In a reversal, Wal-Mart will attend a gun violence meeting Thursday at the White House.
"We underestimated the expectation to attend the meeting on Thursday in person, so we are sending an appropriate representative to participate," David Tovar, vice president for corporate communications, said in a statement on the company's website.
Wal-Mart officials had spoken previously with the vice president's office to give input, according to the statement.
"We take this issue very seriously and are committed to staying engaged in this discussion as the Administration and Congress work toward a consensus on the right path forward," Tovar said in the statement.
Vice President Joe Biden is holding a series of meetings with various organizations and individuals to craft a set of recommendations to curb gun violence in the wake of the December school shooting in Newtown, Conn.
President Barack Obama has told Biden to report back with a set of policy proposals by the end of the month.