Raisins? Toasters? You Won’t Believe Walmart’s Top-Selling Items in Each State
In Pennsylvania, Walmart shoppers love those Legos. In Nevada, canned pumpkin just flies off the shelves of the local Walmarts. And in Arizona, nothing says a trip to Walmart like coming home with a toaster.
We recently analyzed https://t.co/vNCVmgeaMJ data to find out which items are top sellers in every state. https://t.co/uhGpHWplQr
— Walmart Newsroom (@WalmartNewsroom) August 17, 2017
For whatever it might reveal about the various states that make up America, Walmart released its list of top-selling items by state.
Differences abound. In California, the allergy medication Zyrtec is the top seller. New Jersey is No. 1 for dumbells — literally.
Walmart breaks down bizarre top sellers in every state https://t.co/oyMTHv5ffq pic.twitter.com/Tq2Dpw7PPl
— KENS 5 (@KENS5) August 18, 2017
Even in states where a food item is the best seller, why do Colorado residents prefer apple juice while Mississippi’s shoppers grab more cranberry juice?
Is it appropriate @TheOrangeCone that traffic cones are too sellers in Tennessee? https://t.co/vbEhFoe9y9
— Scot Justice (@virtualcfo) August 17, 2017
Clayton Christensen, author of the bestselling The Innovator’s Dilemma, said there’s likely no answer more simple than people buy what they believe they need to do a job.
“Jobs arise in my life that I need to address,” he said. “Some are simple, repetitive things that occur every day. Others are dramatic problems. When we have a job to do, we have to find something to get the job done. The causal mechanism that causes us to buy a product or service is that there’s a job that needs to be done.”
Jeff Petermann offered a similar reason for why people buy what they buy.
“Think back to your last non-emergency purchase of a large item…was it something that solved an issue for you?” he wrote.
“Maybe you kept dropping your phone, so you opted for a higher-end, drop-proof phone case? Maybe you were buying shampoo that made your scalp dry out, so you opted for a moisturizing version? Maybe you hate sweet relish, so you went and bought dill. Anyway you look at it, you have an issue, and you want to buy things that will help you eliminate that issue or solve the problem that you are having,” he wrote.
Sometimes, consumers are influenced to make their purchases.
“The affects of advertising are powerful. Imagine the piles and piles of money spent on advertising every year. It’s astronomical. Why do companies spend so much money on advertising? They would only do so if it worked,” wrote Lauren Greutman. (For more from the author of “Raisins? Toasters? You Won’t Believe Walmart’s Top-Selling Items in Each State” please click HERE)
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