this post was submitted on 25 Mar 2026
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Nearly every electronic device sold at Walmart is a unique SKU sold nowhere else.
They have their own internal logistics and manufacturing specialist team that works with manufacturers to hit specific wholesale price targets that they demand to even consider carrying their products in store. They reduce the number of ports, features, included accessories, quality of materials, etc. to get the that specific price.
The manufacturers take a huge hit on their own profits from these... but in theory will make up for that with sheer sales quantity.
Requiring a Walmart account probably means some sort of kickback to Vizio, or other wholesale arrangement. And since these devices are usually unique SKUs that can't be sold elsewhere, they can receive differentiated software, have no risk of any sort of price matching, etc.
FWIW Vizio is a Walmart subsidiary now, they got bought out in late 2024
Did not know that. Definitely explains the integration now. Although the rest still applies to other brands.
Doesn't Walmart already have onn?
You would have known that if you had read the article.
Probably, but even getting waterboarded would be a better use of my time than reading an article about Walmart accounts now being required on TVs.
And yet you're commenting on it... ;)
Had some time before the waterboarding appointment.