Wal-Mart Plans To Expand Sam's Club Warehouse Club Business In China

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said it plans to open seven new Sam’s Club membership-only warehouse clubs in China in the next two to three years. Aimed at the country’s affluent families, the planned warehouse clubs are part of the U.S. retailer’s efforts to deal with the slowdown in its hypermarket business. Sam’s Club opened its first store in China in 1996 and currently has 10 stores in the country. While conventional retailers, including parent company Wal-Mart, are slowing down their expansion plans in China, Sam’s Club’s business model has been successful in the country. In the United States, there are 620 Sam’s Club stores, generating $49 billion in annual sales for the company.