NEW YORK — Wal-Mart Stores said Wednesday it plans to launch a dedicated page next spring on its website, Walmart.com, that will feature an assortment of products created by women from around the world.
Products will include coffee from Central and South America; dresses from Kenya; and jewelry from Guatemala. By 2016 the company said its dedicated e-commerce site will feature approximately 500 items by more than 20,000 women around the world.
Wal-Mart made the announcement here at the annual meeeting of the Clinton Global Initiative. The effort by Wal-Mart is part of the global women's economic empowerment program it announced earlier this month.
According to Leslie Dach, executive vice president of corporate affairs, "The challenge for small women-owned businesses — and particularly for women artisans — is that they have a fantastic product but they may not have the size or scale to sell in our brick-and-mortar stores. This commitment gives these women access to an established set of customers on Walmart.com, as well as the benefit of the company's knowledge about customers, packaging and promotions."
