walmart to sell levi's

**Sara Noel** · 07-19-2003, 10:11 AM

http://www.cio.com/archive/071503/levis.html

This month, Levi's is introducing its new, less expensive Signature jeans line. (The jeans, for men, women and children, sell for around $23. They have fewer detail finishes than Levi's other lines. They don't have the company's trademark red tab or stitching on the pocket.) Of course, there's something in it for Wal-Mart. The company, already the largest clothing retailer in the world, wants more affluent customers. To lure them in, it needs big brands. Acknowledging that the company's customers come from a "cross-section of income levels and lifestyles," Wal-Mart Senior Vice President Lois Mikita says the company "continues to tailor its selection to meet the needs of those customers."

Levi's believes the new line, and the new retail venue, will revitalize the company by boosting annual sales by hundreds of millions. With up to 100 million shoppers trolling through Wal-Mart every week, that's not an unreasonable assumption. "Levi has to face reality," says Ira Kalish, a retail industry economist. "This is a company that's dropped in size 40 percent or so over the past couple of years. The move to Wal-Mart could be sizable." By partnering with Wal-Mart, adds Harry Bernard, an executive at retail consultancy Colton Bernard, "they'll get the volume they'll need to survive."

**AmyMCGS** · 07-19-2003, 10:27 AM

DH will like this.... his 505's are one of the things he's stopped buying in the last few years due to price. Hopefully these new ones will be cut like the regular Levi's!

**Darlene** · 07-19-2003, 10:30 AM

Goodbye Kathy Lee hello Levis.

The deal should be good for both businesses.

**voodidit** · 07-19-2003, 01:38 PM

It's a good idea on the part of both companies.

**Katybird** · 08-02-2003, 07:17 PM

I think that is great. I have a friend who's husband works for WalMart and she was telling me that WalMart is trying to work a deal with Nike to sell Nike products in WalMart. I hope that works out.

**Mom23boys** · 08-02-2003, 08:30 PM

I saw this in their recent circular they sent out. I still can go to JCPenney's and get them for Richard for 19.99. I will only buy them from WM if they drop the price to that.

**CAGmomof2** · 08-26-2003, 04:27 PM

Oh this is great news.. Maybe DH can actually find some that are reasonable priced for him to wear..
He also likes for me to wear them but due to The Price of them we have never been able to buy them for me to wear nor for our DD to wear.
Now maybe our entire family can wear Levi's..

**couponchic** · 08-26-2003, 06:47 PM

So, has anyone actually bought the Levi's from WalMart yet? My sister has bought a Levi jean jacket from Walmart and she really likes it, but no one I know has purchased the jeans yet.