat yourself on the back. You’ve
raised your child to be an independent
young adult!
Good News for Mom and Dad
$33.77 billion
Total spending on back-to-college merchandise in 2010. That breaks
ummer’s here! It’s time to gather the family and head outside for some
fun and healthy activities. “You don’t need to buy a gym membership to get fit,” says Elizabeth DiRico, an exercise physiologist and fitness specialist with Cigna HealthCare in Findlay, Ohio. “And you don’t have to go to a theme park to make some special summer memories. Going outside as a family is enjoyable and provides the opportunity for fun exercise—which shows kids that physical activity isn’t a burden or a chore.”
Here are some easy ways to enjoy the great outdoors.
Plant a garden. It doesn’t matter if you have endless acres of land or a little patio—anyone can grow summer veggies and flowers. (If you’re short on space, you can grow some tomatoes in a pot, for example.) It’s a lesson in science, nutrition, and family fun wrapped up in one. HealtHy tIP: Avoid aches and pains from bending. Use knee cushions and try long-handled tools, and be sure to switch your activities often. Most of all, listen to your body. If you’re starting to feel sore, back off and finish tomorrow.
Go for a ride. Pull out those bikes and cruise around the neighborhood or on a local trail. Cycling at a moderate pace can burn more than 500 calories per hour while toning your legs and butt—without stressing your knees.HealtHy tIP: Check that your tires are inflated and your brakes work properly—a squeeze of the levers should stop a spin-ning wheel, and the levers should quickly go back when released. And always wear a helmet when you ride—it should fit snug, and the front edge of the helmet should sit right above your eyebrows.
get out. really!
Tips and advice to have a fun and healthy summer, outdoors.
It doesn’t matter if you have endless acres of land or a little patio—anyone can grow summer
veggies and flowers. It’s a lesson in science, nutrition, and family fun wrapped up in one.
Time in the pool is great exercise. Don’t forget the sunscreen!
Products to help you avoid (or beat) aches and pains from outdoor fun.
> Fast pain relief. Bayer Advanced Aspirin is clini-cally proven to relieve pain two
times faster than before, thanks to microparticles that quickly enter the bloodstream faster. Recommended for fast, temporary relief of muscle pain, minor arthritis pain, and more.
> Beat those bugs. Without the constant bother of insects, outdoor excursions become more enjoyable. OFF!® Deep Woods repel-lents provide long-lasting protection against biting insects, especially in heavily wooded areas. It effectively repels ticks that may carry Lyme disease, mosquitoes, black flies, sand flies, chiggers, fleas, gnats, and no-see-ums.
> Avoid the burn. Heading outside? Apply sunscreen first. Coppertone Sport
-proof and sweatproof, offers antioxidant defense to keep skin healthy, and provides broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection. It’s just what your skin needs!
Hike in the woods. Head for a local park or nature preserve where you can explore nature on foot. Bring along a field guide to birds or trees to make your hike a learning experience.HEALTHY TIP: To avoid insect bites, wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt in dark colors, and don’t use perfumes or scented deodorants. Cuts and scrapes? Rinse gently with water, dab with antibiotic ointment, and cover with a bandage.
Take a dip. Nothing says summer like a day at the beach—or pool, for that matter. Jump in and play Marco Polo, have a relay race, or float on your back and watch the clouds. Swimming can help everyone get in shape and also ease arthritis pain. It can even improve your mood. HEALTHY TIP: Don’t forget the sun-screen! Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, and reapply often.
It doesn’t matter if you have endless acres of land or a little patio—anyone can grow summer
veggies and flowers. It’s a lesson in science, nutrition, and family fun wrapped up in one.
Grow something together!
WMW0711_healthy_legal_rev.indd 37 6/10/11 3:52 PM
38 | WalmartWorld
Grilling Tips
FOR BURGERS:
Resist the urge
to press on the
burgers to make
them sizzle. This
forces out the
juices that keep
the meat tender
and full of flavor.
FOR STEAK:
For the
juiciest steak,
let the
meat stand
10 minutes
before slicing.
Get Your Grill On!
This 61,000 BTU, four-burner Brinkman gas grill with
stainless steel hood makes it easy to cook for a crowd—651 square inches
of grill space means you can cook up to 30 burgers at once!
Bring on the beef!
One tasty burgerYou don’t need to be a grill master to cook up a flavorful, juicy burger. Just follow this recipe for a sure-fire winner.
1. Place 1 pound of ground beef in a bowl. Mix with salt, pepper, and dried onions. (Garlic, onions, Worcestershire sauce, fresh herbs, and specialty spice mixes, sold in the spice aisle at Walmart, all make great flavor additions. Get creative!)
2. Shape into 4 patties,each about ½- to ¾-inch thick.
3. Lightly coat a hot grill rack with oil. Then place the burgers on the grill, on high heat.
4. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side,or until a meat thermometer reads 160˚ F for medium doneness. (See right for safe minimum internal temperatures.) If making cheese-burgers, add slices 1 minute before finished cooking.
5. Place on a bun and top with the basics, or try something new like avocado or pineapple.
Steak done rightSkip the restaurant bill and grill the perfect steak for your family at home.
1. While the grill heats to medium-high, season a 1 ½-inch thick steak with salt, pepper, garlic, and a touch of olive oil. (Or try a marinade or spice rub, available at Walmart, to experiment with new flavors.)
2. Lightly coat the grill rack with oil. Then slap the steak on there. Grill for 6 minutes per side for medium-rare doneness, or until a meat thermometer reads 145˚ F.
Celebrate Independence Day (and beyond) with a fantastic backyard
barbecue, Walmart-style. Here’s how.
your best bbq yet
The best product for bbq? Our beef.According to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, the two most-popular foods for
grilling are burgers and steaks—and Walmart’s got the best of both! Even better: We’re a one-stop shop for barbecue get-togethers, whether a customer needs burgers, buns, condiments…or even a new grill!
Want to make the most of your next barbecue? It’s easy—just enjoy these two easy, delicious recipes.
healthy livingyour life
WMW_bestbbq_SHIP.indd 38 6/14/11 11:19 AM
Issue 7 | 39
Patriotic Potato Salad
Gonna Grill? Go Green!These simple steps can make your barbecue more environmentally friendly—without affecting taste.
> Choose gas. Gas grills let you get cooking faster, and they give off fewer earth-unfriendly carbons. Prefer charcoal? Try a natural, hardwood lump variety.
> Green the cuisine. Wherever possible, serve fresh, local, organically grown fruits and vegetables with your barbecue. Your best source? Walmart!
> Do the dishes. Use your everyday dinnerware instead of disposable plates and utensils. Or, choose compostable dishes and utensils made from renewable resources.
As American as . . . potato salad
Here’s a healthy take on a summertime classic.
Stay SafeFood handling tips from Walmart’s Food Safety team.
> Wash your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling food.
> Always marinate raw meats in the refrigerator; marinating at room temperature can cause bacteria to multiply rapidly. Discard unused marinade.
> Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat.
> Use a meat thermometer. Aninstant-read thermometer lets you see when meat is at a safe temperature. The safe minimum internal temperatures for fresh beef are:
Medium Rare: 145˚ F
Medium: 160˚ F
Well Done: 170˚ F
INGREDIENTS:2 pounds small baby red and
Yukon gold potatoes ½ cup low-fat buttermilk1 tablespoon plus 1
teaspoon Dijon mustard1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon stone-ground mustard½ teaspoon sugar1 tablespoon olive oil½ cup minced scallions¼ cup finely chopped radishes
DIRECTIONS:1. Boil potatoes, then simmer
uncovered until tender—about 30 minutes.
2. Drain potatoes and cool for 15 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, mix buttermilk, mustards, and sugar until well combined.
4. Slowly mix in oil.5. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl
and pour dressing over them. 6. Add scallions and radishes. 7. Mix until well combined, then sea-
son with salt and pepper to taste. 8. Refrigerate for one hour before
serving.
WMW_bestbbq_SHIP.indd 39 6/15/11 5:33 PM
Issue 7 | 41
3
july 2011Take this healthy-living calendar home, and put it to work for you.
Add sunscreen to your day. Make slathering on a sunscreen with an
Invite friends over for a barbecue and grill some fresh corn on the cob to go with the meal. Corn is loaded with compounds that can help prevent colon cancer.
On this date in Mr. Sam opened his first Walmart store in
IT’S NATIONAL PARK AND RECREATION MONTH!THERE ARE NEARLY 400 NATIONAL PARKS IN THE UNITED STATES—LEARN ABOUT ONE NEAR YOU BY VISITING NPS.GOV.
4
INDEPENDENCE
DAYCelebrate America’s
235th birthday with this Patriotic Cookie Pizza.
wellness calendaryour life
CELEBRATE A TV-FREE WEEK.Get the kids involved. Do things like play
simply enjoy a summer night instead of watching the tube.
TEDDY BEAR PICNIC DAY
a favorite teddy bear for a picnic in the park. Remember to keep food safety in
mind: Cold foods should be stored in
hot foods should be stored in an Cantaloupes are in season—and they’re loaded with potassium that
quick cantaloupe skewers: Skewer cantaloupe chunks with mozzarella
Summer’s the time for backyard fun—take your kids outside and play the
from badminton to bocce ball and Frisbee to hopscotch. They make great exercise—and great bonding time.
INGREDIENTS:
Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies
¼ cup powdered sugar
lemon peel
DIRECTIONS:
Spread over baked crust. Arrange raspberries in large star shape in center. Arrange blueberries around raspberries. Drizzle or brush with
minutes. Store in refrigerator.
Note: This information is not intended or implied to be a substitute
NATIONALHAMMOCK DAYTake a siesta—it’s good for you! Recent research shows that napping increases your memory and your learning power.
all pitch in to get the job done.”—Michael Manore, manager, Store 4603
Store 4603 was named Neighborhood Market of the Year for fiscal year 2010.Open since 2007, the store has experienced double-digit growth, gained market share,
and seen significant increases in the amount of individual customer purchases. That performance is due, in part, to a strong community connection: Many store associates volunteer with Relay For Life and help local schools and social service organizations.