Does Walmart Sell PVC Pipe? (Find Out Now!)
Walmart is arguably the largest brick-and-mortar retail sales company in the world. According to Walmart, they have over 10,500 store locations in 24 countries. These mega department stores feature everything from groceries to lingerie. But does Walmart sell PVC pipe?
In one sense, Walmart does sell PVC pipe. However, PVC pipe is not normally stocked in Walmart brick and mortar stores. PVC pipe is sold through the Walmart eCommerce site, Walmart.com. In many cases, the product is not offered or shipped by Walmart.com but by a third-party seller who utilizes the Walmart eCommerce system.
Walmart built a retail empire by innovating and reshaping retail sales concepts. Walmart procurement, inventory and logistics management have changed the retail industry. Walmart’s concepts of sales tracking and customer demographic data collection have influenced the entire retail market landscape. Now Walmart is challenging the leaders of the eCommerce marketplace with the same sense of innovation.
The PVC Pipe Example
It is inconceivable that a Walmart store can possibly stock every item available. The physical impossibilities of that goal are apparent. However, eCommerce has opened the door to vast new opportunities in the retail markets. Retail giants like Walmart can expand their product offerings without investing in huge warehouses, logistics assets, or expensive retail floor space.
As an example, take PVC pipe. Most Walmart stores have relatively small hardware and home repair department. Most of the items they carry are routine things such as light bulbs, small selections of screws and nails and a few tools. PVC pipe is space-consuming and hard to shelve. However, online eCommerce sites are virtually unlimited in the number of items that can be offered. Size and weight are not an issue in an online retail environment.
PVC pipe and fittings may not be the mainstay of the Walmart retail concept, but by providing the opportunity to their existing customers, they open the possibility of generating more sales. The wide variety of products, including PVC pipe, generates more website and retail store visits in some instances.
Where Does Walmart PVC Pipe Come From?
A search of the Walmart eCommerce sight for PVC pipe returns a host of results from lengths of PVC pipe in various diameters to fittings and accessories to go with the pipe. Searching for ¾ inch by 2-foot sections of PVC pipe on the Walmart website returns offerings from two different sellers. Looking at ¾ inch PVC pipe fittings like a standard 90-degree elbow, you get even more options.
This pattern repeats across the breadth of the PVC parts listed on the Walmart website. By providing a wider selection from different sellers, Walmart offers its customers shopping opportunities they won’t get in even the best-supplied home improvement store.
The Pros of Online Retail Sales
Online sales giants like Amazon and others have taken the lead in the online sales arena. However, Walmart, which came a little late to the eCommerce business, is rapidly gaining ground. By leveraging their thousands of brick-and-mortar retail outlets, Walmart has created a new look to the eCommerce marketplace.
Walmart uses several key concepts to encourage customers to shop online and brick-and-mortar locations. For example:
- Walmart offers free in-store pickup of your online orders. This encourages shoppers to shop online with Walmart to get free shipping. It brings shoppers into the store where impulse buying is encouraged.
- Walmart’s large customer base is a ready-made audience for their online retail operation. There was no need to generate or attract valued customers in many instances. Shoppers who were already loyal Walmart customers naturally switched to online shopping.
- The concept adopted by Walmart for their online eCommerce system embraced partnering with other resellers to offer a much wider array of products. In addition, Walmart often has more than one reseller offering the same product. This overlap creates an opportunity for Walmart shoppers to gain price advantages.
- Online retail is, in many ways, cheaper to operate than brick-and-mortar storefronts. As a result, the overhead of operating multiple stores is gone. As a result, upfront asset costs such as construction, fixtures, employees, and inventory are drastically cut.
Online retail sales have advantages that benefit both the seller and the customer. In many instances, the greatest benefit to the customer is a wider array of product choices at a better price. For retailers such as Walmart, the ability to offer more products without incurring much additional cost is a key factor.
The Cons of Online Retail Sales
Walmart officials make no secret that there are disadvantages to online retail sales. Take our PVC pipe example, and you can easily deduce some of the problems.
- Many items for which people are shopping are time-sensitive. For example, someone with a plumbing problem that needs a quick fix can’t wait for Walmart to ship PVC pipe for arrival in three days. That customer needs the PVC pipe now.
- Some people want to see and touch what they are buying before deciding. This is not so much a problem with PVC pipe, but with many other items, it is true.
- Handling some items can create a problem for the retailer and the customer. PVC pipe is usually sold in ten-foot sections. From a logistics standpoint, which can create problems handling this type of merchandise for a retail operator. Often, finding space in the store to house large orders of PVC pipe is difficult.
Many conventional retailers have ventured into the online eCommerce markets. In most cases, the conventional retailers who adopt an eCommerce presence often offer only the same lines of merchandise they offer in their brick-and-mortar operations. Walmart has gone beyond that concept to widen its product offerings into areas not usually associated with Walmart stores. PVC pipe is a perfect example.
Can You Buy PVC Pipe at Walmart?
Yes, you can, but not at the Walmart down the street. For the most part, you can buy almost anything, including PVC pipe, fittings, and tools, from Walmart through its online eCommerce sites. Walmart is now considered the number three online eCommerce seller in the United States. Based on Walmart’s history, you can be assured that Walmart’s goal is to be number one. If that requires selling PVC pipe, you can expect to buy your PVC pipe from Walmart.
Dennis is a retired firefighter with an extensive background in construction, home improvement, and remodeling. He worked in the trades part-time while serving as an active firefighter. On his retirement, he started a remodeling and home repair business, which he ran for several years.
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