"We are disappointed with our sales performance for the Friday after Thanksgiving and the full weekend," said Mona Williams, vice president of communications for Wal-Mart. "While our prices were generally as low as they have ever been, our competition was even more aggressive. Also in hindsight we can see our overall program was too predictable and our competition capitalized on this. Specifically, our store hours, newspaper advertising-circular layout and distribution, marketing strategies and especially our merchandising selection were too similar to [those of] years past."

    Wal-Mart spokeswoman Mona Williams told the Associated Press the company is "ready to put it behind us and move forward."
 
    Though Wal-Mart does not face criminal charges, "we acknowledge that we should have had better safeguards in place to ensure our contractors were hiring only legal workers," Williams said. "That's why we're agreeing to pay the $11 million.
 
    "It is a lot of money, but I think that is because it is designed to get attention and remind businesses everywhere that they have a duty to ensure their outside contractors are following federal immigration laws."