Walmart observations

[Ddub]

I have ventured into the oil aisle my last 3 trips to 2 different Walmarts (DFW area) and noticed the following:

One had dc'd Ultra
One had Ulta on sale for $25 (from $28)
Niether had Motorcraft syn blend which is what I wanted in the first place.

There were tags and shelf space where the MC should have been. I asked if it was being dc'd or just out of stock. The employee said it was one of their best sellers so they definitley were not discontinuing it. It seems weird that 2 different stores would be OOS the MC for almost a month. Does anyone know what's up?

 

[Jim 5]

I went to one yesterday and they had rolled back pricing on regular M1 and all that was left was a few jugs of 10w30.

They were also out of Mobil 1 ATF. The shelves looked remarkably bare.

 

[gfh77665]

Walmart is real confusing right now. Ultra is gone...and no 30 wt. of anything in some. Went to 3 stores before I found some for the mower... I dunno.

 

[Hermann]

At our Walmarts in this area, the Motorcraft 5w-20 gets snapped up every morning by Auto repair shops for their customers who demand it in their Fords. I shop often between 7 and 9am and have seems carts loaded with the 5 qt jugs on several occasions.

 

[modularv8]

They are just clearing out the inventory. CP, Shell, XOM, etc., and Walmart (price reductions/coupons/rebates, etc) have been pushing the old GF-4 to clear out for the GF-5 stock. Stock will magically fill up again the week. Go shopping this weekend and drool all over the new stuff. Just business....

 

[ABomb369]

What is interesting is the three closest Wal-Mart locations to where I live none have carried PU and only one carried Edge for a limited time when it first came out. I would have to drive 30 miles to find the closest Wal-Mart that carried Edge or PU.

However, all three of those same Wal-Marts carry the following M1 in the 5qt Jugs.
5W-20, 0W-30, 5w30, 10w30, 5w30HM, 10w30HM, 10W-40HM, 5w30 T&S, Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w30, Mobil 1 Extended Performance 10w30, Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5w40 – Gal. Jug

This Takes up one forth the oil isle and at least two full end caps at all times.

And no Wal-Mart I have ever been to have I seen oil on clearance as other have posted. It seems to move to fast off the shelves to ever be marked on clearance regardless of brand.

 

[tenderloin]

Originally Posted By: modularv8
They are just clearing out the inventory. CP, Shell, XOM, etc., and Walmart (price reductions/coupons/rebates, etc) have been pushing the old GF-4 to clear out for the GF-5 stock. Stock will magically fill up again the week. Go shopping this weekend and drool all over the new stuff. Just business....



IMO WalMart or 99.9% of WalMarts customers don't even know or care about GF-5/SN etc. They have done nothing special these past few months then they have done at any other time. Closeouts, rollbacks are common place. Even the clearance items..standard Walmart business..mostly store by store decisions.

 

[willix]

I have noticed this in my area in several Walmarts.

It would seem if the stuff is seeling that well better efforts would be made to keep the shelves full.

I was unable to find the proper transmission oil. The choices didn't cover what many commonly need.

 

[UNC151]

I think this is Wal-Mart in general; for the past year they literally suck at restocking anything. Their "sister" store (Sam's Club) is even worse with the here today--discontinued tomorrow mentality.

I am about to dump my factory fill and was going to use Motorcraft Synthetic Blend for 1 OC and then move to PU, but 4 stores in the Houston area was completely out of it. Plenty of M1 in every flavor though at $21.00 per 5QT jug.

Oh, well just made me switch to PU one oil change quicker

 

[modularv8]

Not Walmart, the oil marketers. "Push strategy" to avoid holding old GF-4 stock.

 

[Herz]

I cant find Motorcraft 5-20 blend for my focus, all sold out. So I just went with Valvoline 5w20 conventional. They used to have tons of the MotoSyn but looks like they are getting rid of it.

 

[willix]

Originally Posted By: modularv8
Not Walmart, the oil marketers. "Push strategy" to avoid holding old GF-4 stock.
Why would marketers do this?

 

[modularv8]

It's what marketing departments do when there is a new product launch or revision. Clear out packaged products labeled GF-4 in favor of GF-5. It is not necessary, but they have chosen October 1st as their launch date. It's what their competitor are doing, so they will too.

 

[Deltona_Dave]

This past weekend, I went to get Platinum for the Altima, only had one jug of 5w30, no other flavors, no M/C, Edge and M-1 had 2 full sections (most bottles dusty). The normal amounts of Quaker State, ST, regular Syntec (no GC).

Filters was about 1 mile long of Orange cans, and a hand full of ST's and Motorcrafts.

The end caps were full of Pennzoil conventional, and Quaker State conventional.

Might have to start shopping elsewhere for Platinum. My vehicles seem to run well on it.

Dave

 

[modularv8]

Yes, I noticed the same thing too. Bottles were dusty, some dinged. Some older style bottles of PP and QS.

 

[RF Overlord]

This thread is very interesting. I went to Wally's for the 3rd time in at least 2 weeks to find STILL no MC jugs. I finally asked the department manager who told me "the warehouse has been out of it...I keep ordering and get nothing". From the above answers, I guess he was telling the truth.

Speaking of GF-5, can I assume that's the primary reason for the increase to $14 as well as the (hopefully temporary) scarcity of my favourite oil next to PP?

 

[pompadour]

Originally Posted By: Deltona_Dave
Might have to start shopping elsewhere for Platinum. My vehicles seem to run well on it.

Dave


if you have o'reilly's, PP is $3.99 a qt during the month of september.

 

[izzycohen]

I picked up a 5qt jug of Ultra at WalMart today. They had Ultra only in 5W30. The shelves were well stocked. paid $25.00.