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Walmart
is in talks to buy a startup called R&A Data, a company founded by two Israeli scientists that works to reduce scams and counterfeits on online marketplaces, according to people familiar with the matter and records reviewed by CNBC.
The potential acquisition would come at a key time for the largest U.S. retailer as incoming CEO John Furner prepares to take the helm early next year. Walmart’s third-party marketplace has become a central part of the company’s strategy to increase profits faster than sales, and has helped it expand its e-commerce business, which grew 25% in the U.S. in its most recently reported quarter.
The company has said it added hundreds of millions of product listings to the platform in recent years, growth that experts say increases the need for tools to detect issues with items.
