Dive Brief:

• Wal-Mart gave a promise that every cash register in its stores will be manned during peak hours from the day after Thanksgiving through the final weekdays before Christmas. 
• The pledge covers Wal-Mart's Supercenters, and stores that offer "general merchandise." According to the retailer, each Supercenter typically has 30 traditional checkout lanes.  
• Wal-Mart says that "Checkout Promise" was made in response to customer frustration with long checkout lines. 

Dive Insight:

Wal-Mart's Supercenters have suffered slowing traffic for some time now, as shoppers head to smaller rival stores to fulfill their needs in less time. The retailer seems to be fighting this turnaround with two approaches: Aggressively opening more smaller-format Neighborhood Markets, and decreasing the time spent waiting in line at its larger locations. If the latter move works in building traffic during the holiday season, the question will be whether the retailer can retain shorter checkout waits year round.