At the same time, Wal-Mart is changing some of its ways. Germans are skeptical. Customers said that they didn't want to be paying the salary of that guy at the door,'' says Baltruschat. Wal-Mart also found that some of the services it offers in the U.S. are highly restricted in Germany, such as loyalty cards. It's likely to take years for Wal-Mart to turn itself into a true Europewide company.
More acquisitions are probably in the cards.
Indeed, the era of consolidation in European retailing is just beginning. Today, four or five leading store chains rule the business in each country. As the euro opens up new possibilities, Wal-Mart will play its part in the remaking of European retailing. The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. All rights reserved.