Wal-Mart Tests Another New Concept
By George Anderson
Wal-Mart is testing a new concept that combines a bank, post office and an office products store within a supercenter, says a report on the DSNretailingtoday web site.
The Wal-Mart Personal Business Center, as the concept is known, is being tested in a supercenter on the west coast of Florida in Zephyr Hills. The Personal Business Center is occupying one of the leased spaces at the front of the store.
Presently, the store is focusing on services such as money orders, wire transfers, ATMs, payroll check cashing, copying and faxing.
The Wal-Mart Personal Business Center concept appears to be an evolution of the mail centers the chain was testing earlier this year. The chain is planning future rollouts of the concept in supercenters located in Palatka, Bushnell, Brooksville, Dunnellon and Royal Palm Beach, Florida.
Moderator’s Comment: It often appears that Wal-Mart
is more innovative and willing to test new ideas than its competitors. Is it?
Increasingly, Wal-Mart appears innovative while its many
competitors seem to be standing around waiting to see what the retail leader
is going to do next. We already know where that leads. Wal-Mart grows and the
competition doesn’t. [George
Anderson – Moderator]