WAL-MART WATCH: PHOENIX

Wal-Mart remains a key benchmark of the competitive pressures retailers face today. The aggressive discounter offers low prices and careful selection on a wide range of products.

art and at competing supermarkets. The survey revealed that the tooth-whitening segment is still very much a specialty niche in Phoenix. Many of the top-selling brands were not carried by Wal-Mart or many supermarkets. At most supermarkets the tooth-whitening segment was hidden to the side of the toothpaste department or placed on the top shelf above the department. Smith's carried the most brands and stockkeeping units in the whitening segment. While Wal-Mart's tooth-whitening segment was limited, the two popular selling toothpastes were priced below other supermarkets in the area. Safeway was running an overstock clearance sale on Rembrandt.

Here are the findings:

Toothpaste Whiteners

OVERALL DEPARTMENT COMPARISONS

# brands # SKUs

Wal-Mart 4 11

Abco 3 4

Bashas' 4 4

Food 4 Less 3 4

Fry's 5 10

Safeway 4 6

Smith's 6 12

Smitty's 4 7

TOP BRAND PRICE COMPARISONS

Rembrandt Pearl Drops Natural WHite Topol

Wal-Mart -- $3.16 $2.27 --

Abco $7.99 -- -- --

Bashas' $7.99 $3.79 -- $4.99

Food 4 Less -- $3.17 -- $3.47

Fry's $7.99 $3.39 $2.99 --

Safeway $6.59 $3.39 -- $4.99

Smith's $7.99 $3.39 $3.27 $4.69

Smitty's $7.99 $3.39 -- $4.79