Walmart isn’t fun like Target, say analysts

Discount retailer Walmart isn’t sitting on its thumbs while Target prepares for its expansion into Canada next year—Walmart is planning to remodel and open 73 new Canadian stores this year, bringing the number of locations to almost 400. Walmart investors are set to meet in Toronto on Wednesday and Thursday next week to discuss the Canadian retail market and, presumably, prepare for the company’s biggest competitor since its arrival in 1999. Director of global research for Planet Retail Natalie Berg told Reuters that Target “has the fun factor. They will come in and wow Canadian shoppers. Walmart will have no choice but to become even fiercer on price.” And we can’t say we disagree, considering Target has really built a good reputation with buzzed-about clothing and home decor collaborations, while Walmart has relied on being the lowest price guaranteed. It’ll be interesting to see how low Walmart will go in its pricing and fun strategies. Read the full story [Montreal Gazette] »