By Laurie Burkitt
BEIJING-- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is launching e-commerce and
adding wholesale stores in India to sell to small businesses after
shelving its hopes last year to open retail stores in the
country.
The world's largest retailer by sales plans in the next four
years to open 40 to 50 additional wholesale stores in India, adding
to its current 20, said Scott Price, chief executive of Wal-Mart's
Asia division, in an interview Tuesday. "We are quite committed to
the Indian market and the ability to grow through that format," Mr.
Price said.
Mr. Price said the Bentonville, Ark., retailer's India-based
cash-and-carry wholesale business will also roll out online sales
this summer. He said the model will start small, with only one
wholesale store posting its products for sale online. Mr. Price
added that the store's staff will deliver the goods to the
mom-and-pop stores that order them as much as 40 kilometers (about
25 miles) away, he said.
Wal-Mart said in October it would pause plans to open retail
stores in the country and end its joint venture with Bharti
Enterprises Ltd. Wal-Mart faced difficulties navigating Indian
regulations that require foreign retailers to get 30% of their
products and services from local small businesses.
Write to Laurie Burkitt at laurie.burkitt@wsj.com
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