Walmart expanding big in Canada ... thanks to Target
Last spring was supposed to be Research In Motion’s grand hurrah into the tablet sector.
In May, though it was a bit late to the party already, RIM was finally to unveil its PlayBook, not only the answer to the iPad but rejuvenation for a company that’s BlackBerry market share had started to wane.
Well, what happened? Ahead of the PlayBook’s Apr. 19 release date, Apple swooped in and rushed its iPad 2 to stores by Mar. 11 (Mar. 25 in Canada), completely undercutting the RIM tablet and stamping out any momentum it hoped to build up.
What’s the point? American retailer Target, as you know, is coming to Canada next year after much hullabaloo, so Walmart, of course, is hoping to go all iPad 2 on ‘em.
Walmart’s Canadian unit announced Tuesday it will revamp, remodel or roll out some 4.6 million square feet of retail space in Canada, in the form of renovated stores or altogether new outlets north of the border.
*Bing: Where will the closest Target store be to you?
More than $750 million will be allocated to the ambitious program, Walmart’s biggest expansion plan ever, which will go in large part to converting most of the 39 former Zellers locations Walmart’s purchased – the leases being bought from Target last year, in no small twist of irony.
By the end of Jan., 2013, Walmart says it expects to have more than 375 stores in Canada, about 50 more than it had in Jan., 2011.
Certainly, this is a big play, but will it have the same undercut strategy to Target’s arrival that the iPad 2 did to the PlayBook?
In terms of buzz, you’d be hard-pressed to find a store coming to Canada with as much fervour as Target, which has been a long-awaited Canadian arrival since as far back as 1994.
Now that it’s real, now that Target’s even announced its first 105 locations, there are plenty of shoppers counting down the days when they don’t need a passport to shop Tarjay, which surely has more cache in the retail world that Walmart does. In other words, Target is cool, Walmart is not.
But until we see what’s included in Walmart’s $750 million Canadian re-do, which ought to place a premium on improving its fashion offerings that have made Target so coveted, it can’t be speculated as to whether the world’s largest retailer can sap up a bit of Target’s grand opening momentum.
What’s sure, though, is that Walmart will have to stay on its feet. With other big U.S. retailers Kohl’s and Nordstrom sniffing around the Canadian landscape, there’ll be no shortage of competition for your consumer dollars.
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: I K Ryan | Feb 12, 2022 2:37:55 AM
Hey Loyal Canadians : Be sure to shop at Walmart . Feel good about yourself . after all you are keeping the little kids working in China . And your helping our workers to stay at home . So are you proud of yourself now ?
Posted by: DrVex007 | Feb 12, 2022 3:15:30 AM
I will never shop at WalMart again!
My mom was pickpocketed there. (apparently it happens alot there). Anyway, she realized it and went to the manager to have them call the Police. Their answer? Sorry maam you'll have to go home to call them. They did not want people to find out how rampant the crime is in the store.
She asked for another manager and received the same answer. While trying to get them to call the police, the pickpocket was using her credits cards to make purchases IN THAT VERY WALMart. They could have caught them had they called. But no, they turned her away. She went home to call the police and the Police told her that WalMart would have to call for them to do anything. So she returned to WalMart (Warden and Eglinton) the next day and they told her that all of their phones were broken. So she (a senior on a fixed income) was screwed out of customer service, respect as a senior and ultimately the stolen credit cards (which she cancelled right away), her mortgage money and the criminals tried to use her chequebook to steal money out of her account. Which ironically they already had because she had taken out her mortgage money (which they stole) already so there was nothing left. I called the management group only to find out that they were blowing me off too.
I welcome Target to see if they treat people better than this. I will NEVER shop at WalMart again. Their store carries terrible quality merchandise and their prices are not what they used to be and that automated ("now serving 4") checkout system is maddening.
GoodBye WalMart! I suggest that everyone else stay away from them too. Look how they treated a senior who was a victim of a crime? They wouldn't even let her use the phone or call on her behalf.
They should be charged with obstruction to Justice.
Posted by: DrVex007 | Feb 12, 2022 3:38:59 AM
Posted by: consumer | Feb 10, 2022 9:42:31 AM
Raising the price before a promotion is illegal, check your facts...there is no way they raise the price before a rollback. Show me proof.
Actually "Consumer" this is not illegal, it happens all the time. Look at Sears. They price something and then tell you that you have to buy it before (ie. Feb. 14th) or the price goes up. Ask yourself this question. WHY does the price go up? They put the price up at the end of the season? sure, only to discount it by up to 50% to clear it out. so was that dishonest?
Canadian Tire has there little thing too. They bring in a product for the sale in their flyer, only here's the catch. they do it a week early and put a regular price on it. If you buy it at that price great, but they know that many will not, then the flyer hits and POW 30% off. Off of what, their one week old price? Is that dishonest?
Consumers have to ask themselves, why would a retailer sell something at 30-50% off BEFORE the end of the season or almost immeidately after the item arived in the store? The ANSWER? They wouldn't, but they can certainly make it seem like they are.
Here is an example. Canadian Tire loves to put their treadmills on at 50-60% off. So a $2499 treadmill is suddenly $999. Wow great deal, only Costco sellls it everyday at $899. So as a consumer the question is not whether $999 is a great deal, or is it a better treadmill. The question is why would that treadmilll EVER be priced at $2499? When you compare quality, features and the like, the $2499 treadmill would be so overpriced that it wouldn;t be competitive to anyone so why would a retailer do that? ANSWER they wouldn't.
See the pattern here.
WalMart's rollbacks are no different. A rollback by definition is their practice of rolling back prices to a lower point to offset the prices that THEY themselves set.
So instead of buyng into catch phrases like rollback, just compare the price to another retailer.
I prefer Costco. You know their prices are better in most cases anyway and they do not hide stuff like this. They put something on sale for $2.00 off because it is $2.00 off the price they charge MOST of the year. So it is not fabricated. Now if only their gas stationbs had car washes.
Posted by: Suzanne | Feb 12, 2022 9:22:08 AM
I refuse to shop at walmart. In fact when Zellers was still Canadian owned I shopped there and found most everything I needed. Sometimes cheaper than walmart. I also only buy from local shops owned and operated by local owners.
Why are Canadians being such sheep and shopping in Walmart?? Why couldn't have support Zellers when it was still Canadian owned? Again I used to find things in there being sold for cheaper than walmart.
Support your local economy people. Dig a little and you'll find better deals than franchises.
Posted by: terry | Feb 12, 2022 9:36:21 AM
my zellers is chaning to a walmart, and a new walmart just opened up 2km away....when our zellers changes, I will have 3 walmart stores all within a 5 min drive from my home, and an even bigger one about 15 min away...what ever happened to competition, there cant be any when you only have 1 department store to shop at !!!! so frustrating, and our city councellors need to reconsider who get permits when you already have the same store around the corner...its friggin nuts
Posted by: Jones | Feb 12, 2022 11:14:59 AM
Great another retailer selling crap to an ignorant consumerist population that certainly doesn't need more stuff. Until we all see the true price of our voracious appetite for cheap junk, none of the environmental, societal or worldwide income inequity problems will change for the good. People will still be abused, the environment will still be abused and we the privileged sheep will be more than happy to enjoy the "savings" a morally bankrupt retailer like Walmart, Target, etc offers us with one hand, all the rolling back human and environmental rights with the other. Less is more.
Posted by: taking a different look | Feb 12, 2022 11:30:25 AM
To anyone who cares: The reason canadians shop at Walmart vs. Zellers, or any American store, for that matter, versus a Canadian store is because there is sooo much more selection.
I work hard for my money. I want to buy what I like. I want selection and feel I have earned that right. Walmart, and other stores coming up from the south have the selection I want.
Now, the reason Canadian companies cannot afford to supply that selection is because we are taxed so high to support a health care system that doesn't work anyway.
Maybe start at the root and change your health care system, lower the taxes, and Canada will be able to afford selection, and products at reasonable prices, and more Canadians will be happy and healthy and won't need a health care system. Has anyone thought of that?
As far as the pitiful argument about kids working in other countries--maybe if you got your kids working, they would be doing something good for the Canadian society instead of ripping it up and ending up in jail.
Posted by: boomer | Feb 12, 2022 12:21:47 PM
Is this the end of Cnaadian companies. companies that acctually pay Canadian income taxes, that keep their profits in Canada. Or are we going to support the American economy.
Posted by: boomer | Feb 12, 2022 12:29:04 PM
Great more jobs that pay minimum wages for part time hours. These companies bring no money to the Canadian economy. In order to survive, Canadian companies will be adopting the same methods, which means even less good jobs for Canadians.
Posted by: Elmo | Feb 12, 2022 12:55:48 PM
It's all about individual perceptions and the great American advertising and marketing machine. If I can buy from Canadian Tire before Walmart... I will. If I can buy from Rona before Home Depot or Lowes... I will. If I find an item from an American-based outlet at a cheaper price than a Canadian-based outlet, I will go to the Canadian outlet and ask them to price match... assuming it's the exact same item, including model number, etc. It's also called getting off your lazy rear ends and supporting Canadian companies. Same thing applies with McDonalds vs. Harveys... or Starbucks vs. Tim Hortons. You have the choice, it's up to you to chose a CANADIAN based company if you wish !! However... keep in mind that even many of the products sold at Canadian Tire, Rona, etc. are also made in China or Mexico... including their house brands. That's the way of the world nowadays.
Posted by: Dale | Feb 12, 2022 6:05:27 PM
Listen up Canada the fat laidy is about to sing, and if you think we really are souverin here perhaps you should give it more thought because not to many more years from now you will not be able to tell here from there---- eh!
Posted by: iwonder | Feb 12, 2022 6:21:46 PM
"It's All Crap Anyway" that's what these chains should be called. They insult us stuffing food and shoes and drugs and pharmaceuticals and ... in one place.
Posted by: CRAIGS | Feb 12, 2022 7:02:49 PM
WAL-MART IS A PRICE GUAGER, USE YOUR BRAINS AND SHOP AND FIND THE RIGHT PRICE U CAN AFFORD. ALSO ALWAYS GO THRU THE FLYERS WEEKLY. DEPANDS ON THE ITEM I WANTI CHK FOR SALES AND ALWAYS USE RECYCLED BAGS TO SAVE MONEY, MY WIFES THE OPPOSITE, BECAUSE SHES LAZY. SHES NOT RICH BUT LIKE TO THROW MONEY AWAY FOR BEING STUPID. YEP SEPERATION TIME AFTER 17 YRS OF MISERY.
Posted by: CRAIGS | Feb 12, 2022 7:05:57 PM
BUY CANADIAN PEOPLE, STOP BUYING TIM HORTONS BECAUSE THE OWNER SOLD OUT TO THE USA AND THEN CAME BACK PLEASE DONT SUPPROT TIM HORTON, COUNTRY STYLE AND COFFEE TIME HAS BETTER COFFEE. WALMART-TARGET US STORES BUY FROM CANADAIAN OPERATED STORES.