Walmart is one of the largest retailers in the world, operating in over 25 countries and serving millions of customers each day.

From its humble beginnings as a single discount store in Arkansas, Walmart has grown into a global powerhouse with a reputation for low prices and a wide range of products.

In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the history of Walmart, its business model, and its impact on the global retail industry.

HISTORY OF WALMART

Walmart was founded in 1962 by Sam Walton, a former J.C. Penney employee who believed that he could offer customers lower prices by reducing his profit margin and operating on a large scale.

The first Walmart store was opened in Rogers, Arkansas, and it was an instant success. Over the next few years, Walmart expanded rapidly, opening stores across the United States and developing a reputation for its low prices and high-quality products.

In the 1980s, Walmart began to expand internationally, opening stores in Mexico and Canada. By the 1990s, Walmart had become the largest retailer in the United States, with over 1,000 stores and a market share of around 6%.

In 2000, Walmart made its biggest move yet, opening stores in the United Kingdom and Germany. However, the company struggled to adapt to the European market, and it eventually pulled out of Germany in 2006 and the UK in 2018.

Today, Walmart is the largest retailer in the world, with over 11,000 stores and more than 2.3 million employees. The company’s annual revenue is over $500 billion, making it one of the most profitable companies in the world.

BUSINESS MODEL OF WALMART

Walmart’s business model is based on offering low prices and a wide range of products to its customers. The company achieves this by operating on a large scale and leveraging its buying power to negotiate lower prices from suppliers.

Walmart also uses a highly efficient supply chain system, which enables it to move products from suppliers to stores quickly and at a low cost.

Walmart’s stores are designed to be simple and easy to navigate, with a focus on offering a wide range of products at low prices. The company also offers a range of services, such as pharmacy, photo printing, and financial services, which are designed to meet the needs of its customers.

In recent years, Walmart has also invested heavily in its e-commerce capabilities, launching its online marketplace in 2009 and acquiring online retailers such as Jet.com and Bonobos.

The company’s e-commerce sales have grown rapidly in recent years, and Walmart is now the second-largest online retailer in the United States, behind Amazon.

IMPACT OF WALMART ON THE RETAIL INDUSTRY

Walmart’s impact on the global retail industry has been significant. The company’s focus on offering low prices has put pressure on other retailers to reduce their prices, which has led to a more competitive retail landscape.

Walmart’s efficient supply chain system has also set a benchmark for other retailers, who have had to adapt their own supply chains in order to compete.

However, Walmart’s dominance in the retail industry has also been criticized by some. The company’s low prices have been attributed to its low wages and poor working conditions, which have led to protests and strikes by Walmart employees.

Walmart has also been criticized for its impact on small businesses, with some arguing that the company’s low prices have forced many small retailers out of business.

CONCLUSION

Walmart is one of the most successful retailers in the world, with a business model based on offering low prices and a wide range of products.

The company’s efficient supply chain system and e-commerce capabilities have enabled it to expand rapidly and become a dominant force in the global retail industry.