Walmart has a problem, and in acknowledging it, the company might have taken the first steps to solving it. The problem is framed as involving out of stock merchandise. According to the retail blog RetailWire, the empty shelf problem was first reported by Bloomberg early last year. Fellow Forbes contributor Walter Loeb asked the very pointed and clear question “Why Are Walmart Stores Such A Mess?” last summer in one of his blogs. The company responded with pointed denials in both cases.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/paularosenblum/2014/04/15/walmarts-out-of-stock-problem-only-half-the-story/