We must WELCOME everyone. So many have come to India and every one is doing business as per indian consumer taste, like discounts, price cut but quality is international . It is also helping and motivating our manufacturer to produce international standards products. Same way WALMART will be good for indian economy and consumer. If there is a hot market/economy like india then all has to come. Hope government will allow investment in this sector before the passing of women reservation bill. V S parihar
Well, People in India are still oblivious of the menace Walmart will pose once it puts its claws around India's retail market. I strongly urge the Rediff editors and the public to watch Robert Greenwald's documentary "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price". It shows how walmart stiffles the competition and gets rid of small industries in the neighbourhood. Being in the U.S, there is currently a large scale anti-Walmart drive going on. More than 1.6 million walmart and ex-Walmart workers have launched a lawsuit against Walmart for loss of pay, health benefits and exploitation. I only hope the Govt. takes a look at these before they allow Walmart into our country. A similar example would be Coke and Pepsi. Once they came in.....none of the local beverage companies exist...but given the fact that retail is huge in India, more and more families will be unemployed and more business' would collapse if Walmart is given a free run. And we already have lot of FDI so the FDI that Walmart promises isnt gonna make much difference. Once again watch the documentary and find it out for yourself. So dont think just becoz everything is cheap in India Walmart wont survive !!!
It's stupid socialist policies which had emasculated the local retail houses, destroying the manufacturing base in the process and putting the the locals at a disadvantage when it come to competing with the deep-pocketed MNCs. Unless the labor laws are changed to allow mass production in India on the scale now existing in China, Indian retailers will fall victim to the likes of Wal-Mart et al, and the fault will lie totally with the govt.
Dear Sir, The timing of your article is exceptional. Having lived 26 years in India and exposed to the Western world, i can safely comment that India has a good chance of defeating the Hypermarket giants such as TESCO/Wal-Mart/... We need to pump money into our infrastructure and the comments that the average Indian consumer would hesitate to travel 20 kms to a hypermarket is close to reality. But, it would still be a good practise to develop our suppliers through a comprehensive Supply-chain Management. A very good article!! Keep it up. Please email me at ravii@rediffmail.com for any further info. Regards Ravi
In the name of opening the economy, the local economy should be destroyed, entry of the Wal-Mart will decimate the small retailers.Today, even the so called advances countries are talking in terms of protectionism in certain sector.
The question is "Does India need a Walmart?" and not "Does Walmart need India?". Walmart needs India because it needs big volumes in its wafer thin margin model. India does not need it because it already has kirana stores which provide a lean and mean model. The super markets which operate on fatter margins is not where Walmart is known to operate. So, the question becomes should India open its markets to Walmart because Walmart needs India more than Indian needing Walmart?
The article was good. I think FDI in retail in must and India biggies cannot escape it. Instead of trying to protest againt FDI it should try to built up it stratergies to increase their competency against the world retail giants.
Indian retailers should be given time to grow to a maturity stage before the face such an intense competition from the foreingners
I understand the concerns but it may not be bad.why socialistic China is OK with Walmart? US had similar concerns when jobs are getting outsourced (not just IT jobs are getting outsourced).Most of the jobs in US are in service. John Kerry even put this in election campaign.It turned better for them. Now or later we have to open gates for FDI in retail.Defnitely it will improve the life of common man. We all can enjoy things at lower rates (see spencers, Big bazaar etc). Now a days there is boom of malls this is becoz Indians want to have different shopping experience. If you see other developed nations 90 % of the retail is organized.Organized sectors are good for the country will bring more revenue and credibility. (I guess the local banias may not be paying tax at all considering the fact ONLY 5 PERCENT are paying tax in India. Most of the tax payers are salaried employees) Disparity against Walmart is not fair. Overall FDI is good for India, it will be bring more Jobs considering the fact most of the population is in young. Recently Finance minister PC Chidambaram drummed beat for FDI in CII meet, saying we need more. Why not FDI in retail?.
Who's afraid of Walmart
by Seenu Subbu on Dec 06, 2005 12:02 AM
Be very afraid of the evil empire. China may not give a rat's behind to Mom and Papa's corner stores. India cannot afford to, and should not lose them. I have seen how Walmart initially resorts to almost predatory pricing in a neighborhood, kills the local competition and then starts gouging an eye and an arm when the opportunity presents itself. Last time I was in India, I was shocked when I found the price of a shaving cream and razor, and wondered how those poor slum dwellers and daily wage labourers would even survive. If Walmart steps into India, bye bye shaving for these folks.
