Very interesting move this week in the retail space. Marc Lore, ex-Jet.com innovator and now Walmart ecomm chief, orchestrated a partnership with Google to offer Walmart products on Google Express, Google’s online shopping site.
The intent is to collaborate to compete against rival Amazon. The idea is that by joining forces Walmart can focus on the inventory and customer while Google focuses on the platform. This is another example of competitors reinventing their strategy to partner and leverage the full ecosystem’s assets.
With this new focus, the companies can continue to look to grow capabilities. For example, Google believes that voice will dominate online re-orders and continues to develop their Google Home product. Additionally, Google says that most people are starting online shopping purchases with a Google search (vs going to direct websites or Amazon directly. They feel that this partnership can help direct customers to the Walmart inventory and away from Amazon.
The full NYT article is available here:
