why is walmart closing stores suddenly 2024, why is walmart closing stores suddenly
Is Walmart Closing Stores
Walmart is Closing Shops in a Hurry!
Two reasons Walmart stores are closing suddenly include:
- The recent surge of online shopping
- Deep cleaning is a must
Throughout 2020-2021, Walmart has witnessed immense growth in online shopping in the US, with most customers now preferring to shop online rather than in brick-and-mortar stores.
Last year, Walmart recorded an e-commerce growth of 97% in the second quarter compared to the previous, a figure that is considered the fastest rate on Walmart’s record.
Online shoppers are now being served by new programs and software that can be used to improve their shopping experience.
Consumers can order online with no shipping fees thanks to new programs like ‘pick up today’ or home delivery.
Walmart could temporarily shutter its Walmart local store in response to increased online sales.
During the deep cleans, Walmart closes temporarily for a few days and reopens once assessments on the deep cleans are deemed as complete.
The most recent incident of a Walmart deep clean drive was in Lynn Haven, Florida, where the local store was closed for 3 days in July.
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It adopted a policy two years ago at the start of the coronavirus pandemic of closing stores for fewer than two days to “get ahead” of potential outbreaks.
Walmart spokesperson stated that they had been monitoring all of our locations across the nation and decided to close temporarily some locations. This was done through the collection market-related data. The spokesperson declined to confirm whether there are COVID-19 cases.
The largest retailer in the world did not say whether they were seeing more people test positive for COVID-19.
In the United States, there has been an increase in Omicron cases. This led to retailers closing down stores temporarily and limiting access for customers.
According to a memo that two Walmart employees showed to Reuters, the One Laurel Walmart location was shut down last week due to coronavirus infections. They said several people at the store had contracted COVID-19, which Walmart declined to confirm.
John Augustine (chief investment officer, Huntington Private Bank), said that if COVID-related closings of Walmart stores disrupt Walmart operations until late January they might start to worry investors. Huntington Private Bank invests in Walmart and Target (TGT.N).
Target, a Walmart competitor, told Reuters that Target had not shut down any Target stores since December 1st for sanitization and other COVID related reasons. CVS said it had temporarily closed “fewer than 10 locations” for “enhanced cleaning” in that period.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that retailers “close off areas used by the person who is sick and do not use those areas until after cleaning and disinfecting”. However, the CDC doesn’t recommend that stores be closed.
Rising COVID-19 cases led Apple Inc (AAPL.O) to limit service at some New York-area stores, including its iconic Fifth Avenue flagship. The iPhone maker reduced operational hours from Monday to Thursday and limited the number of customers allowed into the store, according to its website. The site also showed that some Apple stores were temporarily closed in Georgia, Tennessee and California.
It was not immediately clear why the stores were shut and Apple did not respond to a request for comment. Apple gets about 5% of its total sales from its retail locations, according to Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives. According to Reuters, this amounts to approximately $35 million per store with 516 locations around the globe.
Some restaurant owners said their businesses have been affected, too.
In mid-December, when COVID-19 cases began to skyrocket in New York City, pizzeria Bravo Pizza was forced to close for an entire day because six employees were out sick, Bravo’s owner said.
Andrew Rigie is the executive director at the New York City Hospitality Alliance. He stated that “dozens” had been temporarily shut down in the city’s various restaurants.
Dan Jacobs is co-owner at DanDan, as well as two other Milwaukee restaurants. He said that his stores lost $80,000 between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day because staff contracted COVID-19, or were called out to be sick.
Multiple officials claim that the cause of the closings this week as well as those planned for May is performance problems. Walmart notified the Town of Guilford that its location was being axed “mainly due to underperformance,” officials wrote on Facebook. And various spokespersons confirmed to regional newspapers that the Mayfield Heights, Forest Park, Louisville, and Bellevue stores were also being shuttered due to poor financial performance.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb
Little told the Louisville Courier Journal that “our decision was based upon several factors” including historical and current financial performance. He also explained how it aligns with our threshold to closing underperforming sites.
Here’s What You Need to Know
- After dozens of workers tested positive for COVID-19 by a number of New Jersey Walmart employees, the store closed Tuesday night and will stay closed Wednesday.
- Although a spokesperson couldn’t verify the exact number of cases confirmed in the store, an employee claimed that COVID was caught by more than 90 workers.
- While the store was shut down, mask mandates in Paterson East Orange, Hoboken and Paterson were reinstated. Meanwhile, lines to test around the state increased almost as fast as the total case.
A New Jersey Walmart turned away customers Tuesday evening and will remain closed to the public on Wednesday after dozens of employees tested positive for COVID-19, a worker at the store said.
The Walmart on W Edgar Road in Linden closed at 2 p.m. on Tuesday “as part of an ongoing company-initiated program … for a third-party specialist to further sanitize the store,” the company said in a statement. A spokeswoman said that closing the store will also “give our associates additional time to restock and prepare the store,” as it expects to reopen at 6 a.m. Thursday.
After a shop employee made it clear that he was going to refuse customers at the front door on Tuesday night, word of the closing has spread quickly. Other customers also received closed doors and wouldn’t let them open. When asked if the store was closed, the employee could be heard mentioning COVID to a customer who asked.
News 4 was told by an employee that there were at least 90 infections. A Walmart spokeswoman said that number was wrong and the real total was much lower — but declined to give an accurate figure and referred questions to the local health department. The local health department said it did not have a total and referred questions back to the company.
This Walmart on W Edgar Rd in Linden, NJ closed until Thursday after employee says more than 90 employees here have Covid – customers being turned away @NBCNewYork pic.twitter.com/7BhypLO8vT
Walmart spokeswoman Felicia McCranie said that the retail giant follows Centers for Disease Control guidance regarding mask-wearing for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. McCranie stated that employees working in stores with state- or local mandates to use masks must do so inside, while unvaccinated workers should cover their faces.
The store shutdown came the same day that mask mandates were reinstated in Paterson, East Orange and Hoboken, while lines for testing around the state grew seemingly as quickly as the case total. Andrew Sayegh, Paterson mayor is just one of many mayors who wish the governor would impose a state-wide mask mandate.
Why Are Walmart Stores Being Temporarily Closed?
Walmart’s temporary closing initiative has been in place since 2020, shortly after the outbreak. According to Ashley Nolan, spokeswoman for New Jersey 101.5, this is an proactive measure that is based on market data and is meant to provide a safe environment in the store for associates and customers.
During the closure, an outside company will sanitize the store as employees restock.
Five stores were temporarily shut down in Linden and Kearny in December. The initiative has also led to the closure of at least 60 other stores across the country.
Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ
Update: 2022
The Wall Street Journal keeps an updated list of all past and future Walmart closures. Click here to see the “Is Your Walmart Closed” page.
It is important to note, however, that the company itself is not shuttering. My March 22 article on the matter, “More Walmarts Have Been Announced as Closing in 2022. Walmart: Is your neighborhood location among them? reflects the company’s current financial health: Walmart claims that it currently operates around 10,500 retail stores, clubs, and other facilities under 46 different banners across 24 countries. We employ 2.3 million associates around the world — nearly 1.6 million in the U.S. alone. The website further lists the number of their current locations: 10,566 total retail units comprised of 4742 Walmart U.S. stores, 600 Sam’s Club U.S. stores, and 5224 Walmart International stores.
Though the most recent closing in Bellevue Washington was unexpected — see Patch.com article on the matter here — this was a strategic decision: In a statement, the company said the decision to close the store was based on several factors, including historic and current financial performance, and that the move is in line with the company’s strategy to close underperforming stores.
The retailer isn’t stopping with the three store closures in April. Walmart plans to shut down at least two locations by May. The Town of Guilford’s Facebook page posted on April 19 that Walmart had informed local officials it was closing the Walmart store in Guilford. The post stated that the store would be closing to customers Friday, May 20, 2018. The store will start clearance sales in the next few weeks to get as many merchandise left as possible.
“We are grateful to the customers who have given us the privilege of serving them at our Mayfield Heights location,” McCranie told the news outlet in an email. We look forward to seeing them in our stores throughout the area and at walmart.com.
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What Happens When Walmart Closes A Store?
When Walmart closes a store, you can opt to shop through Walmart.com and still be assured of fast, efficient, and reliable customer service.
Walmart may have suffered from the closing of brick-and mortar stores, but the company compensates for this with its excellent online shopping strategy.
However, if your store closes due to the regular Walmart deep cleaning schedules then you simply have to wait for reopening within 2-3 days.
Specialists have the opportunity to clean the entire store and Walmart associates can take more time stocking shelves.
Dive Brief:
- These stores will be closing in Arizona, California and Kansas as well as South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia, Washington, and Washington.
- Walmart currently operates almost 700 Neighborhood Markets across the U.S.
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Poor Performance
It ended up closing approximately 130 new businesses by the end of 2017, primarily due to poor performance, unpopularity and market share losses.
Although they stated that they were going to focus on new innovations for their brand, the company did not elaborate what makes a store fail and one that is profitable enough to stay open.
Is Walmart Closing For Good In Canada?
Walmart is not closing for good in Canada, but rather closing some of its outlets.
Walmart will close 6 Walmart stores in Canada to modernize the rest of its remaining stores, and build new distribution centres.
Walmart is getting rid of cashiers.
Walmart is getting rid of cashiers and initiating self-checkouts to speed up wait time and save money in the long run. Furthermore, Walmart intends to give customers more control over their shopping experience.
For more information, see also our posts about Walmart closings and return hours. Also, learn when Walmart stocks alcohol.
Cleaning And Disinfecting Requirement
However, many grocery stores are making sure their customers can continue to shop safely by providing safety procedures that allow folks to purchase products in a safe and healthy environment.
Other grocery stores may shut down and then clean up at night, but this retailer will close multiple locations over 40 hours to ensure that everything is properly cleaned.
And this year, some stores have reopened while others continue to be closed for deep cleanings.
Supply problem
Customers will realize that they can’t get the product they want, and they won’t shop here anymore if there are many other options.
Is My Walmart Closing?
Your local Walmart store may or may not be closed, depending on the location of the store.
With the current preference for online shopping, Walmart has devised a strategy of closing some of its stores to meet the needs of consumers.
Is Walmart Getting Rid Of Overnight Restocking Shifts?
Walmart will be removing the overnight stocking shifts from 300 of its stores. It will also transition workers who work at night to shifts that are more convenient.
Walmart has eliminated their night shift. The new hours of operation for the majority of stores will be 6 a.m.-11 p.m., while some others will close at 10 pm.
All Walmart Stores Are Closing in Canada
Walmart is not closing all stores in Canada, however, the company has closed six stores in Canada and has gone ahead to spend $500 million in upgrading some of the remaining stores.
The stores closed in Canada include three in the province of Ontario, two in Alberta, and one in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The closure of these stores comes as a result of enhancing online shopping and improving the physical appearance of the remaining Walmart stores.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
I have written extensively about the state of Walmart business on NewsBreak. See here for my February, 2022 article, “Plans For Walmart Closings in 2022,” and here for my March, 2022 followup, “More Walmarts Have Been Announced as Closing in 2022. Is Your Neighborhood Location Among Them?”
BestLifeOnline.com published an article entitled “Walmart Closing Stores April for This One Reason” earlier this month. It stated the sole reason behind the closings to be “poor performance.”
Is Walmart Closing Stores In 2022? (Not What You Think)
Walmart’s current logo since 2008
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Walmart Home Office (headquarters) in December 2012
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| Formerly |
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| Type |
Public |
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ISIN |
US9311421039 |
| Industry |
Retail |
| Founded |
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| Founder |
Sam Walton |
| Headquarters |
,
U.S.
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Number of locations
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 10,593 stores worldwide (January 31, 2022) [2] [3] |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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| Products |
Supermarket , Hypermarket , Superstore , Convenience shop |
| Services | |
| Revenue |
US$ 559.2 billion (2020) [4] |
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US$22.55 billion (2020) [4] |
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US$13.70 billion (2020) [4] |
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Total assets |
US$252.5 billion (2020) [4] |
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Total equity |
US$87.53 billion (2020) [4] |
| Owner |
Walton family (50.85%) [5] |
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Number of employees
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2,300,000 (Jan. 2021) [4] U.S.: 1,600,000 |
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Divisions |
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Subsidiaries |
List of subsidiaries |
| Website |
walmart.com |
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Footnotes / references |
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Walmart, one of the most important retailers worldwide, has been able adapt to changes within the retail industry.
Consumer panic over the latest trends in retail has caused concern. Many consumers are asking whether Walmart is closing its stores.
Is Walmart Closing Stores In 2022?
Walmart plans to close some stores by 2022 in order more fully focus on ecommerce. An analysis of Walmart’s revenues revealed that online shopping is preferred by more customers than visiting stores. Walmart is currently changing its business model to allow online shopping, as well as provide reliable and efficient services.
Why Is Walmart Closing Stores Suddenly?
Walmart suddenly closes its stores because of two reasons.
Walmart witnessed a significant increase in US internet shopping between 2020-2021. Many customers are now more comfortable shopping online than they used to in brick and mortar shops.
Last year, Walmart recorded an e-commerce growth of 97% in the second quarter compared to the previous, a figure that is considered the fastest rate on Walmart’s record.
Walmart closed some stores this week to benefit from new trends in shopping and increase profits. This is as Walmart attempts to plan and invest in ecommerce.
Online shoppers are now being served by new programs and software that can be used to improve their shopping experience.
Consumers can order online with no shipping fees thanks to new programs like ‘pick up today’ or home delivery.
Walmart might temporarily close its Walmart location due to the need to clean and disinfect.
During the deep cleans, Walmart closes temporarily for a few days and reopens once assessments on the deep cleans are deemed as complete.
Lynn Haven, Florida is the location of Walmart’s most recent deep clean drive. It was closed for three consecutive days during July.
Is My Walmart Closing?
The location of your Walmart store will determine whether or not it is closed.
Walmart, in recognition of the growing preference to shop online, has developed a strategy that will see some of its stores close down to better serve the customers.
Walmart might decide to close local Walmart shops for deep cleaning and sanitation. If this happens, Walmart will reopen your local store within 2-3 days.
Walmart to Close Every Physical Store By 2022
Walmart does not plan to close every store within 2022. They will however, possibly, close some shops in Puerto Rico, Canada, the US and Canada because of shrinking cities and reduced foot traffic to mall locations.
While some sources may claim that Walmart is closing every store, the information is false and can be regarded as clickbait ads.
The Walmart Store Finder can be used to search for open Walmart locations near you.
Is Walmart closing a store in its stores?
Walmart.com allows you to shop even if a Walmart location closes. This will allow you to still receive fast, efficient and reliable service.
Walmart has exemplary online shopping methods that make it seem like the closures of brick and mortar shops have had negative impacts on the brand’s image.
If your store is closed due to regular Walmart deep cleaning, you will need to wait until reopening in 2-3 days.
During the cleaning period, specialists can get ample time and space to sanitize the whole store while Walmart associates ultimately get additional time to restock shelves.
All Walmart Stores Are Closing in Canada
Walmart will not close all Canadian stores, but it has shut down six of them and spent $500 million to upgrade some others.
The stores closed in Canada include three in the province of Ontario, two in Alberta, and one in Newfoundland and Labrador.
This is due to online shopping being more popular and physical stores at Walmart being better maintained.
Is Walmart Closing For Good In Canada?
Walmart Canada has not closed all its shops, but is closing some.
The shutting down of 6 Walmart outlets in Canada will help Walmart modernize more than half of the remaining stores and also build new distribution centers.
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Is Walmart Getting Rid Of Overnight Restocking Shifts?
Walmart announced today that they will eliminate overnight restocking shifts for approximately 300 stores. Walmart employees currently working in the night shift will now work during other hours.
Having eliminated the night shift, the new operating hours for most Walmart stores are 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. while other few will open at 7 a.m. and close at 10 p.m.
Walmart Is Losing Cashiers:
Walmart is getting rid of cashiers and initiating self-checkouts to speed up wait time and save money in the long run. Walmart also wants customers to have more control over how they shop.
To know more, you can also see our posts on whether or not Walmart closes, Walmart return hours, and what time does Walmart sells alcohol.
Walmart is closing some brick-and-mortar locations in 2020 and 2021 because of the increase in online shopping. Some stores will also be closed temporarily as part of a refreshment, restocking and sanitation of the store.
.Is Walmart Closing Stores In 2022? (Not What You Think)
