Wal-Mart’s p.r. assault on the Big Apple has officially begun.
After years of stiff opposition from labor unions, the world’s largest retailer is hoping to win over New Yorkers with a new Web site, including a poll showing that 71 percent of residents support a store opening in the city limits.
The launch of the new site, WalmartNYC.com, follows a decision by Wal-Mart officials to boycott a Wednesday City Council hearing to discuss the chain’s ambitions for New York.
Wal-Mart officials, who are also launching ads in New York this week, repeated earlier complaints that the chain is being singled out by local, union-backed politicians, even though other non-union retailers such as Target, and Costco have had stores here for years.