Wal-Mart vs Carrefour in J-Death Cage Match!

[Taro Toporific]

Subtext: Wal-mart has taken over Seiyu, CostCo is building from the ground=up and now the obscenely over-priced Carrefour are all gonna be in Death Cage Match over the scraps of the late-great Japan Inc.

exporter offers -- Carrefour report
Sun June 8, 2003 11:15 PM ET / Reuters
...a report that the world's second-biggest retailer, Carrefour, was seeking a tie-up with struggling Japanese retailer Daiei Inc...Carrefour was in negotiations with Daiei for a business tie-up that could involve joint purchases of products and joint operation of stores in Japan to strengthen the French firm's foothold in Japan.

[Taro Toporific]

exporter offers -- Carrefour report
Sun June 8, 2003 11:15 PM ET / Reuters

Daiei says not in tie-up talks with Carrefour
Forbes - 13:57 June 9, 2003
Struggling Japanese retailer Daiei Inc said on Monday that it was not in talks with the world's second-biggest retailer ... Carrefour, Europe's top retailer, had a rough time when it jumped into the Japanese market with its first superstore three years ago, and analysts have said it sorely lacked a local partner. ... faces heightened competition from U.S. retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc through an alliance with Seiyu Ltd has been struggling to revive sales in a sector plagued by excess capacity and falling prices.

[GargoyleTS]

Slightly OT:Are there Wal-Marts in Japan, and if so, are any open 24-7 like the Super Wally's here?

[Taro Toporific]

Slightly OT:Are there Wal-Marts in Japan, and if so, are any open 24-7 like the Super Wally's here?

Nope, there no Super or regular Wally's here, yet.

Wal-Mart just bought out Seiyu which has 200+ stores. Now they need to shoot 99% of the Seiyu employees to make a profit. Wal-Mart branded stores won't open for two years yet (and that is exclusive news you'll ONLY find on the FG 'cause well let's say ...).

Cost-Co has 6 real US-style stores now, an d the poor French Carrefour have 4 stores that sell mostly JAPANESE stuff at prices higher than the Japanese. Sheesh. But they got a nice sellection of plonk to drown their tears in.

[GuyJean]

Now they need to shoot 99% of the Seiyu employees to make a profit.

Nah. Just give em' charcoal for a 'severance' gift.

GJ

[Taro Toporific]

Now they need to shoot 99% of the Seiyu employees to make a profit.

Nah. Just give em' charcoal as a 'severence' gift.

Gee, that sounds like the "romantic suicides of old."
Die with a stranger: suicide via the Net
DaCapo (June 4) June 8, 2003 JAPAN TIMES
..."I've wanted to die since I was a small child," says Mika, who speaks to DaCapo about cruising the Net in search of the perfect suicide.The theme was thrust into the public domain in February, when a man and two women who had apparently met through the man's suicide Web site were found asphyxiated {BY CHARCOAL} in his Saitama apartment. Four similar cases followed in quick succession.
The term "Net shinju" then slipped into vogue. Shinju calls to mind the famous romantic suicides of old Japan, the victims consumed by a love too pure for the arbitrary rigors of the world.

[befamfivh]

the poor French Carrefour have 4 stores that sell mostly JAPANESE stuff at prices higher than the Japanese. Sheesh. But they got a nice sellection of plonk to drown their tears in.

I went one of these here in Saitama the other day. It didn't seem all that expensive compared to any other super market in Japan. On top of which it was much larger (much more selection than walmarts or costco, arranged in an almost mall-like fashion), and had a lot of french signs.

Ah, but who cares about french signs, I hear you say? English is out, French is in, my friends, and maybe... just maybe that's enough all on it's own to let Carrefour beat out Costco and Wallmart.

[Taro Toporific]

Tesco vs Wal-Mart vs Carrefour in J-Death Cage Match!

Tesco sets up shop in Japan with 139m offer
tThe Telegraph, UK -- 11/06/2003
Supermarket giant Tesco is expanding into the difficult Japanese market with a 139m pounds recommended cash offer for the convenience store retailer C Two-Network...