Walmart

By Doug Lodder, [email protected]

Mobile device users have the world at their fingertips. Consumers today can use their smartphone or tablet to manage their finances, diagnose their own symptoms, and even use apps as a personal stylist while shopping.

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart’s South African subsidiary Massmart Holdings Ltd. is reportedly considering expanding into Kenya. According to an article in Bloomberg, Kenyan news outlets are reporting that Massmart executives have met with representatives of major Kenyan retail chains including Naivas Supermarket Ltd.

Global fragrance leader Elizabeth Arden cited curtailed orders at a mass market customer as a factor in its weaker-than-expected full year financial results, and the finger was quickly pointed at Walmart.

Doubling sales in any category within a four year time span would be an audacious goal for any retailer, but that was the objective Walmart set for itself in the beer category last fall, according to Bloomberg.

Washington, D.C. -- In a settlement agreement with the U.S. Labor Department, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has agreed to improve safety conditions for employees who use trash compactors and cleaning chemicals at 2,857 Walmart and Sam’s Club stores in 28 states.

The retailer will also pay a $190,000 fine to fix hazards uncovered during an Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspection at a store in Rochester, N.Y.
 

NEW YORK — Jordache has chosen supermodel, designer, entrepreneur and host of television’s Project Runway and America's Got Talent, Heidi Klum, as the face of its latest ad campaign.  

Shot by photographer, director and longtime Klum collaborator, Rankin in Los Angeles, the commercial casts Klum as a pied piper who leads a suburban cast and a not so suburban cast to the beat of Bee Gees Stayin' Alive.  

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart is considering entering the bidding for Hong Kong-based grocery chain ParknShop, Reuters reports. Wal-Mart is currently exploring options to enter the initial bidding process for ParknShop, which closes Aug. 16.

ParknShop is owned by Hutchison Whampoa Ltd., which in turn is owned by Li Ka-shing, reputedly the wealthiest man in Asia. The chain may be valued as high as $4 billion.

Wal-Mart, which has not commented publicly, said last year it would open 100 new stores in China by 2015.

In a recent interview, Walgreens’ CEO Greg Wasson spoke at length about the ways in which the drug store chain is evolving. I thought the interview (posted online under the title Walgreens gets a modern makeover), was fascinating, particularly where Wasson explained the company’s bold plans to “reimagine” its stores.