Wal Mart is still the #1 retailer in the world, with over 200 billion in sales revenue last year... (2004)

To say Wal-Mart is kicking everyone's butt is an understatement- to put it in perspective, Wally-World is larger than the next 5 retailers on the list..... (Combined)

http://www.stores.org/pdf/04%20JULY%20TOP%20100cxs.pdf

 

Americans love cheap stuff, regardless of what/where it comes from! I can't wait until the stupid unions finally win, prices go up and wallmart falls apart!

 

I know this may sound far-fetched now, but my money is on a 'Ma Bell style breakup of Wal Mart sometime in the next 25 years or so. If Target can't keep up and some of the others out there don't make it (Costco and other retailers), then I think the odds will be better than even that a breakup will happen.

As I understand it, they are also trying to get into the banking business...if that happens, that's the ballgame. They already have relationships with some banks, but they aren't owned by Wal Mart. Imagine having a bank with the power of Wal Mart behind it...they'd beat the crap out of just about every bank out there...great for the average consumer, but the long term impact would probably be negative. There are laws that prevent Wal Mart from owning a bank, but there are also some creative "work arounds" out there.

I don't like some of their business practices. Imagine that you own a small company offering one or two products that Wal Mart is interested in. They come to you and say "we'll take 100,000 units at your current wholesale price." This doubles your production for the year, you have to buy new equipment and hire more people to meet demand, and life is good for that year...hell, you buy yourself a new F-150! Next year, they come back and say "we'll take 100,000 more units, but we'll only pay you X amount" which is a ton lower than what you got last year. You still MIGHT make a profit, but it is VERY thin. Then, the year after that, they come back with the same number of units, but want it even cheaper...now, you're in a bad situation.

What are your options? Do what everyone else seems to be doing...you lay off your workforce and move your manufacturing operations to China or Mexico.

Wal Mart has pretty much replaced GM and Ford in the cliche "As company X goes, so goes the economy." It is amazing what the company has done in the last 25 years...

 

Nice sig CIA!

 

Its BIGGER then MINE.

 

It's gonna happen.

 

Depsite those that would bitch and moan about Wal-Mart and how they eat up every competitor when they get into a new line of business, just because they decide to get into a new line of business does not guarantee success. Wal-Mart failed to beat Netflix in DVD rental delivery and today actually directs visitors to Netflix. Business acumen and focus still matters every now and then.

 

'
Really? That's interesting. I did not know this. thnx Steve.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...y/_www11696032

http://www.walmart.com/dvd/dvdr_spla...30^path=0:5430

 

Yep...it get's repetitive but a well run business with a solid plan and leader can still succeed in a market dominated by Walmart.

The free market can fix just about anything given the time.

I hate shopping in walmart but their success is admirable.

 

Malwart.....they are the Borg

 

why punish a smart business man who was able to make his business succesful

 

I wonder what stuff will cost at Walmart when it's just called "the store" and all the other stores are boarded up vacant buildings?

I know what a smart business man would do...

They are trying to rezone residential to commercial here for a new Walmart.
It will be our fourth in a six mile radius.

 

lol..... the store...

 

'the store' will just be an interim name, the goal is to become 'the company store"

"You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store"

Sixteen Tons
Tennessee Ernie Ford 1955