WAL-MART TO TRY SELLING ON INTERNET.Byline: Peter H. Lewis The New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times In a move certain to accelerate the acceptance of computer-based shopping, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the nation's largest retailer, said Monday that it would begin trials next month of a system for selling its merchandise over the Internet. Microsoft Corp. will supply the software for the experiment. "We believe it's a concept whose time has arrived," said David Glass David Glass may be any of the following:
If the trials are successful, he said, the company intends to move aggressively to expand the system. Microsoft has been working with Wal-Mart to develop the software needed to conduct retailing operations on the World Wide Web. Both companies said Monday that the alliance was not an exclusive partnership and that Microsoft would not have a financial interest in Wal-Mart's electronic retailing. Microsoft is developing a product called Merchant Server that requires Microsoft's Windows NT (Windows New Technology) A 32-bit operating system from Microsoft for Intel x86 CPUs. NT is the core technology in Windows 2000 and Windows XP (see Windows). Available in separate client and server versions, it includes built-in networking and preemptive multitasking. operating system operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. . Merchants would use the server software to create databases of goods, publish electronic catalogs, handle secure transactions and keep customer records. A number of other companies, notably Netscape Communications Corp. and Open Market Inc., make competing software. Mary Modahl, director of new media research at Forrester Research Forrester Research is an independent technology and market research company that provides its clients with advice about technology's impact on business and consumers. Corporate facts
tr.v. in·vig·or·at·ed, in·vig·or·at·ing, in·vig·or·ates To impart vigor, strength, or vitality to; animate: "A few whiffs of the raw, strong scent of phlox invigorated her" a market that has been moribund lately because of slow sales and concerns about privacy and the security of financial transactions. "I think electronic retailing is heating up right now," she said. "MasterCard and Visa recently came together with a standard for doing secure credit card transactions, and that has created a sense of optimism. Plus, there is strong growth in the on-line market as consumers continue to sign up." Neither Glass nor Bill Gates (person) Bill Gates - William Henry Gates III, Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft, which he co-founded in 1975 with Paul Allen. In 1994 Gates is a billionaire, worth $9.35b and Microsoft is worth about $27b. , Microsoft's chairman, would estimate the size of the electronic retailing market, either in terms of customers or dollar volume. "It's easy to overpromise and underdeliver, but we have an opportunity to build a completely different industry," Glass said. CAPTION(S): PHOTO Photo Microsoft CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. Bill Gates, left and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. CEO David Glass chat Monday after a meeting in Redmond, Wash. Associated Press |
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