Walmart VPI Program

The Walmart VPI program has been in place for several years and helps to boost employee enthusiasm for sales and to earn some extra revenue for their employer. What is the VPI program, exactly, and how does it work? 

Walmart’s VPI or “Value Producing Item” program allows workers to choose an item they feel will be a good seller in the next month and promote it. Workers are challenged to sell as high a volume of this item as possible in return for points that can help their store financially. Creative presentation, discussing the item with customers, and enthusiasm are keys to a successful VPI.

Keep reading to learn more about the VPI program, the nuances of promoting your selected item, and how to succeed at it. 

Think Ahead

The key to selecting a good VPI is to get creative and think ahead for the upcoming month. What items might customers be hunting for in December? What about in March? Put yourself in the customers’ shoes, especially if that customer has small children, as many shoppers do. 

Imagine browsing the store in that month and coming across a large number of must-have items. What would that item be? Why would it attract you, and how happy might you be to snag it? Use these imagination exercises to help you select a strong VPI and then promote the heck out of it. Examples might include :

• Laundry Soap during Summer, as outdoor activities, can get kids’ clothes dirty
• Cinnamon in November, as Thanksgiving baking ramps up
• Chocolate in February for Valentine’s Day
• School supplies in August, as kids head back to school

Show It Off

You must ensure customers can see, notice, and appreciate your VPI. Stocking an entire end cap with the item in a high-traffic area is a great way to get attention and appeal to your customer base. Make sure your display looks full, beautiful, and well-stocked, as dense presentations of merchandise tend t sell much better than those that seemed to be picked over. 

A front entrance is also a great way to highlight your VPI. Put it somewhere where it’ll get noticed and be impossible to miss. Get creative with your locations, too. Is your VPI charcoal? Why not stock some near-the-ground beef? 

Pros and Cons

VPI can be inspiring and exciting, and the competition to sell more can be fun. It can also be a rush and a pain to get your VPI submitted via the designated app as you finish your work. As a result, it’s often a good idea to set time aside to select your VPI a week or so before the upcoming month. Give yourself plenty of time to think about it and time to input the item, too.

The VPI program offers financial incentives to your store if the entire store does well in its VPI sales. This translates to more money for your location, which can help improve working hours and make it possible to hire new staff. 

So while it can take a bit of time to plan for a VPI and stock it creatively, the benefits are there, and it’s worth the extra time and effort it takes to think of a unique and high-performing item and promote it enthusiastically.