Wal-Mart is boosting its e-commerce staff in India, planning to hire 200 to help it revamp its software platform, according to The Wall Street Journal. The retail giant has 20 e-commerce employees in the southern Indian city of Bangalore.
Wal-Mart's efforts reflect a larger trend in the retail industry. As customers buy more online, traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are ramping up their digital operations, with the aim of regaining market share from competitors like Amazon.
Target shifted its technology support operations to India in 2005, while U.K. supermarket behemoth Tesco did the same in 2004. Earlier this month, U.K. retailer Debenhams outsourced its call center operations to Leeds, citing expanded digital operations as likely to create a big rise in call volume.
However, Wal-Mart is also expanding operations in the US, beefing up its brick-and-mortar presence. The retailer said it will hire 400 workers, part-time and full-time, at five stores opening in the Denver region this summer. Wal-Mart also plans to expand operations in California with a new grocery store in Panorama City and 14 smaller grocery stores in the state.
Sales Buzz
McDonald's New COO (Ad Age)
Tim Fenton, McDonald's president of Asia, Pacific, Middle East and Africa operations, becomes chief operating officer, shouldering responsibility for more than 33,500 restaurants across the world.
Supervalu Exec Hires (Retailing Today)
The Eden Prairie, Minn.-based grocery chain Supervalu has hired three executives to lead its Albertsons' Southern California, Acme and Cub Foods divisions following the departure of Sue Klug, president of Albertsons Southern California division.
Yahoo Hire (Bloomberg)
Yahoo's chief executive, Scott Thompson, hired former PayPal executive Sam Shrauger to help run a new consumer commerce division as the Internet giant looks to turn around its business.
Marketing Buzz
Marketing Major Wages (WSJ)
People who majored in marketing, including those who hold advanced degrees, get paid an average hourly wage of $34.12, while those without earn hourly wages of $32.90, according to a study by Yale University. Math skills are also correlated with higher earnings.
Dead Digital (Ad Age)
"Digital is dead," says Gap's global chief marketing officer, Seth Farbman.
David Henry Talks (Adweek)
Crispin Porter + Bogusky's new executive director of business insight, David Henry, talks to Adweek about his shift to the agency side of marketing.
Buzz Around the Office
It's hard to fight crime when you've eaten and drank that much.
List of the Day: Acing the Interview
Sometimes you don't have to wait until after the interview to know if went well. Here are some signs you're hitting it out of the park.
1. The interviewer asks you to expand on something you've said.
2. They lean forward and act interested in what you're talking about.
3. They take their time throughout the interview.
(Source: CBS Money Watch)
