Dear BNET reader,

Sales are flat. Expansion is stalled. Image problems abound. Find out what the world's biggest retailer is doing to tackle its strategic problems in our latest feature package, What's Wrong with Wal-Mart.

Why Wal-Mart Needs Help
Although Wal-Mart generated gross profits of $84 billion on $349 billion in revenue in 2006, its share price has stayed virtually flat since 2000. Domestic same-store sales crept up by just 1.9 percentage points in 2006 - the worst showing in Wal-Mart's history. The worst part is, these (and other) problems are interrelated. Let's take a closer look at the issues that are dragging Wal-Mart down.

How Wal-Mart Will Save Wal-Mart
It's no secret that these are challenging times in Bentonville, Ark., where Wal-Mart is headquartered. Although the company declined to make its executives available to talk to BNET, here's what we've been able to learn about the retailer's recovery strategy, based on press reports and interviews with industry experts.

Ask the Experts: How Would You Fix Wal-Mart?
What will it take to revitalize Wal-Mart? BNET asked industry experts to tell us what they think the world's largest retailer needs to do to regain momentum.

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What news, information, and knowledge do you need to know? Introducing BNET1, a new Insight column that's dedicated to bringing you the one thing you need to know today. Impress your colleagues, your boss, or your clients with these five doses of the daily BNET1.

Foreign Car Sales in U.S. Now the Majority
For the first time in U.S. history, foreign imports have grabbed the majority share of auto sales in the States - 51.9% according to the latest from AutoData, Inc.

Fastest Growing Global Brand
You could always Google it, but I'll make it easy for you: The world's fastest growing brand is Google. For one, it can't hurt to be listed in the Oxford English Dictionary as an official verb.

One in Four Americans Use MySpace
In other words MySpace boasts 70 million users, according to the latest from comScore. Back in July of 2005, the social networking site was picked up by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. for what was considered a hefty $580 million. Now some investors say it was a bargain.

'Green' Font Cuts Costs and Saves Trees
Here's a quick tip to cut costs in the office: Pare down your printing voracity. In the process you'll also help the environment.

How Many Cups of Coffee is "Normal"?
Per capita, American coffee drinkers consume three cups of coffee a day, so you can sleep well - or stay awake, rather - knowing that you're not the only one with a caffeine fix.

Insight

What's the Future of Work?
People have been speculating about the future of work since the first farmer showed up with a pointy stick to plant a seed. Still, the recent changes in technology allowing for globalization and telecommuting, have left many workers feeling like the pace of change is accelerating.

Do Customer Incentives Increase Profitability?
With heavy competition from global manufacturers in the automotive industry, companies are scrambling to increase sales by offering incentives. According to Jesse Toprak, executive director of industry analysis for sales tracker Edmunds.com, this strategy only works if you don't give away the store.

Stay True to Your Strategic Core
Imagine this: your company's markets itself as a purveyor of healthy, simple meals. Your soups are low-sodium, you educate consumers about whole grains on your website, and you partner with the American Heart Association to help wipe out heart disease. You've also been selling luxury chocolates for 40 years.

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