What a bizarre story. Wal-Mart in Germany is promoting its stores as places for singles to pick up other singles. They have prepared 'flirting points' around their stores, and on Friday evenings they give single, available customers red bows to put on their shopping trolleys to send out that all-important signal!
Whatever next - banks and doctors surgeries to sell themselves as hook-up joints?
CNN Story
Link courtesy of Jen, Batsish Kevin's sister.
Wal-Mart is desperate to succeed in Germany and lost a lot of money while trying. There are some great discounters in Germany already and nobody cares about the US type frills they are trying to offer. Examples like the friendly greeting guy at the door and motivational energy morning meetings of sales assistants were abandoned a long time ago (I am not saying they didn't have a point, but it is like trying to squeeze blood out of a stone, as the saying goes). There was also some trouble with the unions for certain work practices. Maybe something for your MBA studies to explore. This is not a costly example, more in the desperate category.
Germany is a very miserable place these days, but it is fun to see someone meeting reality like Wal-Mart there. Starbucks is also a complete failure (bright note: people started stealing the stamps for their loyalty card scheme from the shops and free coffee flew), MTV utterly unpopular last time I checked... the list goes on. However, if you think that makes for an interesting nice anti-global-brands culture, you're wrong. The homegrown stuff is largely completely pathetic. As I said, a miserable place.
Posted by: Dirk at April 19, 2005 10:23 PMI can't wait to tell my mom that I have a new sister. And I'm gonna get rid of the old one too. See ya Kelly, welcome to the family Jen!
;)
Posted by: kevin at April 26, 2005 09:22 AMha ha ha - hence the cunning spelling error - I was clearly referring to Batsish Kevin's sister, not your sister!
where on earth did I get the idea that she was your sister?
Posted by: Gary at April 26, 2005 11:51 AM