Walmart 24-hour stores cut hours to get prep work done

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will start closing some of its 24-hour supercenters for at least a few hours each night, aiming to use the time to better stock shelves and organize stores for the peak shopping rush.

The move will affect about 40 stores, including those in Philadelphia, New Jersey and Maryland, beginning next week, spokesman Brian Nick said. About two dozen 24-hour locations already had their hours reduced in the spring, and more stores are slated to go through the process later, he said.

"Based on a recent review of our customers' shopping patterns, we have made the decision to adjust hours at some of our stores," Nick said. "This is the kind of decision we make on a store-by-store basis and will allow us the ability to reallocate resources to serve our customers during peak shopping hours."

Customers were notified about the change with signs at the entrances of the affected stores. The change is a sign of retreat for a company that helped bring convenience and all-hours shopping to many parts of America. Chief executive Doug McMillon is taking the step as part of his drive to improve the shopping experience at Walmart's U.S. stores, where customers have complained about empty shelves, long checkout lines, and poor-quality produce. McMillon has already raised starting wages and cut a layer of management in stores to try to improve the situation.

In New Jersey, at least three 24-hour Walmart supercenters near New York City, including one that opened in April, will start closing from midnight to 6 a.m. on July 26.

Employees at those stores said they were surprised by the move because they are often busy during those hours.

Most employees who had been working the overnight shift will stay on to help with stocking and prepping the store for the daytime hours, Nick said. Overnight cashiers and other employees whose jobs will no longer be needed will be offered new positions within the store or at other locations. Those who choose not to relocate or take a new job will be offered severance if they have been with the company more than a year and work full time, he said.

The move could have other benefits, like reducing theft, though that wasn't the reason Walmart changed the hours, Nick said. Wal-Mart has been trying to reignite growth at its U.S. stores, which make up more than half of its almost $500 billion in annual revenue. The retailer disappointed investors earlier this year when it lowered its annual sales forecast, citing currency fluctuations and wage increases. After boosting pay to at least $9 an hour in April, Walmart plans to raise wages to $10 an hour by next February.

Brian Yarbrough, an analyst with Edward D. Jones & Co., said he's skeptical that the overnight closures will significantly improve workers' ability to stock and prep the stores. Rather, he thinks it may be a trial run to see whether Wal-Mart can reduce overhead by cutting store hours without losing sales.