Omaha World-Herald (Nebraska)

December 20, 2008 Saturday
Iowa; Midlands; Nebraska; Sunrise Editions

MONEY; Pg. 02D

150 words

Most in U.S. go shopping at Wal-Mart

John Keenan, WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

A survey by Charleston, S.C.-based America's Research Group and UBS Global Equity Research showed that almost two-thirds of those polled shopped at Wal-Mart in 2007, an increase of almost 15 percent from the previous year.

Wal-Mart has continued to draw post-Black Friday shoppers, said Britt Beemer, chief executive of America's Research Group. Last weekend, 66 percent of the 1,002 people surveyed said they went to Wal-Mart, Beemer said. That's up from 41 percent in 2007.

Much smaller percentages of respondents said they shopped at J.C. Penney, Sears, Target, Toys R Us and Best Buy, the survey showed.

Beemer attributed the results to the chain's effective marketing, notably on its electronics deals.

Wal-Mart spokesman John Simley said he couldn't comment on research he hadn't seen. But he did say that Wal-Mart was "well positioned for this economy."

Contact the writer

444-1074, john.keenan@owh.com

December 22, 2008