Wal-Mart Has Vision for Business Opportunity

By George Anderson


As the world’s largest retailer, Wal-Mart is number one in the sales of numerous product categories from groceries to magazines to toys.


Now, the company that Sam built has set its sights on being the leading source of contact lenses, reports Reuters.


The company, which currently sells contact lenses in approximately 1,800 of its stores, announced yesterday it would begin taking orders for lenses on its Web site. Orders placed online will be processed within two days and consumers will have the choice of having the lenses shipped directly to them or picking them up at a local Wal-Mart.


The Contact Lens Council estimates 34 million people in the U.S. wear contacts.


Moderator’s Comment: What are your thoughts on Wal-Mart’s Vision Center push?


According to Wal-Mart, the contact lens service is not available in Arkansas, Delaware, Delaware, Montana, New Mexico and Rhode Island. State restrictions
may be the only thing between Wal-Mart and the top of this product category. Based on our initial comparison, Wal-Mart’s price is slightly lower than what we’ve been paying for
our Acuvue’s up till now.
[George
Anderson – Moderator
]

BrainTrust

Discussion Questions

Poll

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments