It’s early 2005 and Walmart’s reeling from a dismal holiday season. It hoped to improve its image by playing nice with rivals only to watch Target snatch away its shoppers.
So now it’s looking to hit back by muscling in on the cheap-chic action that’s sent Target’s growth soaring.
But Walmart’s about to find that winning over the fashion conscious is as much about brand as design.
Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.
Support us by supporting our sponsors!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Hey, prime members, you can binge off or episodes of business wars, target verses, walmart, ad free on amazon, music, download. The app today.
Walmart head office ben ville arkansas spring two thousand five.
in the auditorium- walmart buyers and executives- are attending the regular friday meeting these
Meetings are ritual. That goes back to the days of SAM Walter. There are big
and why Walmart remains nimble. Despite its half and
every week. Walmart
The least scott leads the meeting.
Can we make sure that supplier gets us in a product to keep pace with demand scott does
give a deadline. He doesn't need to
everyone here knows. The deadline is the same.
It's always been sundown in Walmart.
Problems aren't allowed to linger Scott adjusts
is then rimmed spectacles.
looks around the room for the small appliances. Buyer. There you are, I had a question. The buyer stands
Why is target selling a coffee maker for nineteen? Ninety five, it's better than ours. The buyer knows better than to make excuses.
I don't know, but I find out the buyers-
it's in grabs is blackberry.
pings messages and emails to his team and suppliers,
the meeting moves on, but in every discussion
target looms large everything
target embrace designer collaborations. It's been on fire
affluent shoppers now rush to buy the company's latest gear, and so far walmart
to get a piece of that action has fallen from
better than it static stock price. The revenue gulf
between the two remains huge blocks?
I urge you s stores ring up one hundred ninety two billion dollars of sales a year target trade
far behind on fifty one billion, but targets growing faster,
and that means walmart conceding market share and it that continues one day.
Maybe many years from now target will
catch up.
and when that happens, it'll be too
like to stop it. So soon
once target neutralised. Now,
As the meeting wrap up this
appliances, buyer puts a ways blackberry and stands again. Scott stops the conversation go ahead and there
be a better coffee maker and our stores? Next week,
breaks into a pause even by walmart standards? That's fast, Scott.
approvingly, but then the
marches on
there's no time for backslapping too.
Gets hit on a winning formula and walmart needs to respond, but new costs
makers aren't enough what war
Martin needs
apparel parallel that can beat target in the style stakes, but to succeed, it's going to have to overcome a major problem, its own brand, the spark cash plus card from capital. One
helps you earn unlimited two percent cash back on every purchase and with no proof
Spending limit your purchasing power can adapt to meet your business needs. Jorge gaviria
under of mossy under reinvest is two percent cash.
to help grow his business with new products, must
It is a massive supply chain company connecting
elevating traditional mexican heirloom corn farmers with restaurants, shifts and consumers who, while
I just love hearing about companies like mossy under Heaven,
important mission behind their work. Now imagine what the spark cash plus card from capital one
And unlimited two percent cash back on every purchase could do for your business capital. One. What's in your wallet, find out more
capital, one dot, com, slash spark cash plus terms and conditions apply. Now your ideas don't have to wait,
Now they have everything they need to come to life,
I'll technologies and intel are creating technology that loves ideas loves.
Standing, your business, evolving, your passions, they push what technology can
so great ideas can happen right now.
find out how to bring your ideas to life. Adele, dot, com, slash welcome to now.
From wondering on david brown, and this is business
on the last episode. Walmart down home image got shot.
It as it came under fire for hollowing out downtowns target.
Refashioned itself was a style destination with help
trendy designers and kmart got crushed now one
south to puncture targets new momentum life following it into fashion. This is
pursued. Three words:
mouth malfunction in spring,
Two thousand five midtown manhattan. Two blocks:
The empire state building, Loki office block off without walmart latest master plan is taking shape in
dozens of desires spread over two floors. Were they used to create clothes,
upscale brands like nautica, now:
they're bringing style to the isles of america's top rated in a glass
wild meeting room executive. Vice president, clear watts checks the filed prototypes for walmart, soon to launch metro set.
clothing rage,
The table is loaded with: silk camis leopard brent tops velvet blazers in skinny genes.
The red haired forty five year old executive, picks out a pair of genes, embellish with flour, patterns and wholesome up these great fabric. Fails. Nice too,
the team feels relief.
Its overseas apparel and home furnishings at walmart,
the thirty seven billion dollars a year operation, but its famous bore basics,
once walmart new manhattan design. Studio to change that and make
japan will trend here.
Watch turns to metro, seven's lee designer. How much will these genes cost customers
should be less than twenty three dollars. What smiles?
My want sheikh, but this is walmart than it's still gotta, be cheap metal,
seven is designed to challenge targets supremacy in budget fashion
its noticeably more urban and stylish than walmart trusty, but rusty faded glory label.
For seven will launch in urban walmart in the fall, then go nation wide next year, but it
only the first step, one
It's also copying target strategy of working with top designers, its recruited,
mark eyes and to create a sportswear line called george Emmy
eyes and closer usually found in stores like niemann markets, and why
its hopes he can do for walmart what moscow did for target but
russian, isn't just about clothes and price tax.
It's about the image, those threats, project,
That's why walmart also tending to its brand.
Walmart head office, pentonville september, two thousand five,
In a windowless meeting room, several former presidential advisers stare at their laptops and blackberries wild munching trail makes this
is Walmart new war room
these men and women are the generals leading the new fight back against the retailers enemies
On the tv in the corner of the room, see an enzyme with a volume download a form
red adviser to bill Clinton looks up from her blackberry, another unions just quit the air felsi IO
everyone sit up this
might be something they can use. One
it's been under fire for years. Critics
it stifles small business mistreat,
employees, but
it's unions and squeezes suppliers to breaking point
mark used to shrug off these criticisms figuring its low prices would tromp those concerns, but then
The tv around its brand is now hurting its.
attempts to woo the image conscious middle earners who followed for target
The attacks are getting more sophisticated to union.
our founding campaign groups like way
walmart in staffing them with
former presidential advisers, so
walmart hired some dc image makers of its own.
Former Clinton adviser checks are blackberry again. The rebels,
indians have a convention in Saint louis in two weeks. Ronald
Reagan's former spin doktor Michael deeper leaned forward. You can
sure bottom dollar that they'll attack walmart of that convention,
it's an easy way to fire up their members. We
counter their arguments before they even open their mouths
about a news conference in Saint louis, the day before their convention. To say why
to highlight Walmart positive effect on the community. You know give the media our side of the story. We could have global suppliers talk about walmart
creating jobs deeper, not
a cashier from a local store? People relate to cashiers
walmart news conference delivers the goods. The media still covers the union's criticisms of walmart, but the retailers counter arguments also get air and
speak our war as a victory.
Walmart, not looking to change the minds of those who already shunted stores they want to sway the undecided, the masses of people in the middle you haven't yet picked aside.
but why the spin doctors in the war room wage their pr war store man.
Yours are digging in for another holiday season. Last year, Walmart played nice and watched its target and others cleaned up on black friday. But this.
it plans to lobby the competition and as the holidays approach, walmart stores, clear space, forebore upscale products. They take deliveries of metro, seven clothes and brand name electronics and they stopped the shelves with six hundred thread sheets and organic food. Walmart begins its holiday season assault on november furnished with festive tv and storing pop group destinies John
three
I am present everywhere I saw more during
thanksgiving, giving weak walmart up the ante posts black,
roddy deals online early so
Everyone knows there'll, be half price laptops and deeply discounted big screen tvs up the ground,
hotel shoppers. Those deals will end at eleven a m tomorrow
is clear
If you dont visit Walmart first, you could
the best black friday deals, then one
drops another bombshell on the competition. If another
retailer advertisers, a lower black brought a price walmart.
action
Walmart is forcefully reasserting its low price strategy and we lack frati comes Walmart open.
five, a m,
We can ring up sales, wild targets, still keeping people waiting in the coal. For another hour,
by eleven, a m Walmart sold more than seventy five thousand laptops nationwide,
and its november sales hall is up more than four percent over the year before target.
bounces, just two point: six percent
but in december the tide turns
metro seven cells well, but it's only in a few urban stores elsewhere, while
finds that lower prices alone can't peel people away from targets exclusive designer collections,
when the holiday shopping frenzies over time.
Get sales are up five point: eight percent comfortably
pacing walmart skein of three point
six percent and
Two thousand six begins warm
To attempt to muscle in on cheap sheikh,
It comes undone.
February two thousand six rogers arkansas
in the local walmart. A middle aged shopper pushes her car through the closed department looking for a new outfit
stops to admire a foe. Velvet george ash blazer she's tempted for a moment
and besides its way to eighties, puts it back on the rails. Then
spots, a sign for new arrival in store, Walmart metro, seven collection
on. The sign is a photo of metro, seven's, raven, hair spokes model,
former miss universe. Diana are
she's wearing jeans embellished with flowery patterns and a matching carry the shop
searches. The metro, seven rails,
of great and prices are right, but the tighter urban fits are another matter
like her, the average walmart shoppers size. Fourteen and five foot, too
close to the national average, but metro set
Spirits are more form fitting part of walmart efforts.
peeled, trendy or shoppers that expect runway, ready clothes that hug the body as a result.
he's metro, seven clothes simply don't fit so
She shrugs and moves on over the display for faded glory,
the walmart brand. That's been clothing customers for more than thirty years and in
all town and suburban walmart across the nation,
Millions of other women are doing the same.
metro, seven hangs around in stores selling slowly week after week occupy
valuable real estate. It could have gone to less fashionable but way more.
Popular apparel. Well,
large designer sportswear collection, George Jimmy doesn't do.
a better life.
Two thousand six, two billion dollars worth of unsold flows in home goods are dragging down walmart profits and its plan to out style target.
he's in tatters, its becoming clear to Walmart that the design of its close isn't the route problem. It's the brand.
walmart made its name as the place that piled high and sells low vat.
petition took it to the top, but now
It's become a trap and care
find a way to break loose, but world events are about to change the retail landscape in walmart, Spain. Do you
how much you're subscriptions really caused? Most americans think they spend around eighty dollars a month on subscriptions, but the actual total is closer to two hundred. If you dont know exactly how much you are spending every month, you need
get money, rocket, money is applied,
no finance at that fines and cancel your unwanted subscriptions monitors
spending and helps you lower your bills. All in one place, here's how it works, rocket, money quickly and eat.
We find your subscriptions for you and for
any you dont want to pay for any more will just hit, cancel and rocket money will cancel it for you. It's that easy. I personally tried it and it was easy and very revealing. First, I link the optimum
bank account using secure linked at my bank recognised and I get alerts and my smartphone a suspicious withdrawal from a vendor. I didn't recognize, stop throwing
your money away, cancel unwanted subscriptions and manage your expenses. The easy way. By going to
get money, dot, com, slash, be w. That's rocket money die
calm, slash, be w one more time rocket money, dot, com, slash be w. We get so
word from via tour. You
answers or what people love the most about travel. I know that's true for me, and via tour, has over three hundred thousand buckle travel experiences in over one hundred ninety countries. They offer everything from simple tours to extreme adventurers and all the niece interesting stuff in between you know. We're planning
is it to lisbon this summer in every one was telling me you gotta check out via tour end now I see why I download
The vital wrap in the options are incredible. A five star sailing tour with price is starting at forty eight dollars food tastings with locals. You gotta check it out for yourself
download the via tore out now and use code via tour. Ten for ten percent off your first booking one app over three hundred thousand expire.
and says you'll remember, do more with
by a tour.
The.
may two thousand and nine
issues in minnesota beneath over.
our skies targets, annual shareholder meeting, is under way and assumed open store and accompanies fifth.
Five year old, ceo gregg stein, hovels braced for a showdown with the man
who's been menacing in four months that man is bill lackman, but white haired, founder of the hedge fund pershing.
Where wall street sees action as a rock star time
After time, this slick forty three year old, squeezed huge returns out of major corporations by buying into them
and then pushing their management and moves designed to boost their stock price and now he's taking aim target act
struggle with target began in two thousand seven, when he persuade
his pals on wall street to give him two billion dollars, so he could, by a big chunk of target stock. Agnes was
just interested in the retailers revenues he's.
value in the land. Those retail stores were built on his plan.
is to put the land under target stores into a second
real estate business. That new business would then earn money by charging target. Rent admin
If this steady rental income would be so attractive to investors that the new
real estate. Business would raise more than five billion dollars in an appeal, but stein
awful shot. That idea down point blank on the grounds that those returns might not materialise,
he also worried that losing control of its properties would restrict targets, ability to open clothes and improve its stores, so aclands switching tactics? He now wants to get himself and four of his acolytes elected onto targets more so we
press targets management into accepting his plan by taking his plan directly to the shareholders from the stage steinhart
checks the agenda and then looks it acts in time bill. The floor is yours
every one in the room, watches ackerman heads to the stage looking confident but
Neither veneer admin, speed
the pressure, because targets become a bad investment
in the past year, the world's sunk into a deep recession and Tom
its hurting bad
The downturn target style,
the chaparral and home decor sold fast now
money tied in property prices, slumping people are cutting back
and the clothes and household fixtures that once powered targets, grove shoppers,
acting to walmart to target is price competitive,
its upscale image and smarter stores make many.
Thank target is the price your place to shop, so
get stock is now in
freefall.
Two billion dollars ackman invested in the company is now worth just two hundred million
He needs a victory today. Otherwise
His backers will be hundreds of millions of dollars down and his.
one reputation, we'll take a big hit. Admin reaches the podium
He paused to look out over the audience of target stockholders and starts to,
his case by invoking the spirit
president John F kennedy
I will pay any price oppose
any foe to do what
I believe, is right.
The entire room looks bewildered as the hedge fund donor wipes a tear from the corner of his eye, ackerman pools,
self together and presses on this time.
voting martin luther king Jr. I don't
want target to end up a once great company. It needs
dependent directors. On the board you see, I have a dream
a dream that one day directors will be elected on character and competence.
I have a dream that our efforts here will be fruitful.
And turned his head away ass. He leaves the podium
no one sure what to make of his tearful address, but
his tears are in vain tat
It's been campaigning hard to convince investors to reject him and his candidates.
A few minutes later the stockholders vote overwhelmingly to reject admin and his nominees edmunds attempt to push target around have failed costume dearly, but the wider problems and inspired his intervention still need fixing and that won't be so easy targets, magic formula. She cheek and affordable designer day, core doesnt work so well in hard times, and whilst I have lent his team seek a way forward. Walmart celebrating
in june? Two thousand and nine fayetteville arkansas it's seven in the morning and the bud Walton arena is already rocking a capacity crowd on the stage. A team of cheerleaders are starting. The party with a company chant walmart employees have gals, since the nineteen seventies give me a squiggly, cheerleaders, squat and twist their hips. The crowd followed their lead. The gimme a t, the this is Walmart's annual shareholder meeting, and no one does stockholders summits like warm here. The numbers take a back seat to celebrations that this year include appearances from miley, cyrus, smokey, robinson and Michael Jordan, but this morning it's down to comedian Ben stiller to get the stir the morning, the very very excited to be your host for the two thousand and nine walmart shareholders. The man you guys like to get up early
I am still sleeping over at target the alright. So I thought I'd see how awake everybody is with a little pop quiz. Who is the world's largest retailer,
I
who did over one billion dollars in sales lashed. Please help
the planet by being a leader and environmental sustainability,
What sustainability means good
because I don't helps people save money, so they can make the stockholders a buzzing good reason. The credit crunch is walmart time too shy, while household finances get hammered and targets advanced screeches to a halt wall.
art got it swagger back
discretionary spending time millions of hard pressed americans are flooding back to walmart, but walmart success doesn't stop at home. Its global operations now account for nearly half its sails from written to japan, china to mexico, walmart so retail juggernaut and with its room for growth in the usa, getting ever more maxed out walmart seeking fresh opportunities abroad, and it's just spotted why to the north late
when he ten toronto, canada, the head office,
Hudson s bay company in his corner off,
the companies governor richard baker, leaned back in his leather chair with his landline phone pressed to his ear bakers,
Forty five year old, real estate, mobile and the like
boss of north America's oldest company hudson's
I started in the seventeenth century, fur trade
Now it owns hundreds of retail stores in canada, including the disk,
now Jane zealous,
and the walmart executive on the line from bent anville wants to take sellers off. His hands are minors we want to buy most sellers stores, baker smiles. His big gamble is about
to pay off baker bought hudson bay two years ago for one point: one billion dollars,
on the surface, it seemed risky.
The was in trouble,
ever since Walmart swaggered into canada and ninety. Ninety four,
the sellers has spiral down but beg
I didn't see a three hundred thirty store discount retailer in trouble.
He saw three hundred thirty plots of land he could sell at a premium to an american retailer with designs on canada,
and walmart ready to be that buyer
the walmart executive on the line gets worried by the silent richard you still. There
yes, I'm just considering your offer. Baker fiddles with a phone court he's
pleased. His plan is coming to fruition.
but he's also wondering if there's a rival better, he can use to jack up. The price beggar sits.
Ben replies to the walmart executive
I need to talk to other people here, but this sounds attractive. Great
look forward. Hearing from you
baker, hangs up and buzzes his secretary
give me gregg stein. Half of the you of target. I need
big to him. Today
he's gonna wanna talk to me, bakers,
back into his chair target
been eyeing sellers for years.
Its long talked about expanding abroad and can
is the obvious first step, but tat
It doesn't want to build a chain store by store. It wants
storm in trouble is that's expensive, so
time after time targets led sellers down. The aisle only debate
at the last moment, but now
with walmart after the same prize, tar
it's going to have the pony up. If you want sellers,
All baker has to do now is stem
and left these two behemoths, duke it out
It doesn't matter who wins, because either way,
bay, will walk away with a major.
Hudson s bay company head office, toronto, JANET
Twenty eleven.
in a meeting room zeller, ceo mark foot, nearly spits his mouth full of coffee across the room target chief executor
greg stein hopeful smiles so
at offer. Works foot tries to regain his poker face targets just offered. One point
eight billion dollars for most of the sellers chain,
it's more than enough, but it's not for foot to say. Yes, he too,
two hudson s bay company, governor baker, richard Baker nods.
He also can't believe targets just offered that much
He bought hudson bay for one point, one billion dollars less than three years ago. Now he selling about half of it for one point: eight billion, even though Walmart already walked away from the bidding stein hovel leaned forward. He won't
information is getting hard to ring more growth, that of the usa, the discount store market, their saturated tar,
it's best hopes for stellar growth lies of wrong and canada.
Like the easiest place to start,
Is that a yes baker stands smiles and offers his hand. Yes, stein, half of grants and shakes bakers. Have you got a deal for the first?
time in its fifty year. History target is taking its fight with Walmart global.
Now that it's written the czech targets got to move quick, it has,
two hundred twenty zeller stores to remodel and
distribution network to bill
until those stores carry the bull's eye logo
Its new canadian operation will be burning money fast. We get support from them
were you know as well as I do just how important innovation is in business.
If you're the chef in your household well, listen up because thermal
Where is leading innovation in induction technology? They could up rage.
productivity. While cooking
action is an alternative to gas, and electric cook tops that uses and electro magnetic field. That's right, magnets to heat cook, where, instead of direct heat
commodore induction is powerful enough for a searing, proteins and precise
december. The most delicate sauces
I'm getting hungry already
you learn more and explore the entire groundbreaking induction innovation collection, including all new wi fi, enabled induction ranges coming this summer at thermidor, dot, com, slash business wars, that's thermidor, dot, com, slash business wars.
The
target canada headquarters. Mrs saga, ontario fall twenty twelve tony
This, your walks down the corridor, smiling and nodding at the colleagues. He passes fishers to thirty
Have your old american that target sent north to mastermind its canadian invasion he's got just? Might
to spend up a national, jane and so
things moving at lightning speed,
buyers are racing to order products. Construction crews are busy turning tired sellers stores and gleaming targets and thousands are being hired to work the shop floors, but today fisher hopes to get to the bottom of a spate of supply chain problems that have him for weeks. The problems started when target ordered its first products from overseas. Only to find that the goods didn't fit into the shipping containers, as expected fishers,
it was an isolated issue, but then
Other supply chain problems emerged items.
missing, barcode products, they didn't fit on store shelves, and now the team investigating these problems is ready.
Born fisher.
reaches the meeting room and heads in the sand.
estimation team is already there. So
was john Morey ochre tar.
Canada's senior vice president of merchandise, maria
where's smiles weekly, had fisher
tony
my want to sit down for this, one fisher pulls up a chair that bad huh yeah.
go ahead. Guys tell tony what you told me: a member
The investigating team nods
problems are supply chain. Software
full of errors. What do you mean
Our inventory database governs the movement of every product. We sell what size
I saw how many fit in a trailer everything, but the data
it is full of inaccuracies.
measurements in inches instead of centimetres typos heights, mixed up with lengths prices in the wrong currency.
Fischer leaned forward. How did this happen?
member whom we got those junior employees and put the data he yeah. We
Let me do it fast, but
I guess we didn't impress on em how important accuracy was. Also
were to inexperienced to know that the information vendors provide is unreliable. Fisher takes a deep breath
he knows this is bad.
Question now is how bad
So how many errors either
We estimate. Seventy percent of the data is wrong. Fisher looks rate puke.
That date is already being used to order inventory the problems
caused by these errors, are about multiplying what he
Was an isolated fires poised to become a wild fire that could set the whole supply chain of flame
Yoko leaned forward.
Got a solution: fisher space, brightens yeah
yeah, but it's six dream
Shut down merchandising for a week and get everyone to go through the data make sure it's right.
No time to bring in consultants in it's too big a task for people to do, in addition to their main jobs, more yoga shakes his head
it's a nightmare. Job is seventy five thousand products in the database, each with dozens of data fields. We're looking at four point: eight million pieces of data to verify this you're, not sure, but there's no alternative. If we don't do this, everything could fall apart. The following
weak target canada hunkers down to cleanse the data. It's painstaking work that the team knows it's make or break the smooth flow of product from factories to shopping. Carts depends on this data. Bad data means empty shelves and disappointed customers by the time they finish. Their eyes are raw from screen glare. Their fingers ache and their brains are numb, but despite their efforts, errors remain lurking, like landmines, primed to explode when target canada opens for business.
bowling green kentucky. Twenty twelve.
Nine p m on thanksgiving day an huh
words of people are lined up outside target the days when
last friday, sales happened on friday or over
with retailers vying to beat the competition
the annual retail rumble spread into thanksgiving itself, anti
gets late, while
art opened an hour ago, but targets hoping to come
then say with a monster door. Buster offer fifty inch h,
eighty. These marked down from six hundred to three hundred dollars the proud shares as the doors open in the line surges forward, but then,
and with a blonde ponytail pushes into the line in front of a tall ball? Man who blocks get to go
Al shabaab harm she staggers back out of the line nearly toppling over nearby a man with a monk sees red. Don't push your toll, mullet man loops over the red, it's keeping people in line and lunges at the ball. The thrill, the crowd grabbed their phones to film the clash of old man and mother, but within seconds target security guards. Are there pulling them apart?
box stores are used to bad behaviour on black roddy. In years past people have thrown punches in the aisles snatched items from each other's carts, smash down doors and trampled employees, but while there are still fight in the parking lot, but the battle to wind black friday is no longer just about bricks and mortar. It's now virtual too, as walmart and target duke it out with amazon. Yesterday, their online stores were selling the xbox game, dance central, three, four, just under fifty dollars, but this morning,
amazon's computers, spotted that best buy, had cut the gains prize to twenty five dollars and immediately matched it instantly. Why,
computers alerted walmart, not coms, videogame buyer, to amazon price cut within the hour walmart
calm, selling, dance, central three for fifteen dollars and targets joining the fight, and this semi automated price by doesn't end with dance central three. It happen
the thousands of items they are not just
out to undercut each other.
There are also trying to make their opponents run out of stock, so they can pick off their customers for target
This is new territory it out. So
its online store to amazon for the last decade. Back
two thousand one that seems smart amazon
Wasn't a threat, pig
Acting on its e know, how seemed like a good way to get ahead of walmart, which was building
It's one technology, but it proved to be a bad move,
amazon care more about its own store and neglected target.
So while Walmart learned how to sell online target found itself tether,
to a dangerous enemy it took,
twenty eleven for target to cut it so loops. Now it's gotta catch up vast
but it's also discovering it's gonna
to learn about international expansion target canada headquarters missis.
Saga february. Twenty thirteen enemy
room target. Canada. President tony fisher keep smiling ass, his top executive.
deliver. Another daily dose of doom waste out,
check out terminals? Not processing transactions? The supplier
and found a fix yet fisher nods
Everyone knows this isn't good.
target opens its first canadian stores next month by the fall.
There will be more than one hundred twenty times running short and glitches check out
even the biggest problem. Where are we on distribution stores? The two executives overseeing distribution look worried it's real concerning where proper
we're going to open with gaps on the shelves. Her colleague knowledge,
yeah we're in danger of blowing the first date with canadian guests
Why not give fixed before opening the real concerns
the computer system is telling us the shelves are fall when their empty and we can't figure out why
If that's not solved, orders won't get to suppliers at the right time and will be in deep trouble.
There's a pause as the new sinks in
Everyone knows they really need more time, but target spending. Billy
to break into canada and target
see: yo gregg stein, hovel want stores, open and earning money immediately.
Executives can all see the wall up ahead.
but none of them have the guts to call for someone to slam on the brakes. Besides their target america's number two retailer: the idea that target crash and burn in canada hasn't even cross their minds, fisher smiles well, there's still time. We can do it in
twenty fourteen, the first three targets open in canada
and many of the shelves are empty. But it's too late depress pause.
in the months that follow dozens more stores are open. But the shelves stay bear
Public fisher dismisses the shortages as mere kings, but the truth
way worse because
in mrs haug target canada,
computers still claim the shelves you're stuck.
and no one knows why and care
Is it the only crisis ruling it targets macaws unknown to the company, a ban.
Criminal hackers have just reached its. I t defences and applauding
multi million dollar heist,
on the next emphasis target gets infiltrated. Walmart
moves. Its online presence and the discount rival suffer post pandemic whiplash from
wondering this is episode three of target vs walmart for business wars. A quick note!
Recreations you ve, been hearing in
cases. We can't know exactly what was said. Those things are dramatist
with their based on historical research. Now, if you'd like to read more about walmart in the arts, we recommend the walmart triumph by robert slater. I'm your host David brown, Tristan donovan of yellow aunt media, wrote this story. Karen low is our senior producer and editor at a dead end.
by Emily frost, sound designed by ryan protested voice acting by Michel. Philippine our senior managing producer is tat. You think managing are managing producer is mac producer. Our producers dave our our executive producers are jenny, lauer, beckmann and martial louis for wondering leaves and gentlemen get ready. Buckler
we ve got the one and only conan, o brien, making a legendary appearance on smartness picture. This the iconic conan
brian puffy, red hair and all joining forces with me and jason bateman Sean Hayes. It is just it's a recipe for podcast perfection exclusively on one great plus we're taking you on an unforgettable journey behind the curtain, we're pulling back the veil on the world of late night and giving you an inside look into the mind of a true legend. Our episode with conan is the second of ten special episodes exclusive to one replace these episodes are the full recorded interviews from our smartest tour that was filmed in front of thousands of our biggest fans from Washington dc to los angeles you're, not going to miss this conversation with Conan. You can listen to these episodes exclusively and ad free with one replies find one replacing the one re app or on apple podcasts
Transcript generated on 2023-06-15.