NYT: Wal-Mart Offers Aid to Rivals (small businesses)

[DeepModem Mom]

Wal-Mart Offers Aid to Rivals
By MICHAEL BARBARO
Published: April 5, 2006

Wal-Mart Stores, whose all-in-one retailing model has forced scores of competitors to close their doors over the last 40 years, is turning to an unusual business plan: helping its rivals.

The giant discount retailer, under increasing assault by critics, announced a wide-ranging effort yesterday to support small businesses near its new urban stores, including the hardware stores, dress shops and bakeries with which it competes.

Wal-Mart said it would offer those businesses financial grants, training on how to survive with Wal-Mart in town and even free advertising within a Wal-Mart store.

Wal-Mart acknowledged the program was not entirely altruistic. The company is trying to open 50 stores in urban neighborhoods in the next two years, and the aid to small businesses could help build support in cities like Los Angeles and New York where it has met strong resistance.

"We see we can be better for communities than we have been in the past if we are willing to stretch ourselves and our resources," Wal-Mart's chief executive, H. Lee Scott Jr., said in a conference call with reporters yesterday from Chicago, where Wal-Mart plans to open its first urban store....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/05/business/05walmart.html

[dubyaD40web]

1. Riiiiiight

[MaineDem]

2. This is SO wrong!

They're going to train other stores in the WalMart culture??? Oh puhleeze!

How friggen arrogant!

[Vinnie From Indy]

3. Wal-Mart's help is likely to be instructions on how to get

state aid. They do that with the workers they refuse to pay a living wage and refuse to give healthcare. The GREAT Wal-Mart of CHINA is an evil, vile company with zero redeeming qualities.