That rarely happens. Simple reason is that such changes in a design would require a separate assembly lines, alternative parts supplies and stocks, parallel supply chains, etcetera. The most common result of pricing pressure from Wally is that they drop their profit margin and move their manufacturing to China.

I should have engaged the brain before I started typing.

What I should have said is that some electronics manufacturers APPEAR TO make a specials model for places like WalMart. I have no proof that such a thing goes on. You may be totally right about it being rare; I used much broader language than I should have. (I'll blame solar flares, bad mood, off brand coffee...)

A few years ago while shopping for televisions the wife was telling me about great prices at WalMart. I took a brief look at the sets she had mentioned and found model numbers at WalMart that weren't for sale through any other outlet that I could find. The models for sale at WalMart invariably had significant compromises in performance to the normal product line items with similar model numbers.

In the case of an HDTV, using a cheaper, trailing edge panel in the same enclosure than a more expensive panel is put in for sales through other retailers yields a price advantage to the discount stores.

Obviously there is nothing wrong with making a cheaper model to sell through discount stores. The only issue I had with WalMart was that the model numbers, packaging, etc SEEMED (IMO) to be conveniently misleading to consumers.

(I hope this post is readable. It's been a long night and I'm a bit punchy. Forgive me if it rambles a bit.)

It is true that they do make different models and/or model numbers for the "mass merchants" (e.g. Wal-Mart, Costco, etc) and the "specialty" sellers (e.g. Best Buy, HH Gregg, etc.)

I found this out this past Christmas when we finally decided to get a big LCD HDTV. We wanted a Sony, and found that there was a 95 dollar difference between the "speciality" store and the "mass merchant." "Speciality" store model number ended in "500" and mass merchant model was "501" Careful comparison revealed no difference in specs between the two. However, the different model number did allow the "speciality" seller to avoid having to "beat any competitors price" under their advertised policy because "they are two different models."

So I bought the cheaper mass merchant version and saved the money.

There is no general rule as to what the differences are. I have found some brand name things sold by Wal-mart and Costco to seem to have been "dumbed down" to meet a lower price point.

I have no doubt that many products are made specifically for walmart at a lower quality. Its very apparent in larger products. Tools aswell get the worst of the batch's sent to walmart. A personal bit of research I found comparing identical stanley tools sold at walmart to other stores such as homedepot lowes and sears the stanley tools at walmart had alot of poor casting issues and I forget the word or way to describe it but ill go with casting left overs on edges and such. No idea if others have checked this sorta thing out but for myself I believe what I see.

I'm sure dropping the finishing also drops the price.

Sue