I was in my local Wal-Mart and was looking at oil and noticed the selection

[gmh101357]

Is about Half of what it was a few years back.....no Havoline...no Kendall....chevron etc....exxon....you get the pic. Beside the WM brand i counted 7 and that it.
also ive noticed the Syn Blend oils except the high mileage are gone .....and the cost between syn and dino lube is just about 5 or less for the 5 gallon jugs. My guess the syn blend will vanish from the shelves in the next few years.....and was reading an article that dinolube will soon be more expensive than syn oil to refine plus demand for it will drop and it may soon be a few brands left of it also........

 

[dishdude]

At least it wasn't a lady drinking wine from a Pringles can

 

[gmh101357]

But saw a kid munching on a tide pod...

 

[dishdude]

These are all things you'd see at the Thomas and 36th St Walmart.

 

[tomcat27]

Wal-Mart doesn't try to stock every brand. instead they stock the most popular and high volume items. I'm surprised they have as many SKU's as they do.

 

[ekpolk]

Coincidentally, I did an oil section recon at the 20th street Walmart in Vero Beach tonight and had a similar impression. They did have Havoline, even in high mileage flavor, but only a couple grades. Mobil-1, Castrol and Pz seem to be the main players now. WM is so big that its shelving choices probably influence the market, but no doubt, customer choices are also a major force determining what's on the shelves.

BTW, I rarely buy oil at WM. With either oil change specials, military discount or occasionally both (double dipping if I can!), I do better at AZ or AA. And both have much nicer oil walls! ...ðŸ‘

 

[Skippy722]

I usually avoid Walmart... but my local Meijer has Mobil 1, Valvoline, Pennzoil, Quaker State, their house brand (meets Dexos1 gen 2!), and then a relatively small selection of Shell HDEO.

 

[billt460]

The selection at my Wal-Mart on 93rd Ave. & Camelback is getting worse as time goes by as well. It has gotten to the point where I buy when I see it, not as I need it. Same with Fram cabin and oil filters.

 

[dlundblad]

They usually have a good selection on Walmart.com. Chevron/ Havoline dino being priced very competitive to ST.

$35 gets you free shipping.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Up here they regularly cycle through sales on synthetic from Pennzoil, QS, Castrol, and Mobil. Their stock of Super Tech is very low, as if they arn't interested.

 

[bbhero]

Originally Posted by billt460
The selection at my Wal-Mart on 93rd Ave. & Camelback is getting worse as time goes by as well. It has gotten to the point where I buy when I see it, not as I need it. Same with Fram cabin and oil filters.



At my Wally World the shelves are almost half empty lately... Like really half empty. I am wondering if they are going to a big reset soon...

 

[skyactiv]

I was told by a Walmart employee that they have a physical year that starts on Feb 1st for tax purposes and they don't get in as much merchandise between Xmas and Feb 1st for tax reasons.
Despite the vast selection of oil and oil filters to choose from among the many retailers, less and less people are changing their own oil.
It's rare to see anyone changing their own oil anymore.

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted by skyactiv
Despite the vast selection of oil and oil filters to choose from among the many retailers, less and less people are changing their own oil.
It's rare to see anyone changing their own oil anymore.

This holds true as well. I'm the only one on my block that does it. All these, "Quick Lube" places, combined with new vehicles going longer and farther between oil changes, not to mention more and more dealerships offering, "free oil changes" for the first few years or miles, along with maintenance free leasing, have all but eliminated the shade tree oil change.

 

[joekingcorvette]

We have lots of selections at the Walmarts in my city. I think they have an algorithm that determines demand and sales. If a certain product isn't sold they go on clearance and they do not stock old merchandise.

 

[Marlin39a]

All good at my local Super Walmart for oil. There's lots of muffin top here as well.

 

[Kira]

I wondered about how many people change their own oil too.

Today, after I swap my snows on, I'll buzz over to Walmart (No. NJ) and check their oil as I'm going upstate (Warrensberg, NY) soon and can compare.

Maybe shelf allocations are a' changing.

I've done the Havoline-shipped-to-the-house from Walmart and the price was right.

 

[spk2000]

I have noticed it depends on location. Some Walmarts carry very little oil and others have multiple aisles full of oil. They stock what sells in the area.

 

[CharBaby]

I too have notice this in 3 area W*M stores. Lots of shelf space where many brands & grades used to be home to. I'm sure that W*M will change their oil selection location to a smaller area.

Also I have noticed that while looking for 0W20 syn oils for myself, I am noticing that the le$$er costing brands are out of stock leaving the more expensive brands on the shelf. Now that my cars recommend or require 0W20, I have to get lucky or look often to catch them in stock.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

With Walmart.com I can get it shipped to my house for free for 35 dollars or more and the selection is better.
Same for amazon. Basically I can browse for sales periodically and order 3 -5qt jugs at a time, order drain bolt gaskets and filters put them in a cabinet and have them ready When it's time for an oil change.
The only time I "go"to Walmart is to deliver my used oil for disposal. And I will go in to look for deals on boxes of ammunition.

 

[ChevyMan2015]

We have three Walmart Super Centers in my area here in Arkansas and they all carry huge oil selections. Everything you can think of except Havoline products.