Hi Ya'll:
I will admit the sad state of Wal-Mart and Models. When I worked for Sam.That's when he and his Pickup and Dog were part of the scene, I had one whole side of one of the aisles full of models! Mr. Sam liked it and the fact that I would participate(With the Managers permission) in the Revell "Make and takes". Our hobby sales back then at thet store were phenominal!
When Wal-Mart started to expand to other venues(Groceries etc.) The Toy section(Where Models were) started expanding too! Into Lego and Brands like Star Wars etc. Models slowly could not be had from the warehouses anymore.Then they were just gone. I have heard of some buying models at their on-line site.
I don't know if that is true or not. Don't really care. Why? The Employees would do their darndest not to know anything about them because that's Toys in their minds. One of the things that helped me back then? I would pull out of inventory Build and display a prominent model wither from the ceiling(Planes) Or an endcap(Cars and Armor, Ships as well.) I had to stop doing that and sales started to drop.
Plus shoppers attitudes were not on point. This is a closing example. (Mother to 12year old son when he asks for a Model of a Peterbilt Wrecker by AMT-"No, you do not need a Trucky Wucky, Honey")!!!!