Retail News Breaks Archives

Wal-Mart, Fehlig go separate ways

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Chuck Fehlig and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. have parted ways.

No successor has been named to Fehlig’s post as vice president and divisional merchandise manager for over-the-counter merchandising.

Under Feh­lig’s leadership O-T-C sales at Wal-Mart grew to exceed those of all the nation’s drug chains combined.

The boom was due in part to sophisticated merchandising of nonprescription products, especially medications that had switched from prescription status. Wal-Mart under Fehlig earned a reputation for maximizing sales of such products.

Fehlig also helped supervise a dramatic SKU rationalization of Wal-Mart’s O-T-C mix to accompany a departmental redesign.

In 2006 and 2007 Wal-Mart lowered the profile of its nonprescription product gondolas chainwide to enhance its pharmacies’ visibility. The change gave customers a clean sight line to the prescription counter and easier choices in the O-T-C aisles.