Walmart Addresses Electronic Pricing Rumors At Louisiana Stores

(KMDL-FM) I did it for the very first time yesterday; I did "tap to pay" at a Walmart store. Tap to pay is slowly coming to all Walmart stores as the company leans into technology. However, that lean into the tech world and electronics has created some backlash among the Walmart faithful.

black and gray digital device

There has been so much backlash and so many rumors concerning Walmart's new electronic shelf labels that the CEO and President of Walmart, John Furner, took to social media to address the issue with consumers up front and out in the open.

Why Don't Consumers Trust Walmart's Digital Shelf Labels?

The issue with the electronic price tags (Digital Shelf Labels) recently introduced to Walmart stores is that consumers have been led to believe that Walmart could literally change prices in a matter of seconds.

That means a consumer could pick up an item from the shelf where the price displayed was $5.00, and by the time they walk to the checkout, the price could have been electronically changed to something higher.

woman in blue denim jacket holding her hair

The other concern raised by the highly efficient electronic price tags was that Walmart would shift to a dynamic pricing model. What that means is that when demand for a product gets high, or the supply of the product gets low, the store could raise the price as a way of managing demand and increasing profits.

READ MORE: Surveillance Pricing - Should Louisiana Ban That Too? 

You have to admit both of those strategies sound exactly like what corporate America would want to do to consumers, but in this case, that is not the case at all.

Walmart CEO Comes Clean on New Electronic Shelf Labels - What He Said

You can read CEO Furner's letter to you right here. It's also on Walmart's social media sites. I do believe that what Mr. Furner has written to us, the customers of Walmart, he believes to be true, and I believe he will work to make it so.

In his letter, he explains why the company went to the digital shelf labels. And what the company policy is regarding prices and transparency with you, the consumer. He stated that Walmart doesn't participate in price change hanky-panky, and its commitment is to offer you the best products at the lowest prices from American producers when possible. That seems very "on brand" for Walmart.

a close up of a cell phone on a table

So, I guess we can lay off the Walmart is changing prices rumors and move on to some other unsubstantiated stories. Have you heard about hidden cameras at Texas Roadhouse? Or did you know you can tell when the police have run your license plate through an electronic reader? Or do you know how long someone can legally park their car outside your house?

READ MORE: $2.9 Billion in Tariff Refunds - How Walmart Will Return Your Money

See, we still have plenty to worry about without Walmart changing the prices on us. In the meantime, let's not worry anymore. Who is ready for a cocktail?