Wal-Mart E-Commerce Execs Depart in Wake of Jet.com Merger

Wal-Mart is shaking things up a bit. The big-box retailer announced changes to its e-commerce leadership as Marc Lore, founder of Jet.com, takes on new responsibilities in the wake of the $3.3 billion merger of the two companies. As a result, several e-commerce executives are leaving Wal-Mart, including Fernando Madeira, head of Walmart.com, and Brent Beabout, senior vice president of e-commerce supply chain, MarketWatch reports. In addition to management changes, it's reported that Wal-Mart's e-commerce site will adopt Jet.com's "smart basket" technology.

Total Retail's Take: Well that didn't take long. Wal-Mart's acquisition of Jet.com was to improve its e-commerce business and digital presence, and it looks like Lore is getting a running start. The retailer is banking on Lore's history of turning around companies. He originally got his start as founder of Quidsi Inc., parent company of Diapers.com, Soap.com and other e-commerce sites, before he sold the business to Amazon.com in 2010 for $550 million. Wal-Mart is hoping Lore is able to turn around its e-commerce site and, of course, be a contender to Amazon.