Walmart announces pre-Boxing Day blow-out event

Price drops eight days before Boxing Day is culmination of four-month record-breaking price strategy

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Dec. 17 /CNW/ - Walmart Canada announced its pre-Boxing Day blow-out event today. The event begins more than a week before December 26 , the day retailers traditionally offer deep discounts following the Christmas shopping season. This blow-out event is part of a four-month pricing strategy that has seen customers enjoy tens of thousands of price drops.

Walmart Canada research showed that while Canadians are concerned about the economy and their own finances, they do not want to compromise over the holiday season when it comes to gift giving or entertaining for their families, and particularly for their children.

"We approached the 2009 holiday season with early price drops in toys, starting in September, and followed with a record number of price reductions in November and December in every department in our stores - from electronics to toys to housewares to food," said David Cheesewright, President and CEO of Walmart Canada . "In November we dropped over 18,000 prices and we plan to drop another 19,000 in December before Christmas. There's no better time of year to deliver on our promise to help save Canadians money so they can live better."

Gifts for everyone, big and small

Walmart's pre-Boxing Day blow-out event includes a wide range of gift ideas for children, starting with toys priced at $10 , $15 , $20 and $25 . For big kids and kids at heart, shoppers will find thousands of great last-minute prices. Some examples include:

    
    -   Television LG 42" 1080p: $728.00
    -   Sony Blu-Ray Home Theatre: $398.00
    -   Magnavox Blu-Ray Player: $98.00
    -   Timex Ironman watches: $37.00
    -   Magellan 1440 GPS: $124.33
    -   Lexar 3 pack 4GB USB Drives: $24.88
    -   23 pieces fondu set: $24.97
    -   Ceramic heater : $24.96
    -   Brand-name golf balls: 20 % off
    -   20 % off on all table games
    -   50 % off all Christmas cards
    

Canadians name Walmart Canada as their top holiday destination

For the third year in a row, Walmart Canada has been ranked the top destination for Christmas shoppers with 65 per cent of respondents planning to shop at Walmart stores according to Maritz Research Canada's 2009 Canadian Holiday Shopping Poll. According to Maritz, Canadians rank 'sales and discounts', 'level of customer service', 'availability of staff' and 'hours of operation' as the top four influencers when deciding where to shop. These results speak to Canadian's confidence in Walmart Canada and the retailer's commitment to price leadership.

About Walmart Canada

Walmart Canada operates a growing chain of 314 stores, serving more than one million Canadians each day. With more than 82,000 associates, the company is Canada's third-largest employer. In 2009, Walmart Canada's corporate culture was ranked among the 10 most admired corporate cultures in Canada by Waterstone Human Capital Inc. Walmart Canada is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its operations and products. The company has three long-term environmental goals: to operate a zero-waste business; to operate with 100% renewable energy; and to sell products that sustain resources and the environment.

For further information: Susan Schutta, Corporate Affairs, Walmart Canada, [phone], ext. 8012