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July 25, 2008 6:47:04 PM CDT

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Ubiquitous Wal-Mart track this thread

Started by Imperator; Last updated Feb 27, 08 4:33 PM CST by D Lim | View history

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Ubiquitous Wal-Mart

The world's largest company is everywhere, from the presidential campaign trail to the green revolution

Stories

Stories 1 - 20 of 42

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  • July 2008

    • Shopping in US Looks Like the 1970s: Analyst

      newser  |  Associated Press  |  Jul 20, 08 8:01 PM CDT

      Shopping in US Looks Like the 1970s: Analyst

      Retailers and marketers are closely watching American shopping trends, knowing that recession habits can linger for years, the AP reports. Studies show that 63% of Americans have cut down spending by coupon-cutting, biking to work, and buying store brands. They're also buying smaller cars and shopping at discounters. "We are looking at stuff that reminds me of the 1970s," one investment manager said. More »

    • Rattler Strikes Shopper at Fla. Wal-Mart

      newser  |  Miami Herald  |  Jul 7, 08 4:18 PM CDT

      Rattler Strikes Shopper at Fla. Wal-Mart

      A Florida man has been released from the hospital after being bitten in the hand by a poisonous pygmy rattlesnake while browsing in a Wal-Mart garden department, the Miami Herald reports. Though potentially deadly to a child or elderly person, the bite "wouldn't have been fatal with an adult male. But you could lose a finger,'' said an officer with the antivenin unit. More »

  • June 2008

    • Wal-Mart Looks for Better Return on CDs

      newser  |  Wall Street Journal  |  Jun 9, 08 11:49 AM CDT

      Wal-Mart Looks for Better Return on CDs

      As the country's leading brick-and-mortar CD seller, Wal-Mart occupies a special place in the music industry, earning perks like exclusive releases of CDs by bands like Journey and, soon, AC/DC. But with sales of physical CDs in freefall, even Wal-Mart is considering cutting the number of titles and artists its stores stock, reports the Wall Street Journal. More »

    • Detente Mellows Wal-Mart's Once-Virulent Foes

      newser  |  New York Times  |  Jun 5, 08 10:21 AM CDT

      Detente Mellows Wal-Mart's Once-Virulent Foes

      Wal-Mart, more accustomed to being lambasted than lauded by its critics, is seeing a shift in public opinion, reports the New York Times. The mega-retailer has reached accords with some of its most ardent detractors, even listening to their advice on issues like employee health care. The company, too, has gone green, becoming the largest retailer of energy efficient light bulbs. More »

    • Big-Box Wal-Mart Dipping Into Free Online Classifieds

      newser  |  CNET  |  Jun 3, 08 2:58 PM CDT

      Big-Box Wal-Mart Dipping Into Free Online Classifieds

      Wal-Mart is testing a new service, cNet reports: free online classified ads. The big-box retailer launched the site last week, in partnership with start-up Oodle.com, and offers more than 40 million listings, featuring seven categories, in major US cities. More »

  • May 2008

    • Study Sees Wal-Mart in India's Future

      newser  |  Economist  |  May 28, 08 8:10 PM CDT

      Study Sees Wal-Mart in India's Future

      South Asia is still dominated by mom-and-pop grocery stores, but—as in the US about 70 years ago—the supermarket sector is expanding and will eventually overtake family-run shops, the Economist gleans from a new study. "Many people assume that Asia's shopping habits are peculiar to the region and uniquely resistant to change," the authors write—but sheer demand will change all that. More »

    • Wal-Mart Tightens Toy Safety Standards

      newser  |  Wall Street Journal  |  May 14, 08 1:49 PM CDT

      Wal-Mart Tightens Toy Safety Standards

      Wal-Mart is adopting stricter toy safety standards, going above and beyond existing government requirements, the Wall Street Journal reports. The standards set hard lead limits, and encourage “traceability information,” to show where toys are from. Complying could boost toymakers’ costs by 5%-7%, but since Wal-Mart is the world’s top toy seller, expect companies to fall in line. More »

  • April 2008

    • Wal-Mart Tops Fortune 500

      newser  |  Fortune Magazine  |  Apr 21, 08 4:07 PM CDT

      Wal-Mart Tops Fortune 500

      Wal-Mart nosed out Exxon Mobil for the second consecutive year to land atop the 2008 Fortune 500, with $37.7 billion in revenues, the magazine said today. In profits, the oil company far outstripped the megaretailer. Three of the top 5 on the list were oil companies, the AP reports. ChevronTexaco (No. 3) and GM (No. 4) swapped places, and ConocoPhillips again rounded out the top 5. More »

    • Wal-Mart OKs Plan to Film Gun Buyers

      newser  |  New York Daily News  |  Apr 14, 08 8:12 PM CDT

      Wal-Mart OKs Plan to Film Gun Buyers

      Wal-Mart approved a plan today to videotape gun-buyers and curb illegal firearm sales in other ways, the New York Daily News reports. The 10-point deal with the bipartisan group Mayors Against Illegal Guns, helmed by New York's Michael Bloomberg, includes inventory controls and a log to trace buyers who have previously bought weapons used in crimes. More »

    • March Retail Sales Fall Flat

      newser  |  Wall Street Journal  |  Apr 10, 08 11:29 AM CDT

      March Retail Sales Fall Flat

      Retailers’ same-store sales were flat in March, due in part to an early Easter, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Thomson Financial Same Store Sales Index, projected to sink 0.1%, fell 1.1%, excluding Wal-Mart. Shoppers weren’t ready to buy for spring on the heels of winter, store closings for the holiday reduced sales, and consumer sentiment his a five-year low amid still-rising fuel prices. More »

    • For Sale: Video Vault of Wal-Mart Inner Workings

      newser  |  Wall Street Journal  |  Apr 9, 08 12:00 PM CDT

      For Sale: Video Vault of Wal-Mart Inner Workings

      A tiny production company has decades of behind-the-scenes moments from Wal-Mart on film—and up for grabs. The chain hired Flagler Productions to film its inner workings for corporate events, but fired it two years ago, the Wall Street Journal r eports. After Wal-Mart low-balled Flagler on the archive, it’s selling browsing rights to interested bidders, including some curious antagonists. More »

  • March 2008

    • Wal-Mart Helps Farmers Grow, American Style

      newser  |  Los Angeles Times  |  Mar 9, 08 6:00 PM CDT

      Wal-Mart Helps Farmers Grow, American Style

      Wal-Mart is helping Central American farmers even as the chain threatens to render their mom-and-pop ways outdated, the Los Angeles Times reports. Thousands of small farmers are financially at risk, unable to grow produce that fits the US giant's supply chain—so Wal-Mart, Washington, and a Portland, Ore., relief group have kicked in more than $2 million to help. More »

    • Wal-Mart Leads Feb. Retail Rally

      newser  |  Wall Street Journal  |  Mar 6, 08 10:47 AM CST

      Wal-Mart Leads Feb. Retail Rally

      Big retailers showed unexpected signs of life in February, beating weak sales predictions to inject some hope into the market. Wal-Mart led the way, posting a 2.6% same-store increase, beating its own predictions of flat-to-2% growth. Overall, same-store sales climbed 1.9%, with more than half of retailers beating predictions, the Wall Street Journal reports. More »

    • Wal-Mart Gets Halal Makeover

      newser  |  Newsweek  |  Mar 4, 08 2:57 AM CST

      Wal-Mart Gets Halal Makeover

      Tahini, olives and frozen falafel line the shelves in a new Michigan Wal-Mart in Dearborn that caters to local customers: in this case, the nation's largest Arab-American community. The 200,000-square-foot megastore, which opens today, even has a section for Halal meats culled in accordance with Islamic law, Newsweek reports. More »

    • Wal-Mart Blog Lets Buyers Post Real Reviews

      newser  |  New York Times  |  Mar 3, 08 7:24 PM CST

      Wal-Mart Blog Lets Buyers Post Real Reviews

      Wal-Mart is letting its buyers blast or hail store products on a new blog, and do so freely—a shift for the once-strict corporate culture. Posts have so far panned Microsoft's Vista and a "Star Wars" movie, all while revealing favorite books, Bible quotes, and pets. "It puts real personality out there in a real conversation," says a Wal-Mart exec who helped make the blog. More »

  • February 2008

    • Wal-Mart Taps 'Inner Skinflint' Amid Downturn

      newser  |  Newsweek  |  Feb 28, 08 4:55 PM CST

      Wal-Mart Taps 'Inner Skinflint' Amid Downturn

      Newsweek blogger Daniel Gross asks why Wal-Mart, with its sales increasing, appears to be untouched by the US economic slowdown, and comes up with four answers. One, the behemoth mostly sell necessities. Two, its cheaper-than-thou branding is attracting pinched customers. Three, investors like Wal-Mart's prospects down the line. And four, the store is becoming increasingly international. More »

    • Sex Aids' Shelf Space, Sales Grow

      newser  |  Newsweek  |  Feb 15, 08 2:25 PM CST

      Sex Aids' Shelf Space, Sales Grow

      Be careful letting your kids wander in Wal-Mart—the retail giant and other mainstream stores are devoting more shelf space to sex aids, Newsweek reports, and they aren’t hiding it. Lubricants, oils and even vibrators are increasingly appearing next to contraceptives and pregnancy tests. “Even the more conservative retailers have come over,” says an executive of one sex-aid company. More »

    • Slow Jan. Sales Worry Retailers

      newser  |  Wall Street Journal  |  Feb 7, 08 8:46 AM CST

      Slow Jan. Sales Worry Retailers

      Winter storms and lagging gift-card redemption iced Wal-Mart’s January same-store sales growth, the retailer said, raising concerns the US is in a recession, reports the Wall Street Journal . Wal-Mart expected 2% sales growth in stores open more than a year, but saw sales bump just 0.5%. Its 1.4% rise in same-store sales for the fiscal year was the lowest in 30 years. More »

  • January 2008

    • Wal-Mart Stores Going Green

      newser  |  New York Times  |  Jan 24, 08 3:55 AM CST

      Wal-Mart Stores Going Green

      Retail giant Wal-Mart has launched an ambitious blueprint to go green, with plans to cut energy use of many of its products by 25%, and may even begin to sell hybrid cars and provide sustainable energy to charge them, reports the New York Times . Wal-Mart has already sold 145 million energy-reduction light bulbs, saving electricity equivalent to the amount created by three coal-fired power plants, according to executives. More »

    • Retail Sales In Surprise Swoon

      newser  |  Bloomberg  |  Jan 15, 08 8:42 AM CST

      Retail Sales In Surprise Swoon

      Retail sales fell 0.4% in December, an unexpected drop that capped off retailers’ worst year since 2002 and is sure to fuel rampant recession fears. “Consumer spending slowed down pretty dramatically,” one economist tells Bloomberg. “We are kind of flying very close to a stall speed.” Prognosticators had expected sales to hold steady after November’s revised 1% gain; the lag suggests that gas prices, the housing slump, and the weak job market may be catching up with consumers. More »

Stories 1 - 20 of 42

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Wal-Mart Visitor's Center located on site of Sam Walton's original Walton's 5-10 store   (Wal-Mart)
  (Associated Press)
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Wal-Mart CEO talks sustainability and transformation   (sgbnyc (YouTube))

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Related Threads

Retail Sales  •  Holiday Shopping  •  Is It Recession?  •  The Internet  •  A New York President?  •  Auto Industry  •  Clinton 2008  •  Election 2008  •  Going Green  •  Made (Poorly) in China

Background

Sam Walton
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition

Sam Walton (Samuel Moore Walton), 1918-92, American retailing executive, b. Kingfisher, Okla. After 17 years of operating franchise retail stores, he opened the first Wal-Mart Discount City in Rogers, Ark., in 1962. Walton developed Wal-Mart into a chain of massive, centrally controlled stores ...

» Read more about Sam Walton at Encyclopedia.com

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