You know the economy is bad when Wal-Mart says sales will be flat in 2016

[dixiegrrrrl]

Wal-Mart CFO says sales now expected to be flat in fiscal 2016 - @CNBCnow

Shares of Wal-Mart, down more than 8%; on pace for biggest 1-day decline in over 15 years - @CNBCnow

NO matter your feelings about Wal-Mart. they are a reliable measurement of how the economy is doing.
It looks like shoppers are not spending as much as before.

[GreatGazoo]

1. WalMart was loss leadering groceries to get into that business

Now they have notched up their prices so their grocery sales are falling.

Also in-store retail sales in general are declining as more business is done online.

[jwirr]

4. One example of raising prices are bananas. From $.37 to

$.57 in the last two months. And when they do lower the prices you can be almost certain that the stuff is not going to keep over a few days after you get it home.

They actually have the same fruits marked at two different prices because the one has been in the store for days/weeks and needs to go.

Anyone who runs a store like Wally should never support a political party that makes cuts benefits to the poor. It is counter productive.

[GreatGazoo]

9. and bananas are low right now -- wholesale around 35-cents per pound, usually closer to 50-cents

---BANANAS: 40 lb cartons CB green 12.00 CR green 16.00 few 12.00 GU green
13.00-14.00 few 12.00 40 lb cartons bagged CB 17.00-18.00 few 16.00 CR
17.00-18.00 few 16.00 green 16.00 EC 18.00-20.00 few 17.00 GU 16.00-18.00 occas
higher green 13.00-14.00 few 16.00 HD 16.00-18.00 20 lb cartons CB Manzano
14.00-15.00 few 16.00 Burro 13.00-14.00 15 lb cartons CB Baby 13.00-14.00 few
12.00 EC Baby 12.00-13.00

http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/nx_fv010.txt

[jwirr]

11. Grocery retail levels never reflect the price the farmer is

being paid. The ones making the money are the transportation systems and the grocery stores.

[dixiegrrrrl]

12. 50% of their sales are groceries, so they cannot afford to lose much.

They tend to be the cheapest store for most groceries in the rural counties, too.

[NCjack]

2. Wal-Mart may be in for an economic lesson: the jobs and wages of the 47% have

been exported, and Wal-Mart was a major force in causing that. Now, instead of buying new crap from Wal-Mart, we are buying used stuff from each other. When I want something, I look first on eBay and Craigslist for vintage quality goods. Just this week got some nice vintage Craftsman-USA tools.

[Person 2713]

8. Online used item shopping last night. Saves on travel $ and time better quality than new at Walmart

Freecycled my picnic table today

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. I use Etsy a lot, esp. for housewares.

Have scored some very good vintage stuff at great prices.
and avoided our 10% sales tax.

[NightWatcher]

3. Maybe it's good news. Maybe people have more money and can go elsewhere

Maybe people are sick of dealing with Wally World and can finally do better.

[onenote]

5. actually, it looks like Wal-Mart shoppers are spending the same as before

That's the meaning of "flat" sales -- not increasing, not decreasing.

Of course, other competitors of Wal-Mart, such as Amazon and Costco, are reporting sales growth.

[SheilaT]

6. Maybe more people are realizing

that they can very often get things more cheaply elsewhere.

[JNelson6563]

7. I disagree.

I think more people are shopping elsewhere, including on-line.

Julie

[PumpkinAle]

10. Even with flat sales Walmart is going to be just fine

"There is no way they can continue to grow, they are just too big," Ivan Feinseth, chief investment officer at Tigress Financial Partners, said before Wednesday’s forecast. "They do $500 billion worth of revenue -- how are you going to grow that?"

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-14/wal-mart-tumbles-after-predicting-drop-in-fiscal-2017-earnings