Walmart to offer e-commerce option in all stores

Walmart India, the Indian arm of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., that has been testing out an e-commerce option for its wholesale business at two stores in Hyderabad and Lucknow.Encouraged by its experience, the company is not proposed to extend similar facility to all its stores across India. A cash-and-carry business company has largely catering to small and medium scale retailers who were registered with it as business members. It is now offering an e-commerce option, where members can order their merchandise online and have it delivered at their doorstep.

“The response has been very good (in the pilot in Lucknow and Hyderabad) and we are learning more about the members, what they need, and are fine-tuning the operations accordingly,” said Kris Iyer, president and chief executive officer, Walmart India, on the sidelines of the India Retail Forum in Mumbai. “We are rolling it (the e-commerce option) out in the remaining 18 stores by January.” Walmart India plans to launch 50 new stores in the next five years, which will also have the online option, said Iyer, who is now looking to create mobile applications that can serve the company’s customers better.