4 Countries That Wal-Mart Has Failed To Impress

Wal-Mart is the predominant retailer in the world, with an estimated 35 million shoppers per day.

But Wal-Mart hasn't been able to succeed in four major countries, reports Susan Berfield at Bloomberg Businessweek:

• India. Wal-Mart faces several obstacles in India. This week, it cut ties with its Indian partner, Bharti Enterprises. The country would also require 30% of products to be sourced from small and medium Indian businesses, which the company called a "critical stumbling block," Berfield reports. The Indian government is also investigating Wal-Mart for allegedly violating foreign retail investment rules.

• Russia. Wal-Mart spent six years trying to acquire a local chain, but ended up closing its Moscow office after failing to do so.

• Germany. "Germans didn't like Walmart employees handling their groceries at the check-out line. Male customers thought the smiling clerks were flirting. And many Europeans prefer to shop daily at local markets," Berfield writes.

• South Korea. Wal-Mart marketed items like electronics, when South Koreans prefer to spend their money on food and drinks, according to Businessweek.

Wal-Mart's failures in four major countries shows there are some obstacles even the world's most powerful retailer can't overcome.