Wal-Mart Stores Inc., and its subsidiary, Jet.com, have launched a partnership with BuzzFeed’s Tasty App. Lisa Landsman, president of Jet.com, says that focusing on one demographic in particular has helped her company lead Wal-Mart forward in the e-commerce space.
“Obviously we are very focused on this urban, affluent consumer where our brand has really taken hold, and providing a differentiated experience, with an assortment that's not readily available in so many other places online,” she said.
The year-old partnership has paid off for Wal-Mart. In the latest quarter earnings, it grew its online sales by 50 percent. WalMart is also selling over 70 million items, triple what it sold last year. Jet.com launched its everyday essentials line, Uniquely J, earlier this fall. The line, which features edgy packaging designs and premium ingredients, is an effort to target a younger customer, and compete with Amazon’s private label division.
Companies have been actively trying to counter Amazon’s e-commerce empire, which continues to dominate the industry quarter after quarter. The new deal with Buzzfeed’s Tasty app is expected to boost WalMart’s numbers, as the do-it-yourself platform has over 91 million followers across social media.
Landsman tells Cheddar that Jet.com’s partnership with Wal-Mart is successful because their targets are different. She says that Wal-Mart’s focus is rural, while Jet.com focuses on expanding the company’s millennials, urban, and affluent reach.
Wal-Mart acquired Jet.com in October of 2016.
The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people — including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures — has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of sports betting in the U.S. The multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy for sports fans — and even some players — to wager on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. But regulating the rapidly-growing industry has proven to be a challenge. Professional sports leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has also raised eyebrows.
Tesla, the car company run by Elon Musk, reported Wednesday that it sold more vehicles in the past three months after boycotts hit hard earlier this year, but profits still fell sharply. Third-quarter earnings fell to $1.4 billion, from $2.2 billion a year earlier. Excluding charges, per share profit of 50 cents came in below analysts' estimate. Tesla shares fell 3.5% in after-hours trading. Musk said the company's robotaxi service, which is available in Austin, Texas, and San Francisco, will roll out to as many as 10 other metro areas by the end of the year.
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As Big Tech reports Q3 earnings, investors await proof that massive AI and cloud investments from Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet are driving real growth.
