Santa definitely drives traffic to the mall, but will he bring people to a Walmart Supercenter?
According to research by the International Council of Shopping Centers, 50 percent of parents with kids 13 or younger plan to make a trip to a shopping mall specifically to meet Santa. Walmart is hoping to put Kris Kringle's magic to work by stationing the jolly old fellow at 3,600 of its stores on the weekends of Dec. 4-5 and 12-13.
The addition of Santa is part of Walmart's "holiday retailtainment" strategy for the season that will include carols on in-store radio and garden centers turned into "winter wonderlands," according to Judith McKenna, COO of Walmart U.S.
"I want customers to be in awe when they see what we have to offer as they walk into our stores," said Ms. McKenna in a statement.
"Even though it's a gimmick, Santa always results in more foot traffic," Hitha Herzog, chief research officer at H Squared Research, told NBC News. "Any time you give people a reason to come to the store other than, for example, to buy a television, it's always going to be a draw. When you have someone stay within the confines of your store for a longer time, the percentage of purchases can increase tenfold."
Photo: Walmart
Just putting Santas in a store may not be enough to get people to visit Walmart, according to Santa Bob Elkin, president and CEO of the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas.
"Some Santas have been at the same shopping center for 10, 15 or 20 years," Mr. Elkin told Adweek. "People who came as kids now bring their own kids."
- Walmart Unveils Holiday Strategy: Easier Shopping Every Day - Walmart Stores
- Our Promise This Holiday Season: Easier Shopping Every Day - Walmart Blog
- It Turns Out Shopping-Center Santas Actually Do Bring People in the Door - Adweek
- Wal-Mart's Secret Weapon in Holiday Shopping War: An Army of Santas - NBC News