[Amerworma]

I only learned in the last 2 weeks out of 8 months that the local colmado sells almost everything lower priced than La Sirena. I started doing most of the shopping for my restaurant there. from 500ml pepsi at 15RD instead of 19.50 RD to rice at 20 pesos a lb instead of 249 pesos for 10 lbs and eggs @ 4 pesos each instead of 79 pesos for a dozen etc... All down the line. Fruit at less than half the price at a local fruit market, I figured that out very early on. 20 pesos for a papaya instead of 20 pesos a pound for a 3 nad a half pound one etc...
I don't need any special brand of corn flakes! I don't eat that much processed food, nor did I sell it in the restaurant.
As far as clothes and shoes, appliances and paint etc... I wouldn't know.
Der Fish

La Sirena is a social experience, where locals can go to juxtapose themselves with gringos. the prices are nothing special, as Derfish pointed out. besides, you had better watch every entry to the cash register, becauses the prices under the items never seem to be the ones you get.

[DoctorNelsonOnten]

I don't know if you guys have noticed, but I've never gone to Pricesmart or La Sirena, that I haven't seen people buying things in bulk for resale.

The few times I've made a lighthearted comment about how much of something somebody buys, they always respond it's because they have a colmado.

There are even folks that buy in bulk at the big stores, then go around reselling to colmados, adding yet another level to the supply chain.

[lomonel]

I don't know if you guys have noticed, but I've never gone to Pricesmart or La Sirena, that I haven't seen people buying things in bulk for resale.

The few times I've made a lighthearted comment about how much of something somebody buys, they always respond it's because they have a colmado.

There are even folks that buy in bulk at the big stores, then go around reselling to colmados, adding yet another level to the supply chain.

Lots of colmados COULD buy at those places, but they lack the liquidity to do so in big batches. The middle biz people that buy in large amounts and later sell to colmados, do so under a loan/pay agreement, where they supply the goods and get pay on the second order for the goods that were sold as they restock the items.

The re-sellers carry all the risks if the colmado misses the payments and can't restock with new merchandise to continue the cycle.

[EHjEjdqe]

This is what I'd refered to the other day. Problem is that my Spanish is rough enuff that I am not sure if it says WalMart bought them or not! But here is the article.
Der Fish

Wal-Mart Se Expande a la Republica Dominicana



TRIPODE
La invasión Wal-Mart
La empresa Wal-Mart, sólo a escala internacional opera más de 2,700 unidades al detalle y emplea a más de medio millón de asociados en la Argentina, Brasil, Canadá, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Alemania, Guatemala, Honduras, Japón, México, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico y el Reino Unido.
Donald Rowland
TAMAÑO DEL TEXTO: Aumentar Disminuir Reestablecer
Hay “pánico en Wall-Street” en el sector dominicano de venta al detalle, ante el anuncio de la próxima incursión en el mercado local de la afamada tienda Wal-Mart, cuyo slogan de batalla comercial reza “precios mas bajos siempre”.
Los rumores de la llegada al país de este conglomerado rodaron por varias semanas en los más diversos círculos comerciales, al conocerse del posible acuerdo con el Grupo Ramos, propietario del Multicentro, la Sirena y el Pola, entre otras cadenas comerciales de mucha tradición en la República Dominicana.

La empresa Wal-Mart, sólo a escala internacional opera más de 2,700 unidades al detalle y emplea a más de medio millón de asociados en la Argentina, Brasil, Canadá, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Alemania, Guatemala, Honduras, Japón, México, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico y el Reino Unido.

Este gigante norteamericano del comercio es una empresa global con mas de 1.8 millones de asociados en todo el mundo y cerca de 6,500 tiendas y clubes de mayoristas en 15 países. Considerada “la tienda de venta al detalle más admirada” de acuerdo con la evaluación que hace la revista Fortune, completó en el año 2006 uno de los mejores periodos de su historia al haber generado mas de $312.4 billones de dólares en ingresos globales, estableciendo una nueva marca al obtener un incremento de 9.5 por ciento durante ese año fiscal.

Aunque no se conocen en detalle las negociaciones que pondrían a Wal-Mart en posesión de las empresas del Grupo Ramos se habla de que la cifra envuelta en la operación rondaría los $800 millones de dólares, lo cual, en opinión de muchos entendidos en la materia, la convertiría en la de mayor envergadura económica efectuada en este sector del comercio dominicano en toda su historia.

Por su lado, el Grupo Ramos se reputa como la empresa detallista de bienes y servicios líder de la Republica Dominicana contando en la actualidad entre sus bienes a 14 locales comerciales ubicados en Santo Domingo, Santiago, San Francisco de Macorís y San Cristóbal en donde laboran más de cinco mil empleados a diversa escala.

Entre sus tiendas cuentan con La Sirena Mella, La Sirena Santiago, Super Pola Arroyo Hondo, Super Pola Lope de Vega, Super Pola Sarasota, Multicentro La Sirena Churchill, Multicentro La Sirena Santiago, Multicentro La Sirena Charles de Gaulle y Multicentro La Sirena San Francisco, centros comerciales que han servido durante años a las más apremiantes necesidades de alimentación y vestido a una buena parte de los consumidores dominicanos.

Sam Walton quien junto a su esposa fue el fundador a principios de la década del sesenta de la multimillonaria cadena de tiendas Wal-Mart, escribió en su autobiografía que “el secreto del éxito en la labor de ventas al detalle es el de proveer al cliente lo que desea y la realidad es que si se piensa esto desde el punto de vista del cliente, este lo quiere todo: una amplia variedad de mercancías de buena calidad; los precios mas bajos posible; garantía de satisfacción con lo que compra; servicio amigable e inteligente; horario conveniente; parqueo gratis y una agradable experiencia de compras”.

La historia del Grupo Ramos por otra parte se remonta también a los años sesenta del Siglo pasado cuando a mediados de esa década su fundador Ramón Ramos Uria compró la tienda La Sirena, dando sentido al concepto de la venta al detalle con acciones revolucionarias para la época y convirtiendo ese pequeño establecimiento en la más popular tienda por departamentos bajo su recordado eslogan de “La Sirena, la tienda siempre llena”.

Es indudable que la estabilidad mostrada por el país en los últimos años y las medidas económicas adoptadas por el gobierno resultantes de un sostenido crecimiento de la economía nacional en el presente cuatrienio, han convertido a la Republica Dominicana en la “vedette del caribe” haciéndose cada vez mas atractiva para las inversiones y para la captación de los capitales necesarios para su mas rápido desarrollo.

Los sectores productivos del país deben asimilar esta realidad y colocarse a la altura de las circunstancias para que en lugar de producirse “pánico en Wall-Street”, ante el anuncio de la llegada de uno de estas grandes multinacionales, puedan hacer provecho de esa ocasión para llevar sus negocios a las dimensiones del manejo adecuado que se requiere, en esta era de globalización y de aprovechamiento de las tecnologías del conocimiento y de la información.

[chelviweeme]

the prices at La Sirena are no great shakes

Iberia, the "multicentro" chain the in East DR, has lower prices than la Sirena, one average. I checked couple of days ago, at 8 pm there were about 30 cars in the huge Sirena parking lot. It ain't the same as when they opened back in December and lots of stuff was on sales (full parking lots, and store full of people shoulder to shoulder). One of the problems is they are on the outskirts of Higuey, and for 80% of population in Higuey is easier and faster to get to Iberia or Hiper Higueyano. (Iberia is partially on the outskirts as well, but faster to get into than La Sirena).

[chelviweeme]

@DERFISH - that article was published back in July 2007, so that's exactly 5 years ago.Do you see Wallmart brand anywhere ion the DR 5 years later. I don't. Just discard the info. Tianguis Si-Wal-Mart-No: Wal-Mart Se Expande a la Republica Dominicana

[EHjEjdqe]

@DERFISH - that article was published back in July 2007, so that's exactly 5 years ago.Do you see Wallmart brand anywhere ion the DR 5 years later. I don't. Just discard the info. Tianguis Si-Wal-Mart-No: Wal-Mart Se Expande a la Republica Dominicana

WalMart doesn't always use their brand. In Costa Rica they don't for sure, but they do have a small sign, maybe 11 X 17 saying that the store is owned by WalMart. But if Walmart bought them in 2007 and haven't sold them then they'd still be WalMart's property.
Thanks
Der Fish

[chelviweeme]

I don't think that Walmart bought them in 2007. Pichardo seems to have quite a valid intel on stuff involving business matters in the DR. If he says Grupo Ramos/Sirena is not yet owned by Walmart, I believe him, regardless of what some speculation published in 2007 tries to imply.

[EHjEjdqe]

Thank you. ANd in the meantime I had a friend read it and she pointed out that it said things were under negotiation at that time, and doesn't say that it as sold. Like I said my Spanish reading ability is not the best, I can converse all day though!
Thanks again.
Der Fish

[lomonel]

There's an agreement, but NO sales or takeover as of this date!

Not a penny has changed hands, no contracts signed or even a new corporation listed...

La Sirena/Grupo Ramos and Walmart have zilch to do with one another! Nothing!


Any talk or say that Walmart already bought Grupo Ramos is BS and LIES...

As the trend, the DR uses the same corporate name of the biz from the US that set foot here. Walmart will NOT become WalDom... It will be Walmart 100% if the agreement holds until a contract is signed by both parts.

La Sirena is a brand that will then be used for exporting the big retailer to Haiti and the Caribbean under the new corporation in shares (or so I was told).

All La Sirena and Pola will become Walmart and Super-Walmarts. The other smaller ones will become express stores and Markets...

To be said, Grupo Ramos is expanding to the whole country with presence in all major cities, town and provinces.

Some people don't know this, but quite a few stuff that's sold in Walmart USA is manufactured in the DR's FTZ... Now link local manufacturing, Grupo Ramos, Walmart and you put 2 and 2 together...

[KahiroSamo]

To gain a foothold in a country, Walmart has been acquiring small chains of stores throughout Latin America. So this strategy involving Grupo Ramos, if true, defintely fits their modus operandi.

If not, its only a matter of time before Walmart enters the DR, by buying someone else....and it will probably be sooner rather than later (although Grupo Ramos makes the most sense).

Walmart signaled its intentions in Latin America in a big way by establishing in 2010 a regional office in Florida just to handle Latin America. Today, Walmart is the largest employer in Latin America, and with a financially slowing Europe as well as growth retrenchment in China, Walmart has been stepping up its activities in this region.

Aside from all the problems involving merger and acquistion, two key issues for Walmart entering the DR will be transport of their goods and banking. Walmart will not tolerate the control that the transport sector currently enjoys in the DR. Whether an accord between the parties can be reached beforehand remains unknown, but rest assured it is on Walmart's punch list, right up there with banking.

Walmart has been trying for years to get into banking here in the US, and has been summarily denied access by the regulators. It has succeeded in getting banking licenses in many Latin American countries (Mexico being the largest coup de tat for them) and I suspect that they will want the same in the DR.

So the questions are, does Grupo Ramos have contractual banking relationships inside their stores with other banks, for how long, and can they be bought out? I suspect the banking lobby (if there is such a thing in the DR) will probably work to at least block Walmart from obtaining banking licenses....and then does Walmart enter the country without them?

Lots and lots of questions/issues/logistics to be worked through before this becomes reality.....not to mention the apparent breach of confidentiality agreement (that is standard and ongoing in any real M&A) by an "insider" at Grupo Ramos.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

[esconsise]

Some people don't know this, but quite a few stuff that's sold in Walmart USA is manufactured in the DR's FTZ... Now link local manufacturing, Grupo Ramos, Walmart and you put 2 and 2 together...

What products exactly are made in the DR and sold at WalMart?

[payowlirriply]

What products exactly are made in the DR and sold at WalMart?

5+ years ago we used to knit/dye/sew/print a lot of printed for them... somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,000 dozen a week.

[KahiroSamo]

What products exactly are made in the DR and sold at WalMart?

Mostly textile products, clothing, underwear, etc. Walmart used to be a big buyer of Hanesbrands products, which had/has a factory in the FTZ's.

Not sure I would call it "quite a few stuff" though.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

[chelviweeme]

@playacaribe - Banco Leon and Popular are just two that come to mind as bankings etups in la Sirena. But I think BHD and Banreservs as well. It will be hard to get 4 banks out of their multicentros so they can do a monopoly banking operation there. Getting the 4 banks out, less reasons for people to go to la Sirena. The logic behind having "side stores" like banks etc in multicentros is not to get money from rent, but to attract people who might otherwise go elsewhere. For example, people who need to go to buy groceries and go to a bank might go to a smaller store because their bank is two blocks away and can do two things in one trip. So the idea to have "side stores" is for people to go to la Sirena instead and do both things in one trip there. If they remove the banks form their stores, they would be cutting their own throats.

[EzequielTMann]

Thank you. ANd in the meantime I had a friend read it and she pointed out that it said things were under negotiation at that time, and doesn't say that it as sold. Like I said my Spanish reading ability is not the best, I can converse all day though!
Thanks again.
Der Fish

This was in Thursday's DR1 News - see last sentence in bold:
Ramos Group opens another superstore
One of the nation's largest employers, the Ramos Group, opened a new Multicentro La Sirena on Jose Contreras Avenue in the University Zone in Santo Domingo last night, Wednesday 23 May. This is store number 29 for the group, which employs some 9,500 people. Company spokesman Juan Luis Fernandez said that the store is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, and is highly efficient in its use of electricity and water. The new 150,000 sq. ft. store has underground parking for nearly 200 vehicles and will be open seven days a week.
Several years ago, speculation was rife that Walmart would buy the group's La Sirena chain. When that didn't happen, the company embarked on a mega-investment plan, opening many more stores in Santo Domingo and around the country.

[KahiroSamo]

@playacaribe - Banco Leon and Popular are just two that come to mind as bankings etups in la Sirena. But I think BHD and Banreservs as well. It will be hard to get 4 banks out of their multicentros so they can do a monopoly banking operation there. Getting the 4 banks out, less reasons for people to go to la Sirena. The logic behind having "side stores" like banks etc in multicentros is not to get money from rent, but to attract people who might otherwise go elsewhere. For example, people who need to go to buy groceries and go to a bank might go to a smaller store because their bank is two blocks away and can do two things in one trip. So the idea to have "side stores" is for people to go to la Sirena instead and do both things in one trip there. If they remove the banks form their stores, they would be cutting their own throats.

Thanks RH for the update.

I would bet that the banks are lobbying (behind the scenes) harder than anyone to limit Walmarts availability to open up Banco Walmart...like they have in Mexico, etc. And I am quite sure that Western Union, Vigo and some of the other money transfer houses and Cambio's are also concerned.

Not only would Walmart upend banking in the DR by their presence....fees would probably go down...and banks rely on/need fees more than ever to survive these days. I expect a hard push by the Banking community to limit Walmart to just retailing....if they ever come into the country.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

[squeerisott]

La Sirena USED to have the best prices around (14) years ago. (Talking large items)
I bought many larger items from them in the past and they used to give a discount when asked.
Now they always say "no".

There are still some bargains, but not like before.
Smaller items as I said before are sometimes cheaper (Example: Circuit breakers)

People were coming all the way from Montecristo/Dajabon to shop there.

The rotisserie chicken (At least at the Pola store) is always overcooked and dry.
The pan de aqua used to be the best bread around, now it is always overcooked.
I complained about it and they blame it on the dough they get from the distribution center.
(Nothing new there, always someone else fault in the D.R.)

Good point on the chicken- I live next door to a Pola but specifically drive and shop at Nacional because the idiots dont know how set a timer to cook a chicken without drying it out. Makes you wonder what goes through the minds of some of these Managers-do they ever test the product to see if its edible. Not to difficult to correct this one.Actually the Managers are the usually the ones that are engaging in small talk with cashiers while people wait in long lines. Somethings just cannot be taught in school!

[EHjEjdqe]

Walmart Stores, Inc. adquiere La Sirena y Super Pola por 800 millones de Dólares


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el 07-13-2009 01:07 PMSanto Domingo.- La reconocida cadena nortaamericana Walmart Stores, Inc. adquirió todos los multicentro La Sirena, incluyendo los supermercados Pola del Grupo Ramos por un monto de 800 millones de dólares.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. es el vendedor minorista más grande del mundo y la mayor compañía del mundo basada en el crédito. Su concepto de negocio es la tienda de autoservicio. En el año fiscal que concluyó el 31 de diciembre de 2006, Wal-Mart tuvo 315.427 millones de dólares en ventas y 11.231 millones en ganancias1. La revista Forbes apunta a que si Wal-Mart tuviera su propia economía, sería la 30ª en el mundo, justo detrás de Arabia Saudita.
Fuera de los EE.UU., la compañía opera con almacenes en México (893), el Reino Unido (269, la mayoría supermercados ASDA), Canadá (236), Brasil (144), y Puerto Rico (54). Wal-mart tiene también entre diez y quince almacenes en Argentina y China.
La tienda La Sirena nació en un pequeño local en la Avenida Mella en el año 1930. En esa época, era una tienda fundamentalmente de telas y ropa. En 1965, Román Ramos Uría toma la administración de la tienda y ésta se remodela, volviéndose más funcional y moderna.





Más en Univision.com: Walmart Stores, Inc. adquiere La Sirena y Super Pola por 800 millones de Dólares - Univision Foro / Forum

When I communicated with the person who had sent me the other link (and showed me how to post it) and I told him that it actually said they were in negotiations back then he sent me this one which he says says WalMart purchased La Sirena in 2009!! Just a bit interesting. I am assuming that the position of Pichardo and the rest is correct. But it is interesting that one can find anything on the internet.
Der Fish

[D6Ri5u13]

Enough to see Burger King in Pop, Hooters in Santiago two name two. As we both know nothing in Sosua. Good enough answer for ya?