What’s the one thing Facebook was missing? Well, in my opinion, it wasn’t Wal-Mart’s official presence. But like it or not, there is now a sponsored Wal-Mart group on the social networking site.
It’s called, simply enough, “Wal-Mart.” “Wal-Mart College ’07” and “Back to School” are two of the group’s subheadings, and as these might lead you to expect, much of the main page focuses on dorm room decorations. Only 98 people have been drawn in so far, but it’s too early to say at what point the Wal-Mart group’s membership will stabilize.
The parent corporation likely hopes there will be lots of growth, however; as reported by Monsters and Critics, Wal-Mart spokeswoman Karen Burk said, “We realise that this is an audience that we need to be talking to and that this is a channel we need to be on.”
M&C’s Stevie Smith also notes that, “In related news, Wal-Mart is already running an advertising campaign highlighting that it has lowered prices on over 16,000 items in its back-to-school product range.”
Low prices are good, but I have to wonder just how many shoppers are going to be drawn in as a result of a Facebook group. I also have to wonder how much the sponsorship of that group will cost Wal-Mart.
Finally, a sort of disclosure: I’ve spent more than a few years of my life working for Target. But I’m not exactly dying to see that retailer appear on Facebook, either.
