RIM (NASDAQ:RIMM) has been under seige these last few weeks. Investors are concerned that the Blackberry maker is losing market share to the Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone and a new group of handsets using the Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android mobile operating system. Motorola (NYSE:MOT) launched its Droid just last week.

RIM shareholders are also nervous the Palm (NASDAQ:PALM) Pre sales could take a very modest but still damaging piece of the Blackberry market.

Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) means to help save RIM.

Beginning next week, Wal-Mart will offer Blackberry handsets with a $100 gift certificate. Unlike the iPhone, the Blackberry runs on AT&T’s (NYSE:T) cellular network as well as Verizon’s, Sprint’s (NYSE:S), and T-Mobile’s.

The promotion is only meant to last seven days, but if it works well, RIM should offer Wal-Mart incentives to continue it beyond the holiday shopping season. RIM needs a new and larger distribution network to push the Blackberry and a set of incentives to pull in customers.

Wal-Mart can do that.

Douglas A. McIntyre