This is something I discuss a great deal. There are a few axioms I am turning to that are serving as a foundation of things going forward. One of them is this:
You are either a technology company or you are going out of business.
Wal-Mart is a shining example of this. Many would call this company a "retailer" yet that is the farthest thing from the truth. They are a seriously technology company.
A few months ago I wrote a post discussing this very topic. Wal-Mart made the decision in 2015 to dedicate billions of dollars to converting itself from a physical retailer into a technology company. The first item on the list was to become more of an online retailer. Yet, that was only the tip of the iceberg.
Of late I made the point that this company is using AI and robotics in its stores. It is only a matter of time before they started to act like Apple and buy those type of companies. Why purchase the product when you can get the entire company?
Today's news really hit me off-guard. I was not expecting what came out of WallyWorld.
It caught my attention after reading a post by 
@slider2990/tiktok-microsoft-and-walmart-are-bidding-together
Here is an example of where looking at Wal-Mart as a retailer would lead us to conclude this makes no sense. However, this company is thinking ahead. One of the biggest advantages to TikTok is the integrated payment system. This is something Wal-Mart could look to leverage, putting itself in prime position in the mobile world.
The conversion of this company is very interesting to witness. Quite frankly, it is the playbook all other companies should follow. They are no longer trying to play catch up to the like of Amazon. Instead, Wal-Mart is forging its own path to revenue and profit domination.
No longer are they confined to just operating in the "retail" sector.
This is the key with technology giants. There is no one industry they fit into. Wal-Mart, if it is starting to join the ranks, can go in any direction is desires. With its size, it can leverage a great deal of its strengths into other ventures that will provide out-sized gains.
It is how the likes of Amazon, Google, and Apple operate.
Will they succeed in acquiring TikTok? Only time will tell since there appears to be a great deal of competition for the assets. However, even if the bid comes up short, this revelations shows the thinking of Wal-Mart.
Expect more moves like this in the future.
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