One More Sign Walmart Is Serious When It Comes To Fighting Amazon

Andria Cheng

Walmart.com was one surprise exhibitor in 2018's NRF Retail's Big Show at New York's Javits Center

How Walmart is duking it out against Amazon is without doubt one of the sexiest retail stories these days, and just last week, one such move from Walmart was on clear display.

As a record 37,500 attendees, including those from 3,500 retailers and 900 exhibitors, gathered for trade group National Retail Federation's three-day annual convention and expo in New York's Javits Center that ended Tuesday, Walmart played a surprise double role: it had an exhibition booth alongside tech giants including Microsoft, IBM and Intel that were looking to peddle their latest bells and whistles to retailers.

What was featured at the retail giant’s booth spells its ecommerce and marketplace ambition against Amazon loud and clear: Walmart.com and its portfolio of acquired brands including Jet.com, ModCloth clothing site for women and Bonobos men’s apparel label. Other acquired brands featured included Moosejaw outdoor gear and Hayneedle home furnishings seller.

Staff manning the booth weren't allowed to speak publicly but said they were there to educate and attract other retailers and brands to work with Walmart and sell on its namesake site or Jet.com, Walmart's key play to target urban millennials. (Walmart didn't  respond to requests seeking additional details.)

Getting other brands, especially those considered more premium, to sell on Walmart’s ecommerce platform -- and erase some of their concerns that Walmart's discount roots may cheapen those brands’ image -- is crucial if Walmart wants to attract more higher-income and upscale shoppers to vie  against Amazon.

Under Marc Lore, Jet.com founder who now heads Walmart’s US ecommerce operation, Walmart has expanded its online product assortment to over 70 million from 10 million in just two years. (Though that’s still far shy of Amazon’s “hundreds of millions” items for sale.) He’s also made acquired brands such as ModCloth clothing available for sale on Jet.com.

In another move that will be closely watched by the industry and perhaps help other retailers and labels decide whether to get on board its platform, Walmart.com this spring is set to debut an online store from department store chain Lord & Taylor. 

Andria Cheng

Walmart.com was one surprise exhibitor in 2018's NRF Retail's Big Show at New York's Javits Center

How Walmart is duking it out against Amazon is without doubt one of the sexiest retail stories these days, and just last week, one such move from Walmart was on clear display.

As a record 37,500 attendees, including those from 3,500 retailers and 900 exhibitors, gathered for trade group National Retail Federation's three-day annual convention and expo in New York's Javits Center that ended Tuesday, Walmart played a surprise double role: it had an exhibition booth alongside tech giants including Microsoft, IBM and Intel that were looking to peddle their latest bells and whistles to retailers.

What was featured at the retail giant’s booth spells its ecommerce and marketplace ambition against Amazon loud and clear: Walmart.com and its portfolio of acquired brands including Jet.com, ModCloth clothing site for women and Bonobos men’s apparel label. Other acquired brands featured included Moosejaw outdoor gear and Hayneedle home furnishings seller.

Under Marc Lore, Jet.com founder who now heads Walmart’s US ecommerce operation, Walmart has expanded its online product assortment to over 70 million from 10 million in just two years. (Though that’s still far shy of Amazon’s “hundreds of millions” items for sale.) He’s also made acquired brands such as ModCloth clothing available for sale on Jet.com.

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