>>> WELCOME BACK TO OUR SPECIAL
>>> WELCOME BACK TO OUR SPECIAL "REOPENING AMERICA" COVERAGE.
"REOPENING AMERICA" COVERAGE. I’M STEPHANIE RUHLE.
I’M STEPHANIE RUHLE. I’M NOW JOINED BY PRESIDENT AND
I’M NOW JOINED BY PRESIDENT AND CEO OF WALMART U.S.
CEO OF WALMART U.S. JOHN, HOPEFULLY WE’RE NOT HAVING
JOHN, HOPEFULLY WE’RE NOT HAVING ANY TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
ANY TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. YOU ARE THE BIGGEST EMPLOYER IN
YOU ARE THE BIGGEST EMPLOYER IN THE COUNTRY.
THE COUNTRY. WHAT ARE YOUR ASSOCIATES TELLING
WHAT ARE YOUR ASSOCIATES TELLING YOU THEY’RE MOST CONCERNED
YOU THEY’RE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT?
ABOUT? >> WELL, STEPHANIE, OUR TEAM HAS
>> WELL, STEPHANIE, OUR TEAM HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB THE LAST
DONE AN AMAZING JOB THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS TAKING CARE OF
COUPLE OF MONTHS TAKING CARE OF CUSTOMERS AND ESSENTIAL
CUSTOMERS AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES, AND WE’VE BEEN OPEN.
SERVICES, AND WE’VE BEEN OPEN. WE’VE BEEN OPEN FOR THE LAST
WE’VE BEEN OPEN FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
COUPLE OF MONTHS. WE’VE TAKEN A NUMBER OF MEASURES
WE’VE TAKEN A NUMBER OF MEASURES TO CHANGE THE WAY WE OPERATE.
TO CHANGE THE WAY WE OPERATE. EVERYTHING FROM METERING IN THE
EVERYTHING FROM METERING IN THE STORE TO LIMITING THE HOURS THE
STORE TO LIMITING THE HOURS THE STORES ARE OPENING.
STORES ARE OPENING. AND WHAT OUR PEOPLE ARE SAYING,
AND WHAT OUR PEOPLE ARE SAYING, AND I THINK YOU’LL HEAR THIS
AND I THINK YOU’LL HEAR THIS FROM BUSINESSES ALL OVER, IT’S
FROM BUSINESSES ALL OVER, IT’S GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US.
GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US. IT’S GOING TO TAKE EMPLOYERS,
IT’S GOING TO TAKE EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES DOING THE THINGS WE
EMPLOYEES DOING THE THINGS WE NEED TO KEEP PEOPLE SOCIALLY
NEED TO KEEP PEOPLE SOCIALLY DISTANCED AND PROVIDING THE
DISTANCED AND PROVIDING THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT.
RIGHT EQUIPMENT. WE ALSO NEED CUSTOMERS TO DO
WE ALSO NEED CUSTOMERS TO DO THEIR PART.
THEIR PART. I’M THE CUSTOMER WHEN I GO OUT,
I’M THE CUSTOMER WHEN I GO OUT, AND IT CAN BE CONVENIENT TO JUST
AND IT CAN BE CONVENIENT TO JUST STAY IN LINE AND STAY SPACED
STAY IN LINE AND STAY SPACED OUT.
OUT. BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE
BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS IN THE BEST POSITION
EVERYONE IS IN THE BEST POSITION SO OUR EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS
SO OUR EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS STAY SAFE AS WE MOVE TO THE NEXT
STAY SAFE AS WE MOVE TO THE NEXT PHASE OF THIS RECOVERY IN THE
PHASE OF THIS RECOVERY IN THE PANDEMIC.
PANDEMIC. >> IS CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR
>> IS CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR SURROUNDING THIS PANDEMIC
SURROUNDING THIS PANDEMIC DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT PLACES IN
DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT PLACES IN THE COUNTRY?
THE COUNTRY? >> I THINK IT IS.
>> I THINK IT IS. AND I THINK IT HAS A LOT TO DO
AND I THINK IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE EXPERIENCE THAT PEOPLE
WITH THE EXPERIENCE THAT PEOPLE HAVE HAD IN MARKETS.
HAVE HAD IN MARKETS. MARKETS THAT HAVE BEEN HEAVILY
MARKETS THAT HAVE BEEN HEAVILY AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC AND
AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC AND FAMILIES AFFECTED, AND OTHER
FAMILIES AFFECTED, AND OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE HAD FAR FEWER CASES.
HAD FAR FEWER CASES. AND I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE
AND I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE EXPERIENCE THAT YOU’VE HAD
EXPERIENCE THAT YOU’VE HAD SOMEWHERE NEAR YOU AND SOME
SOMEWHERE NEAR YOU AND SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THERE HAVE
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THERE HAVE BEEN STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS AND
BEEN STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS AND THOSE STILL EXIST.
THOSE STILL EXIST. OTHER AREAS THERE ARE STATES
OTHER AREAS THERE ARE STATES THAT DIDN’T HAVE STAY-AT-HOME
THAT DIDN’T HAVE STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS.
ORDERS. IT’S WHAT’S HAPPENED TO YOU MOST
IT’S WHAT’S HAPPENED TO YOU MOST LOCALLY.
LOCALLY. >> AS THE BIGGEST EMPLOYER, THIS
>> AS THE BIGGEST EMPLOYER, THIS PANDEMIC IS EVERYWHERE, YOU HAVE
PANDEMIC IS EVERYWHERE, YOU HAVE HAD EMPLOYEES GET SICK.
HAD EMPLOYEES GET SICK. BUT YOU’VE ALSO GOT THE
BUT YOU’VE ALSO GOT THE RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO
RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO ADDRESS ALL OF THIS.
ADDRESS ALL OF THIS. IF YOU ARE A MOM AND POP, IF YOU
IF YOU ARE A MOM AND POP, IF YOU ARE A SMALL BUSINESS RIGHT NOW,
ARE A SMALL BUSINESS RIGHT NOW, LOOKING TO REOPEN, DO YOU THINK
LOOKING TO REOPEN, DO YOU THINK YOU COULD TAKE ON ALL THESE NEW
YOU COULD TAKE ON ALL THESE NEW SAFETY MEASURES?
SAFETY MEASURES? >> WELL, AS A SMALL BUSINESS OR
>> WELL, AS A SMALL BUSINESS OR LARGE BUSINESS, THERE ARE SOME
LARGE BUSINESS, THERE ARE SOME VERY PRACTICAL THINGS EACH OF US
VERY PRACTICAL THINGS EACH OF US CAN DO.
CAN DO. FIRST, WE METER PEOPLE IN THE
FIRST, WE METER PEOPLE IN THE STORES DURING THE DAY, IT’S AS
STORES DURING THE DAY, IT’S AS SIMPLE AS PUTTING AN X ON THE
SIMPLE AS PUTTING AN X ON THE SIDEWALK WITH TAPE AND IT’S SIX
SIDEWALK WITH TAPE AND IT’S SIX FEET APART AND ASKING PEOPLE TO
FEET APART AND ASKING PEOPLE TO STAND SPACED OUT.
STAND SPACED OUT. WE COUNT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
WE COUNT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COME IN.
COME IN. WE’VE GOT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE PER
WE’VE GOT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE PER THOUSAND SQUARE FEET IN THE
THOUSAND SQUARE FEET IN THE STORES.
STORES. THOSE ARE EASY THINGS TO DO.
THOSE ARE EASY THINGS TO DO. DIRECTIONAL AISLE MARKERS SO
DIRECTIONAL AISLE MARKERS SO CUSTOMERS ARE MOVING DOWN THE
CUSTOMERS ARE MOVING DOWN THE AISLE IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
AISLE IN THE SAME DIRECTION. REAL PRACTICAL THINGS TO DO.
REAL PRACTICAL THINGS TO DO. PLEXIGLAS SHIELDS BETWEEN OUR
PLEXIGLAS SHIELDS BETWEEN OUR ASSOCIATES SERVING CUSTOMERS.
ASSOCIATES SERVING CUSTOMERS. IT’S AN INEXPENSIVE WAY TO MAKE
IT’S AN INEXPENSIVE WAY TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE STAY SAFE.
SURE PEOPLE STAY SAFE. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS ANY
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS ANY BUSINESS CAN DO WITHOUT ADDING A
BUSINESS CAN DO WITHOUT ADDING A LOT OF COMPLEXITY OR COST TO THE
LOT OF COMPLEXITY OR COST TO THE BUSINESS.
BUSINESS. >> DO YOU THINK THE RETAIL
>> DO YOU THINK THE RETAIL INDUSTRY WILL CHANGE FOREVER?
INDUSTRY WILL CHANGE FOREVER? WE KNOW LARGE PARTS OF THE
WE KNOW LARGE PARTS OF THE INDUSTRY WERE SUFFERING BEFORE.
INDUSTRY WERE SUFFERING BEFORE. BUT NOW WE’RE DOING CURBSIDE
BUT NOW WE’RE DOING CURBSIDE PICK-UP, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE
PICK-UP, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE DOING ONLINE SHOPPING.
ARE DOING ONLINE SHOPPING. WHEN WE GO BACK, ARE WE GOING
WHEN WE GO BACK, ARE WE GOING BACK?
BACK? >> WELL, I THINK THE CUSTOMER
>> WELL, I THINK THE CUSTOMER DEFINITELY HAS CHANGED CERTAINLY
DEFINITELY HAS CHANGED CERTAINLY IN THE SHORT TERM.
IN THE SHORT TERM. THERE WILL BE A COUPLE OF PHASES
THERE WILL BE A COUPLE OF PHASES TO THIS RECOVERY.
TO THIS RECOVERY. WE’LL BE OPENING WITH THE
WE’LL BE OPENING WITH THE PANDEMIC.
PANDEMIC. WE’LL HAVE PROTECTIVE MEASURES
WE’LL HAVE PROTECTIVE MEASURES IN PLACE AND THERE WILL BE
IN PLACE AND THERE WILL BE VISUAL REMINDERS THAT THINGS ARE
VISUAL REMINDERS THAT THINGS ARE DIFFERENT AND PEOPLE ARE
DIFFERENT AND PEOPLE ARE SHOPPING AT THE CURB MORE, AND
SHOPPING AT THE CURB MORE, AND THEY ARE USING CONTACT-FREE
THEY ARE USING CONTACT-FREE CHECKOUT LIKE IN OUR STORES,
CHECKOUT LIKE IN OUR STORES, WALMART PAY, YOU CAN USE WITHOUT
WALMART PAY, YOU CAN USE WITHOUT CONTACT.
CONTACT. THAT BEHAVIOR HAS CHANGED.
THAT BEHAVIOR HAS CHANGED. AND THEN WE’LL MOVE ON,
AND THEN WE’LL MOVE ON, HOPEFULLY SOONER THAN LATER,
HOPEFULLY SOONER THAN LATER, WHERE THERE’S A VACCINE AND WE
WHERE THERE’S A VACCINE AND WE GET TO A FULL RECOVERY AND THERE
GET TO A FULL RECOVERY AND THERE WILL PROBABLY BE SOME KIND OF
WILL PROBABLY BE SOME KIND OF NEW NORMAL THAT WE’LL HAVE TO
NEW NORMAL THAT WE’LL HAVE TO LEARN ABOUT ONCE WE GET THERE.
LEARN ABOUT ONCE WE GET THERE. BUT THESE EVENTS DO TEND TO
BUT THESE EVENTS DO TEND TO CHANGE THINGS SIGNIFICANTLY.
CHANGE THINGS SIGNIFICANTLY. >> CAN YOU TAKE US INTO THE
>> CAN YOU TAKE US INTO THE AMERICAN CONSUMER?
AMERICAN CONSUMER? YOU HAVE BEEN OPEN THROUGH THIS
YOU HAVE BEEN OPEN THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC.
PANDEMIC. HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE
HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE CONSUMER BUYING?
CONSUMER BUYING? WHAT DID THEY NEED A MONTH AGO,
WHAT DID THEY NEED A MONTH AGO, TODAY AND WHERE ARE THEY GOING
TODAY AND WHERE ARE THEY GOING TOMORROW?
TOMORROW? >> THERE HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN
>> THERE HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN SOME BIG SHIFTS.
SOME BIG SHIFTS. EARLY ON, WE SAW
EARLY ON, WE SAW OVER-THE-COUNTER
OVER-THE-COUNTER PHARMACEUTICALS.
PHARMACEUTICALS. MID-MARCH, A BIG RUN ON FOOD.
MID-MARCH, A BIG RUN ON FOOD. MANY PEOPLE SAW OUR FOOD
MANY PEOPLE SAW OUR FOOD BUSINESS WAS SHOPPED HEAVILY
BUSINESS WAS SHOPPED HEAVILY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF FOUR TO
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF FOUR TO FIVE WEEKS IT’S SHIFTED FROM
FIVE WEEKS IT’S SHIFTED FROM THOSE KIND OF CATEGORIES TO THE
THOSE KIND OF CATEGORIES TO THE THINGS WE DO WHEN WE STAY AT
THINGS WE DO WHEN WE STAY AT HOME.
HOME. SO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BUYING MORE
SO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BUYING MORE BOARD GAMES AND PUZZLES, SMALL
BOARD GAMES AND PUZZLES, SMALL EXERCISE THINGS LIKE YOGA AND
EXERCISE THINGS LIKE YOGA AND WEIGHT EQUIPMENTS HAVE DONE
WEIGHT EQUIPMENTS HAVE DONE WELL.
WELL. AS THE WEATHER HAS IMPROVED, OUR
AS THE WEATHER HAS IMPROVED, OUR BICYCLE BUSINESS HAS CHANGED.
BICYCLE BUSINESS HAS CHANGED. AND SOME CATEGORIES THAT HAVE
AND SOME CATEGORIES THAT HAVE BEEN SOFTER LIKE AUTO CARE.
BEEN SOFTER LIKE AUTO CARE. PEOPLE AREN’T DRIVING AS MUCH.
PEOPLE AREN’T DRIVING AS MUCH. THE CARS ARE PARKED.
THE CARS ARE PARKED. SO WE CAN REALLY SEE THIS CHANGE
SO WE CAN REALLY SEE THIS CHANGE IN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR THROUGHOUT
IN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE THING RIGHT UP UNTIL
THE ENTIRE THING RIGHT UP UNTIL THIS WEEK.
THIS WEEK. >> DO YOU THINK WE’RE GOING TO
>> DO YOU THINK WE’RE GOING TO BE BOOMING AGAIN?
BE BOOMING AGAIN? DO YOU THINK DEMAND WILL BE BACK
DO YOU THINK DEMAND WILL BE BACK IN A HUGE WAY THIRD QUARTER OF
IN A HUGE WAY THIRD QUARTER OF THIS YEAR?
THIS YEAR? YOU’VE GOT A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE.
YOU’VE GOT A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE. EVERYONE ELSE’S NUMBERS ARE
EVERYONE ELSE’S NUMBERS ARE WARPED BECAUSE, THROUGH NO FAULT
WARPED BECAUSE, THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, THEY SHUT DOWN.
OF THEIR OWN, THEY SHUT DOWN. YOU’VE LIVED THROUGH THIS.
YOU’VE LIVED THROUGH THIS. >> IT WOULD BE HARD TO FORECAST
>> IT WOULD BE HARD TO FORECAST WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE THE REST OF
WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE THE REST OF THE YEAR.
THE YEAR. I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF
I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PIECES HERE.
MOVING PIECES HERE. THE JOB MARKET THAT WE’LL BE
THE JOB MARKET THAT WE’LL BE WATCHING.
WATCHING. MANY PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO COME
MANY PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO COME BACK TO WORK.
BACK TO WORK. THIS WILL AFFECT DIFFERENT
THIS WILL AFFECT DIFFERENT SEGMENTS.
SEGMENTS. FOOD SERVICE WILL EASE THEIR WAY
FOOD SERVICE WILL EASE THEIR WAY BACK IN.
BACK IN. SOME OTHER PARTS OF THE ECONOMY
SOME OTHER PARTS OF THE ECONOMY MAY BE MORE IMPACTED.
MAY BE MORE IMPACTED. SO THIS WILL BE SOMETHING THAT
SO THIS WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE’LL HAVE TO WATCH CLOSELY.
WE’LL HAVE TO WATCH CLOSELY. BUT AS FAR AS THE CONSUMER,
BUT AS FAR AS THE CONSUMER, THERE WILL DEFINITELY BE SOME
THERE WILL DEFINITELY BE SOME CHANGES.
CHANGES. I THINK PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEARNED
I THINK PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEARNED TO USE PICK-UP AS AN OPTION FOR
