In this article, learn about:
Where the slogan Save Money. Live Better. comes from
How Walmart’s pricing philosophy affects supplier relationships
Key supplier-facing terms like EDLP, EDLC, and Rollbacks
What Walmart expects from vendors in practice
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When Sam Walton opened the first Walmart store in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962, he had the goal to give people the chance to buy more for less. His philosophy was, “If we work together, we’ll lower the cost of living for everyone. We’ll give the world an opportunity to see what it’s like to save and have a better life.”
That vision lived on through decades of growth and became the foundation of Walmart’s 2007 slogan refresh: Save Money. Live Better. While the original slogan, Always Low Prices. Always., focused mainly on low prices, the new message connected affordability with quality of life, suggesting that Walmart’s mission wasn’t just to sell goods at a reasonable price, but to make people’s lives better. That promise now drives how the company makes buying decisions, structures supplier programs, and holds vendors accountable to achieve it.
Why “Save Money. Live Better.” Matters for Suppliers
Walmart’s slogan may have been created in a branding meeting, but it’s lived on in every supplier pitch, margin conversation, and merchandising strategy since. To save money for customers, Walmart has to manage costs at every stage of the supply chain. To help customers live better, suppliers are expected to deliver consistent quality, availability, and pricing without driving up operational complexity or retail cost.
This can look like:
Providing cost-effective pricing that aligns with long-term affordability
Operating efficiently to reduce upstream costs (freight, packaging, production)
Ensuring consistent availability through accurate forecasting and execution
Limiting waste and unnecessary costs across the supply chain
The slogan, Save Money. Live Better., is a lens through which Walmart views supplier relationships. To make that philosophy actionable, Walmart leans on a set of internal strategies and phrases that guide how it evaluates products, pricing, and performance. These include:
EDLP – Everyday Low Price
EDLP is Walmart’s core pricing strategy. Products are consistently priced to be competitive with other retailers, without relying entirely on temporary markdowns. Suppliers are expected to submit their best price upfront and maintain it over time.
Related Reading: What is Everyday Low Price (EDLP)?
EDLC – Everyday Low Cost
A behind-the-scenes strategy that supports EDLP, EDLC focuses on driving down supply chain costs—from production to transportation—so those savings can be passed on to shoppers.
Rollback
Rollback is a short-term price reduction used to drive volume or visibility. Unlike EDLP, Rollbacks are temporary and promotional. They are often co-funded by Walmart and the supplier. While EDLP builds trust through consistency, Rollbacks can help meet short-term sales goals or support category initiatives.
EDLP | Rollback |
Long-term price stability | Short-term promotional discount |
Consistent shelf pricing | Limited-time event |
Based on suppliers’ lowest sustainable costs | Often negotiated |
Supports brand trust | Supports velocity and visibility |
Related Reading: How Walmart Rollbacks Affect Suppliers
Open to Buy (OTB)
The Open to Buy (OTB) initiative is a purchasing budget available to a merchant for a category. Suppliers who demonstrate alignment with Walmart’s cost and performance expectations are more likely to earn OTB space.
Line Review
Line Review is an evaluation period where buyers assess item performance and decide whether to continue, replace, or expand an assortment. Suppliers who can show how their item supports Save Money. Live Better. often stand out in these reviews.
Related Reading: Walmart Acronym Cheat Sheet
Why Alignment Matters
For suppliers, success at Walmart often comes down to how well your processes, pricing, and performance align with helping customers ‘Save Money’ and ‘Live Better’. Suppliers who align with Walmart’s goals tend to see longer partnerships, faster adoption, and fewer compliance issues. Those who ignore this framework often face friction—whether in pricing discussions, performance reviews, or shelf visibility.
Protect Your Business at Walmart
Deductions and compliance fines are commonplace when selling to any retailer. SupplyPike helps suppliers get paid and get better. Our software tests the validity of deductions, collects proof documentation, and takes disputing a claim down to a few (or zero) clicks.
Our software also helps suppliers avoid fines by digging into root cause analysis and providing executive-level oversight of the supply chain. Schedule a meeting with a team member to find out if SupplyPike is right for your retail business.
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