Wal-Mart wants to crush all its competition
Jennifer McClelland | RSS | 3 Comments
A week or so ago, Wal-Mart and Amazon got in a pricing war over books. They were trying to see who could go the lowest on books and a few days ago Target joined in on the fun.
Wal-Mart is known for its uncanny way of squashing competition wherever it goes and now that it has stores in almost every market in the United States, it is going after other stores it may not have otherwise competed against.
The newest way that Wal-Mart is attacking a competitor is the introduction of a “Geek Squad” like home installation crew. It has confirmed that it has started a partnership with N.E.W. Customer Service Companies to offer in-home installation and setup for those who purchase their electronics at Wal Mart.
It is going to start quickly because Wal-Mart really wants to see the money that this kind of service can bring in for the holidays.
So, how much will this cost for the average consumer? Well, Wal-Mart is said to be offering prepaid plans on gift cards that range between $99 and $399. The services that will be available include television set up, wiring home theaters, wiring home networks and also preliminary consultation and a tutorial after the setup is complete (see, it does sound awfully like Geek Squad).
I find this to be beneficial to places that may have Wal-Marts but no Best Buys or other stores that offer installation of any kind. Where I live, we are limited to searching through the phone book to see if there is anyone who can wire a home theater system (and there really isn’t). Even to get someone to fix our garage door opener took a call to a larger town more than an hour away.
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Tags: amazon, geek squad, wiring home networks
Serge from Futures Trading | Tue, Oct 27 2009
Well, you can’t really blame them. The problem is that they are already massive and it’s very difficult to find any new markets for them and increase their trade. They did well in the UK acquiring Asda and I have to say they are very aggressive.
Chris McClelland | Thu, Oct 29 2009
I know for a fact that they are having a hard problem expanding with all the bad press that they have had in the last few years, and then there was the Wal-Mart video that came out. Plus a lot of small towns have been boycotting Wal-Mart because it puts small businesses out of business and just replaces their income will a low cost job that just about anyone can get.
Gary | Tue, Dec 01 2009
When you are the largest retailer in the world, you’re bound to have bad press now and then but I still back wal-mart 100%. I know they put small business out but they also create a need for niche businesses. Wal-mart brings so much business that its hard not to succeed when you have a niche business next to a wal-mart store. For example, every house hold needs appliances so an appilance store next to a wal-mart store would do quite well because most wal-marts don’t sell appliances. I could give all kinds of examples but I’d be typing all day. The thing a person should do when a wal-mart store moves into town is think of it as an opportunity, not an end to their business. Its time to think outside the box.