4/1/01
TO: All Wal-Mart Merchandise
Acquisition Units
FROM: Office of Sr. Vice Pres., Inventory Control
RE: Hardcover Publication: “American Terrorist”
.
The publication of “American
Terrorist” concerning the Oklahoma City terror bomber, Timothy McVeigh
presented our management with a most painful dilemma about whether our
stores should carry this controversial publication.
Before arriving at a decision, management recently ordered a thorough and
coordinated research and review by retail sales, marketing, public relations
and legal departments. They took into account everything from customer focus
group results, sales demographics data and shelf space availability to public
relations ramifications.
Upon careful assessment of study results, management has determined Wal-Mart
retail units will not stock this publication since it does not fit into the
positive consumer culture we endeavor to create in Wal-Mart stores.
We are confident our decision was the only one possible in light of both our
business mission and our pledge to our associates and customers -- to be the
super-biggest, super-cheapest and super-family-value-packed store that keeps
prices low by dominating, displacing and undercutting all non-Wal-Mart retail
entities in a 15-mile radius of each of our units -- and always with a smile.
Outlined below are the major points that have led to our decision:
SALES & MARKETING:
-Not enough shelf space -- needed more room for our section devoted to quantum
mechanics.
-Not enough room on the book cover for Wal-Mart's famous "low prices
Happy Face"
-Book publisher refused to allow tie-in merchandising -- no McVeigh action
figures, inflatable chairs or breakfast cereals
CUSTOMER PREFERENCE RESEARCH & FOCUS GROUP RESULTS
-No Wal-Mart customer has ever purchased a hard cover book and floor management has expressed concern that the cashiers may become
confused
-Customer buying patterns have demonstrated time and again that they want
their investigative journalism to be positive, family oriented, happy and life
affirming.
-Customers complained about too many big words and that
it did not contain enough cartoons
INVENTORY & SHELF PLACEMENT:
-Overweight associates complained that the books are taking up valuable room
that should be given to new spring lines of XXXXXLplus-sized Big FolksÔ clothing section and display racks
for Twinkies.
LEGAL DEPARTMENT:
-Store's censorship of books containing journalistic violence is perfectly
consistent with previous Wal-Mart bans on sexually explicit journalism in
publications like “National Geographic.”
-Chunky women shoppers in plum-colored stretch pants may trip over display and
sue the store
EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS:
-Our associates who Jell-o wrestle were offended by brief mention of McVeigh's
sister’s Jell-o-wrestling career – felt there should have been at least
two full chapters, with pictures.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:
-It would be the only product in the store that is actually made in America
cc: S. R. Walton
