Herb Sorensen, Ph.D.

Is Walmart.com the Next Amazon Online?

September 1, 2009

FROM RETAILWIRE:
It used to be wondered aloud if Amazon.com would someday become the Wal-Mart of the internet. It now appears that walmart.com wants very much to be the Wal-Mart of the internet. What will Walmart Marketplace do for Walmart.com?      [more...]

"Wal-Mart is fully focused on winning against every key competitor on land and online."

This is a good sentiment, and positions Walmart well for the coming merger of online and offline retailing. We have been referring to the "Amazonification of stores" for some time. This has two manifestations:

First is for current bricks-and-mortar retailers to begin thinking like salesmen, instead of merchants, using the tools of the traditional store.

Second is for the full deployment of the internet inside the store. There is a long history, dating back to Videocart, but most recently manifest by MediaCart (full "laptop" on the cart) and Modiv Shopper (proprietary handheld shopping assistant provided by the store.) But these cutting edge developments may get swamped in the tidal wave of the shoppers' own "internet in the store,"--cell phones, PDAs and the like.

So recently as a few weeks ago I was speculating on the potential for a merger of Amazon and Walmart. Doesn't look like that is happening. But don't count out something like Tesco/Kroger/Amazon. Not predicting, just thinking. :)

BTW, as this development proceeds (Second, above,) there will be an opportunity for brands to regain some of their clout through reaching shoppers directly, without retailer mediation. Interesting times ahead!