Walmart news 

Largest online fulfillment centre to open in Pennsylvania Walmart is planning on opening the DCs in Texas and Pennsylvania, and will be part of a next-generation fulfillment network that will deliver US customer orders faster and at a lower cost. The new DC based in Fort Worth, Texas, is 800,000 sq ft. and began shipping orders last week. The Bethlehem, Pennsylvania operation will be more th...

Walmart has launched an online reality series which will feature the 20 finalists in its ‘Get on the Shelf’ contest, and provide the public with an opportunity to decide which new products should be made available for sale on Walmart.com, and possibly within its stores. Shopper input into the range selection process Building on the success of its ‘Get on the Shelf’ competition in 2012, Walm...

Canada Post is partnering with a number of retailers, including Walmart and Best Buy, to offer same-day delivery for online shopping in Toronto. Pilot project in Toronto Canada Post is trialling a same-day delivery service, “Delivered Tonight” in the Greater Toronto area, in order to test the potential demand for this service as it seeks to develop new revenue streams. Orders placed before 12...

The latest hotly debated topic around FDI is the suggestion of opening up the e-commerce channel, which currently has stringent restrictions on both investment and operating models. Building presence in the world's third largest internet population Amendments to legislation in line with bricks and mortar retailing would be welcomed by major players including eBay and Amazon. These com...

Walmart de México y Centroamérica has announced an agreement with Alsea, under which Alsea will acquire 100% of the retailer's restaurant division, VIPS. Part of Walmex's plan to simplify operations Walmex's restaurant division operates under various banners: VIPS, El Portón, Ragazzi y La Finca. The transaction, worth MXN8.2bn, has yet to be approved by regulatory authorities. Alsea will...

Walmart Chile has reported a year-on-year revenue increase of 9.9% for the second quarter, with EBITDA up 14.2%. Revenue increase driven by retail segment The retail segment, which contributes 95% of revenue, grew sales by 10.8% during the period, due to an increase in comparable store sales. Walmart Chile operated 331 stores at 30 June 2013, spanning 761,000 sq m; three new stores opened...

China's leading online grocery retailer has expanded its offer of fresh foods to Beijing, reports China Daily. Unlocking the potential of fresh and frozen categories online Yihaodian, in which Walmart holds a majority stake, initially launched its fresh food delivery service in Shanghai in March; this now attracts over 1,200 orders per day. On August 28th Yihaodian extended the service to ...

At IGD, we are keeping an eye on the online grocery channel around the world. Here, we take a closer look at the US market, including latest developments and innovative new retailers to watch. Online grocery is becoming a major priority for US retailers Although it is niche today, technology is empowering shoppers to transact anytime, anywhere, and a growing number of start-ups and tradit...

Walmart has hosted a US manufacturing summit to underline its commitment to buy an additional $50bn in US sourced products over the next ten years for its domestic operations. Broader industry support could drive $500bn sourcing opportunity A key focus of this summit was on the job creation opportunities that would be created through having a stronger manufacturing base in the US. Encouragin...

Walmart's South African business, Massmart, has released consolidated first half results today, confirming the 8.9% growth in sales revealed in July, and talking about its strategic priorities. Five strategic priorities for next three years Following the completion of an annual review process, Massmart has outlined five priorities for the coming three year period: Adjust future i...