By George Anderson
A new and hipper Wal-Mart is "starting to make a statement," according to its senior vice president of marketing Stephen Quinn.
That assertion, made by Mr. Quinn during a Bear Stearns Webcast, is a confirmation that Wal-Mart's plan to upgrade its apparel offerings with the introduction of new clothing lines such as Metro 7 is being well received by the chain's shoppers.
Mr. Quinn said Wal-Mart "was completely sold out" of its initial stock on the Metro 7 line and was planning to expand into complementary product categories such as shoes and jewelry with the brand.
Calling the Metro 7 introduction "a very important experiment to offer fashion-forward merchandise," he added, "We found that if you make the fashion apparel available to them, they will buy it."
Wal-Mart plans to have Metro 7 merchandise in 800 of its U.S. stores this spring.
Moderator's Comment: What do you take from Wal-Mart's initial success with the Metro 7 line? How important is apparel to the chain's stated strategy for upgrading its image with consumers who only shop its stores for everyday staples? - George Anderson - Moderator