Walmart Requests 2009/2010 Production Schedules for all Mainline Titles
Walmart has announced that they will be effecting changes to their magazine mainline, including: new planograms, designated title assignment to the Flex pockets, new authorized list development, etc. These changes are summarized in the memorandum below from Magazine Buyer Christy Jenkins. The retailer has also issued a production schedule collection assignment to each publisher or national distributor, as part of this mainline project. By November 20th, CMG must supply Walmart with production schedules for all authorized titles/UPCs for the remainder of 2009 and at least the first half of 2010. Accordingly, if you have not yet provided your CMG Marketing Manager with your schedules for the remainder of 2009 and 2010, please do so as soon as possible, and at the latest by November 17th, so that we can comply with Walmart’s deadline. Failure to provide this information may result in title de-listings.
Available here for your reference is the form that CMG has been instructed to use. The memorandum from Walmart follows below in its entirety:
Re: Request for Production Schedules;
Walmart Mainline Initiative
Dear National Distributor and Publisher,
Walmart is undertaking major changes to the magazine Mainline, including:
- Changes to the End Cap Program and New & Notable Promotion
2010 Themes for New & Notable: January – Health and Wellness
February - Sports
March – Health
April – Garden
May – Food and Cooking
- A new location for New and some remodel stores within the Electronics department
- A revised list of authorized titles
- New mainline planograms designed to accommodate both the current and new fixtures and demographic clusters
- Pre-determined flex space for low frequency titles. Titles for this space selected at least 90 days in advance
- Titles will be traited by cluster by store.
Additional details about these changes will be announced soon, if you have questions about booking space for the New and Notable sections, please contact Debbie Brent @ Source Interlink.
—-
The use of multiple low frequency titles rotating through the same position for 30 day periods will provide opportunities for superior product selection and increased sales. For that reason, it will be necessary to accumulate production schedules for all your mainline titles distributed to our stores.
Please provide to me, by November 20th , your 2009 and 2010 Production Schedules for each of your currently approved UPCs in Walmart. 2010 schedules should be complete through at least June 30, 2010.
YOUR TITLE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THE NEW PLANOGRAM WITHOUT A 2009 and 2010 PRODUCTION SCHEDULE.
Production schedules should be forwarded to me using the attached template.
Thank you for your cooperation.
I look forward to working with you in the weeks ahead.
Sincerely,
Christy Jenkins Buyer Magazines, Maps, Newspapers and Calendars