WAL-MART REACHES OUT TO RURAL COMMUNITIES
By Adnews Staff
Wal-Mart Canada of Mississauga, Ont. is trying to increase its market with consumers who live in remote areas. The retailer began testing its "cyber shopper" program last week designed to offer Wal-Mart merchandise to communities located more than 125 kilometres from a Wal-Mart store. Customers who live within 125 kilometres can enter their postal code to obtain the address of the nearest store location. Customers can access the site via Wal-Mart billboards on more than 100 Web sites. They can review merchandise from the cyber flyer in English and French, including family fashion, everyday household essentials and seasonal items. Customers provide their name, postal code and e-mail address with each order and cyber shopper calculates applicable taxes for the given local market. Orders are confirmed through e-mail and delivered C.O.D. The service was developed in conjunction with Gallop & Gallop Worldwide of Toronto and its Internet marketing service, Virtual Billboard Network. PR is being done by NATIONAL Public Relations of Toronto. The program will run until early fall and will be evaluated based on customer response.