Wal-Mart
From ArticleWorld
Wal-Mart has the largest chain of retail discount shops in the US as well as in the world. It is also one of the biggest companies of the world in terms of revenue generation. Wal-Mart is also the largest private employer in the US, Canada and Mexico. Its main competitors in the discount retail space are Sears, K-Mart and Target; and HEB, Kroger, and Safeway in the grocery retail division.
Timeline
Sam Walton founded Wal-Mart and set up its first store in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas. The company was incorporated in the name of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in 1969. The company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1972. In1987 the company had the distinction of being the largest private satellite communication system in the world. Wal-Mart TV Network beams in-store products on sale and is amongst the largest viewed channel after ABC, CBN, NBC and Fox networks. Its international operations began with the opening its first outlet 1991 in Mexico City and in 1996 it opened its store in China.
Operations
Wal-Mart has six major divisions through which it operates.
- Wal-Mart Discount Stores deal in general merchandise like apparels, electronic goods, health and beauty aids, toys and household products.
- Wal-Mart Supercenter in addition with the discount stores range, offer a full line of products and services like tire and oil change shop, movie gallery and a branch of a local bank. A food shop like McDonalds is also housed in the Supercenter.
- Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market caters to the local needs offering grocery, pharmacy and limited general merchandise.
- Wal-Mart.com is its online shopping portal that offers merchandise other than those available in its stores.
- SAMS CLUB is a division dedicated to small business owners and it’s a “member’s only” group that also provides for gasoline.
- Wal-Mart International deals in all the products available in its stores mentioned above as well as other merchandise.