Wal-mart

[Mith242]

I read something interesting today - Wal-Mart will be opening Communist Party kiosks in its Chinese stores. I think it has something to do with the recent union concessions they made but nonetheless the irony was interesting.

Yeah I hadn't heard that but I did hear they had to make some concessions.

[KJW]

I read something interesting today - Wal-Mart will be opening Communist Party kiosks in its Chinese stores. I think it has something to do with the recent union concessions they made but nonetheless the irony was interesting.

Hope this ChiComm decision doesn't come back to chomp Wal-Mart where it hurts later. I'd think one wouldn't want to make deals with groups like that (though when you're operating in a communist nation you have to make deals anyway, I'm guessing), and that there are anti-W-M groups in the U.S. who might be energized by that kiosk action.

[Mith242]

I didn't really catch this because the Communist issue got most of the press. But wasn't there something to do with Wal-mart and a gay & lesbian group recently?

[KJW]

For the shareholder's meeting, the Benton County Record had a front page photo of a group of visitors from "Wal-Mart India", so it sounds like the W-M affiliate project in that country's moving ahead.

[jim9251]

Fayetteville is hysterical during the shareholders meeting. I love watching the foreign tourists taking photos of traffic lights, Denny's, and the free samples all the Wal-Marts give away is worth it. I wish I could have gotten in to see The Eagles tonight, but couldn't swing the ticket.

[Julles]

If you get a chance, check out the latest issue of Celebrate Arkansas magazine. It has an excellent article (series of articles, actually) regarding Wal-mart's new Personal Sustainability Program. The PSP program is a great step in the right direction, IMO. It encompasses environmental awareness, as well as personal growth and well-being for associates.

Oh, and did I mention, my little brother's on the cover?

[masons_dad1]

If you get a chance, check out the latest issue of Celebrate Arkansas magazine. It has an excellent article (series of articles, actually) regarding Wal-mart's new Personal Sustainability Program. The PSP program is a great step in the right direction, IMO. It encompasses environmental awareness, as well as personal growth and well-being for associates.

Oh, and did I mention, my little brother's on the cover?

[Julles]

Wal-Mart is working very hard at improving it's image and the best place to improve it is in environmentalism and in making Wal-Mart a great company to work for. Wal-Mart's next focus should be on it's products. I want to see more discount store merchandise and less upscale fashion designs that are out of place at a discount store.

[KJW]

I agree, I don't think Wal-mart will be successful in trying to compete with Target for the more upscale market. Hopefully, they will go back to basics. I actually think if they would go back to selling cheaper products, and just focus on keeping their stores clean and orderly, and their employees happy, they would gain back their momentum. With the announcement yesterday (of plans to scale back development), maybe that's the direction they're headed.

[masons_dad1]

I've heard from several sources that Wal-Mart is giving up on competing with Target and is indeed returning their focus back to their original customer base, being shoppers on the lower end of the income bracket. Wal-Mart has also put a hold on new store opening in order to reorganize their current stores to "return to roots" so to say. None of this is official.

More Wal-Mart news brings even more hope that Wal-Mart will continue to grow and bring even more opportunities to Northwest Arkansas:

In what some say is a back-door move into banking, Wal-Mart has started selling financial services to customers. Wal-Mart may not become a banking giant, but they're going to put the heat on banking institutions and credit card companies. When Wal-Mart's financial services is rolled out in full force most of those ripoff check-cashing outlets will become obsolete which is great news for every city plagued with them. It will also help bring an end to nefarious practices being committed by credit card companies.

I love this statement from the article: In the past decade, Wal-Mart has become the largest supermarket, selling more grocery and food items than any other retailer. It's also the largest toy store, and it's on the way to becoming the largest seller of electronics goods. Meanwhile, rivals have filed for bankruptcy, including supermarkets Winn-Dixie Stores (WINN) in Florida and Penn Traffic in Pennsylvania; toy stores FAO Schwarz and KB Toys; and, earlier this month, electronics-goods chain Tweeter Home Entertainment (TWTR).

What's that quote from Highlander? There can be only one!

[KJW]

I've heard from several sources that Wal-Mart is giving up on competing with Target and is indeed returning their focus back to their original customer base, being shoppers on the lower end of the income bracket. Wal-Mart has also put a hold on new store opening in order to reorganize their current stores to "return to roots" so to say. None of this is official.

More Wal-Mart news brings even more hope that Wal-Mart will continue to grow and bring even more opportunities to Northwest Arkansas:

...

What's that quote from Highlander? There can be only one!

[KJW]

This sounds like it was an honest (though big) mistake on Wal-Mart's part...McDonald County is smiling...

[KJW]

It's official now...Wal-Mart is going into India.

[Mith242]

It's official now...Wal-Mart is going into India.

[masons_dad1]

Shop owners rally against Wal-Mart

More rallies against Wal-Mart in India are promised.