Wal-Mart Shuns Bad Press, Unleashes Shock n’ Awe Strategy

Despite a couple of recent stumbles including abusive customers and a popular, not-so-flattering website mocking them, Wal-Mart is ready to “crush competition” according to a piece via Yahoo News.

The chain has announced Project Impact, which unfortunately doesn’t have the anarchic bent of Tyler Durden’s Project Mayhem but is nevertheless a store and strategy overhaul that includes cleaner, uncluttered aisles, better customer service and a complete death blow to competition. According to retail consultant, veteran “Wal-Mart watcher” and amusingly named Burt Flickinger III, “They’ve got Kmart ready to take a standing eight-count next year. Same with Rite Aid. They’ve knocked out four of the top five toy retailers, and are now going after the last one standing, Toys ‘R’ Us. Project Impact will be the catalyst to wipe out a second round of national and regional retailers.”

Hyperbolic statements like this only seem fitting for this uber-retailer, whose Project Impact mantra is being reflected in stores in New Jersey among other locations. Whether this effort will affect its usually urbane clientele is another story, but aren’t most of the strategic bullet points that PI boasts just common sense for any retail chain?

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More: “Mocking Site, Slap-Happy Customers Not Doing Wal-Mart Any Favors”

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