Watch Out, it's coming to Santo Domingo!

Retail prices are far higher than they should be. I imagine that a Wal Mart would serve to bring prices down, or at least offer a cheaper alternative.

I was in Walmart last week comparing prices with Dominican supermarkets, and realized that the difference isn't even that big. I had the same experience when in The Netherlands last year, and that's one of the cheapest countries grocery wise.

Fruits and vegetables are even cheaper than in Walmart.

Besides that if Walmart enters they most likely buy a chain (if they didn't already) not build one or two stores.

first, for the love of god, DR has more supermarket chains than just jumbo. there is la sirena, la pola, el national, bravo, plaza lama, carrefour and many others.

there has been talk before about walmart buying la sirena which certainly would make sense, it may be better to overtake existing infrastructure than start from zero.

i've never been to america but walmart is my number one thing to see if i ever get there. 9 kinds of dr pepper. i dream about it at night. so yeah, i'd welcome their abusive management practices with open arms as long as they sell all the exciting stuff i've only seen on tv.

...I am desperately waiting for a Home Depot....

i luv walmart......sometimes i go just for cookies/crackers....
and i hope they twist the gubmint's arm regarding import taxes, etc

I hope they forget SD and open in Gasapar Hernadez I'd also like a Dairy Queen please.

A Walmart in Santo Domingo would never be able to keep their shelves stock. I shop at a Walmart in New Jersey and they have a hard time keeping their shelves stock.

WalMart here in Miami has lower prices on some things, but not on all things.

Prices on vegetables and fruit are higher at Wal Mart than Popular, Presidente, Price Choice and Bravo. The same is treu for most meat products.

Dairy, eggs, cheese and yogurt are lower in price at Wal Mart. The Deli is cheaper on some things, (roast beef) but not on all things (ham) at WalMart.

Publix is better than WalMart on any sale items.

WalMart never lowers prices on bananas 59? a pound for basic yellow monkey bananas. They can be as low as 4 lbs for $1.00 at the Presidente.

Publix Brands are as good as the national brands. This is not always true of WalMart, but their house brands are far better than Winn Dixie's "Thrifty Maid" stuff.

Walmart has a LOT MORE than "Food"!
They might buy a controlling interest in "La Sirena/Pola" from the Ramos family.
I can't see them allowing a Walmart in the DR as competition!!!!
I would go for the housewares, hardware, and home goods.
"Miami" you don't live here in the DR do you???????

Just like "XO" who thinks this is "MIAMI1", NEVER "DR1"!!!!!!!!!
But,"By the end of the year",.............NEVER HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Xavier_Onassis said:

WalMart here in Miami has lower prices on some things, but not on all things.

Prices on vegetables and fruit are higher at Wal Mart than Popular, Presidente, Price Choice and Bravo. The same is treu for most meat products.

Dairy, eggs, cheese and yogurt are lower in price at Wal Mart. The Deli is cheaper on some things, (roast beef) but not on all things (ham) at WalMart.

Publix is better than WalMart on any sale items.

WalMart never lowers prices on bananas 59? a pound for basic yellow monkey bananas. They can be as low as 4 lbs for $1.00 at the Presidente.

Publix Brands are as good as the national brands. This is not always true of WalMart, but their house brands are far better than Winn Dixie's "Thrifty Maid" stuff.

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Having been to Florida I have been to Publix and Wiinn Dixie but I doubt most of the people on the board know what you are talking about.


I wonder if the Dominican Republic will allow such a dominant company that is not Dominiican to set roots here and be successful. I think Walmart could have a rocky start and business here. It may be difficult for Walmart to be able to provide the lowest prices without political advantages or the pride of the Dominican people behind the company. In any case, it will be something more to talk about... jajajajaja...

I have never found Walmart to be a good place to buy meats or produce. Walmart is good in my opinion for household items such cleaning supplies, paper products, etc... The Walmart I use back in the US where the folks live is constantly out of products I am looking for. I just do not see a Walmart being built here. I agree that they may invest in an existing chain but just build a Walmart I do not really see that.

Peterj said:

...I am desperately waiting for a Home Depot....

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I second that Wish...as much as I don't like to shop there DR needs something like this on the North Coast

Won't be any cheaper, I have never seen a US based store come here an be lower priced if anything they are higher. Look at the fast food places. all more expensive than local.

Every year the Walmart rumor is revived. Good to see that this time it doesn't involves La Sirena.

I wouldn't be surprised if Walmart enters. The old false rumors about they buying La Sirena was based on the fact that high level Walmart people were seen together with La Sirena people in SD. That they have been keeping an eye on the DR is quite obvious.

It would be interesting to see how they enter the market without buying a local chain. Their old trick that made them successful in the US has been mimicked by La Sirena, but to Grupo Ramos pleasure. lol

JDJones said:

Is there a spot for Walmart here? I sure think so.

Case in point; I like my shirts big. 4X big. Try to find a 4X shirt in any store here, other than a big and tall store on 27 feb.

How about size 12-13-14 shoes? Any shoe in that size. Payless has them now at least, but a limited variety.

Pants/Shorts. Every tried to buy size 42-44 pants/shorts? Good luck with that. Same thing with T-shirts and underwear.

All of those are things I buy on line at Walmart and Amazon. Not only do they have them, but they're cheap!

Walmart isn't always the cheapest, but they have always blown me away with their variety of goods.

There is still hardly a day that I go out looking for something and can't find it.

This week's example? Tarn'x and Boiled linseed oil. Two of the most common things in the world, but you can't buy them here.

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Walmart may try to introduce some new items into the market, but if they don't sell quickly I doubt their buyers would restock them here. They will cater to the local market's demand ultimately - so not sure you'd see many 4x shirts .

What I'd love to see is multiple decent quality options of items. For example, not just two low end options of product x, but ten decent quality options on the shelf.

The last time this rumor got serious traction was in 2012 after Pichardo made the "coming soon" announcement.

To give him partial credit, Walmart held "talks" with the owners of La Sirena......and that is where it ended.

Fast forward to now and an acquisition today would make serious financial sense for Walmart. They are looking to expand further globally and take advantage of the strong dollar. They already have a huge footprint in Central America, Mexico and more importantly from a logistics perspective...Puerto Rico. So the DR looks like a next logical move.

However, the reason Walmart ended "talks" with La Sirena had more to do with the FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act). Walmart was being investigated for multiple violations in Mexico and they did not want any further exposure.....and they knew full well that the DR has as much corruption or more than Mexico. So the idea was in essence shelved. Fast forward to today.

If the DR would enter the DR they would more than likely do it via acquisition of an existing retailer. And while La Sirena seems to make the most sense, others such as Jumbo, Nacional, Bravo could also be considered.

So if Walmart entered and started to build their own stores, they likely would acquire a supermarket chain first. They need economies of scale to be successful and building one or two at a time when everything needs to be shipped into the Island makes no economic sense.

if they buy were to buy La Sirena, Jumbo outright, they would just re-brand.

The likelier scenario is re-branding....and it is something they have successfully done in Mexico and elsewhere.

At this point, its a matter of when and with whom....not if.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

CFA123 said:

What I'd love to see is multiple decent quality options of items. For example, not just two low end options of product x, but ten decent quality options on the shelf.

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At ChinaMart? LOL I guess we need to define "quality options". I didn't patronize Walmart at home and don't see myself doing so here, even if a Super Store were to popup on the spot of the missing Dominos Pizza truck in Sosua.

i don't care about the prices, i just want to have a choice. and they may be a chinamart for all i care (as if your stuff was not made there) and long as they have 9 kinds of dr pepper.