CNN reports today that Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, has launched an online classified advertising site, a move that opens a broader range of shopping to Wal-Mart’s Internet customers.

Wal-Mart Online Classified is run through Oodle.com, and links to Oodle’s online offerings. Wal-Mart Classied Advertising is expected to be a free and community-based place where customers can buy and sell items locally, find local jobs or learn about certain events in their area.

That’s pretty much like Craiglist, which has long been considered the leader in this sector. One of Wal-Mart’s better reason to launch an alternative advertising site is the surge of “for sale” listings in the down economy as more people are looking to sell items to help them make ends meet.

Oodle was founded by a group of former executives of eBay and Excite, where Donato was in charge of searches and communities. Hmmmm, does this have anything to do with the eBay-Craiglist lawsuit?