The hell with Wal-Mart and Target. There is one store that kicks the crap out of every other store in existance: SAM'S I LOVE SAMS!! It's great, they have everything, it's very well priced, the people are nice, and the quantities are ENORMOUS! It's great -- the greatest store ever. The only thing that sucks is that it's not open 24 hrs. It's also brilliant for the SAM'S/Wal-Mart people. By having that card, they get you to pay so you can shop there, plus they find out all about your buying habits, tendencies, demographics, etc. ------------------ "Up and down, inside out, outside in, some you lose some you win" -- DMB -> "Sweet Up and Down"
Wal-Mart actually uses a market penetration and domination strategy. The stores ARE different based on the market. They will often go into a market using low prices and good service, promotions, etc., to penetrate the market. When they are established, they get a lot less nice, with prices that aren't so great, and tighter control on expenses. You saw this a LOT when they first developed, and penetrated smaller markets, driving the Mom & Pops out of business. They've actually skated on thin ice and been sued a few times, but kept it pretty much above board at the time. Now, they are basically the 400 pound gorilla -- they do pretty much what they want. They DO adjust prices and strategy according to the market and type of store. Superstores are pretty much always better. Wal-Marts in high profile areas -- like Dunvale -- are always better than ones in less profitable areas -- like Town & Country. Wal-Marts in areas where they dominate the market actually have higher prices than ones where ther is a lot of competition. In Houston, we are pretty fortunate, because we do have a strong presence of K-Mart, Target, and others, which forces Wal-Mart to keep prices lower. You get to smaller markets like Mexia or Palestine, TX, and the prices are significantly higher, even though they don't have to be. (The regional distribution center is just outside Palestine, which is in turn an hour from Mexia.) Wal-Mart has an incredible Information Technology setup -- and they do view it as their prime advantage. It's an amazing setup. I think if they would have kept to Sam's origional vision, along with later innovations, there wouldn't be a K-Mart or Target any more (And maybe no HEB, Randalls, Krogers, etc.). They messed up. ------------------ Stay Cool... [This message has been edited by dc sports (edited April 11, 2001).]
Didn't Sam Walton once fly around in helicopters to find out where to put his stores? I know other companies used demographics this and demographics that, but I remember hearing a story about Walton flying around in a helicopter, looking for traffic congestion and plopping a new Wal-Mart nearby. I'm not sure how true that is. Also, as people in this thread have already commented, their IT capabilities are huge. I know in 1997, they held the title of "the world's largest privately owned database" at 24 or 28 terabytes. That's simply massive. They have data on every store down to the shelf and item level at each store. To put this in perspective, the Library of Congress I believe is less than 20 terabytes. I still like the store, though... but REALLY late at night. ------------------ "So you say you want some intelligent responses? I say give me something intelligent to respond to." -- Dimwits beware, B-Ball freak tells it like it is. Sing it bro!
I agree with you paige. The Wal-Mart I goto here in San Antonio is REALLY terrible, but the one down the street a ways (in a nicer neighborhood) is really nice. The Amarillo Wal-Mart kicks ass! I've been there numerous times at 2 or 3 AM and it's always one of the best Wal-Marts I've ever been to. Another cool Wal-Mart is in Bartlesville, OK. They built it in the mid 90s, and it's the largest Wal-Mart in Oklahoma. It's amazing -- they have everything you could possibly want there, and more. ------------------ "Up and down, inside out, outside in, some you lose some you win" -- DMB -> "Sweet Up and Down"
I managed to do research papers on Wal-Mart for three different classes one semester -- a marketing, management, and IT class (I got lucky -- really cut back on the research ) The company, from a corporate level, is truly amazing. Sam Walton changed the retail environment forever. If you get a chance, you should read his book. You are right -- Sam Walton personally selected the sites for the first 300 or so Wal-Marts. When the chain became established, he started plopping them across the street from K-Mart -- believing his store was better, and would drive the other out of business. The database is amazing -- and what gets me is the predictive abilities. They don't just restock sold items. The computer model can predict, based on past sales and other patterns, how many of item X store Y will sell within a given time frame, then orders the item from the factory so that it will work it's way to the distribution center to arrive at the store in time to be sold. It's incredible. ------------------ Stay Cool...
This was sent to me the other day, and thought it was both funny and fitting for this thread. Thought I'd pass it along; NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE Jack had a near death experience that changed his life forever. One day, Jack went horseback riding. Everything was going fine until the horse started bouncing out of control. He tried with all his might to hang on, but was thrown off. Just when things could not possibly get worse, Jack's foot got caught up in the stirrup. When this happened, he fell head first to the ground. His head continued to bounce harder and harder, and the horse did not stop or even slow down. Just as he was giving up hope and losing consciousness, the Wal-Mart manager came out and unplugged it.
holy monkey poo, stop talkin bad about wal-mart! i love wal-mart, im there all the time. maybe its because im poor. i dont mind the crowd or the wait. its cheap thats all that i care about. plus its got everything i could ever want that i didnt even know i wanted!!! and it has a super cool toy section, i always grab a ball and bounce it around the store the whole time im shopping...annoying? maybe! but i really dont care. so if yall are ever at the one on 290 and u see a sexXxy teenage chic bouncin a ball, thats me!(ok maybe not sexy)my point is... WAL-MART ROX!=) ------------------ i am my own worst enemy [This message has been edited by DiSeAsEd MoNkEy (edited May 29, 2001).]
Here in Florida, almost all of the Wal-Marts are the supercenters now. Very few of the old stores remain - and of those that do, almost all of them are being replaced by supercenters. That said, it's not necessarily a bad thing. The older Wal-Marts are generally crowded, run down, and generally cramped in that they try to put too much into a small space. Didn't used to be the case 5 years ago, however - and the service was much better too. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. But back to the topic - here in Orlando, in the tourist corridor, Wal-Mart is always crowded, no matter the hour. Cashier service is non-existant, as most of them have no clue what they are doing and if something goes wrong, God help us all. Of coruse, some of that goes onto the customers - typically tourists from Brazil or Puerto Rico. Not uncommon to see tour buses lined up the wazoo. The selection and prices are nice - but they are better elsewhere, if you want to drive to many places to get everything you want. People go to Wal-Mart because it's the "in" thing to do. There's a much nicer K-Mart or Target always nearby, but they only get crowded around the back-to-school season. I'd take either of them over the monstrosity of a Wal-Mart supercenter anyday. Much of the same holds true for Wal-Marts in North Carolina as well. Except that they really don't have many supercenters, at least not in the Asheville area. ------------------
