Main Topic: USA Retail Scene Walmart
Hosts: Jane Lu , Clyde Warden
Guest: Anastasia Warden
Jane is just back from USA on a Fulbright scholarship at Kansas State University. Clyde spent a summer month in Texas. In this show, we compare notes on the retail scene in the USA, with a special emphasis on Walmart and some comparison with the Asian scene. Anastasia, who is living in Texas, joins us for some consumer perspective on Walmart.
The idea is to compare and contrast with Asia. Lots of Walmart photos, with ideas about combining the supermarket, the signage, POP displays on pallets set down on the floors, the tire center, the outdoor yard supplies. Wrap up this with an emphasis on how low they get their prices (with the photo of gas grill for BBQ). Finishing up with the self checkout and bagging.
We next look at that big American retail area--the strip mall. Dominated by real estate developers, the USA is overflowing with strip malls. Category killer stores, like Staples, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Hobby Lobby fit in well where car culture is so popular and well supported by the existing infrastructure.
Lastly, we touch on regional stores, like Drug Emporium. The big chains are CVS, Walgreens (now also owns Happy Harry's on East coast), and Right Aid. Drug Emporium has losing out to CVS, went into bankruptcy, has been sold a few times, and all that is left now are independently operated stores. What is interesting here is the number co-op based products being sold in the store. Drug Emporium tries to position the store as organic, but still has a large selection of deep discount products, even lower prices than Walmart (the idea is that even small stores can tap into the discount supply chains Walmart has managed to establish).
Walmart gets seven to ten percent of every retail dollar spent in the USA.
In show 70 , we looked at the retail scene in the UK.
WalMart is just more convenient.
The Show:
Length: 47 minutes.
Download MP3 21.86MB
(Right click->Save As).
(Skype connection problems make some parts of the show choppy)
Photos:
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(1) Walmart parking lot.
(1) Walmart parking lot.
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(2) A supercenter (with supermarket).
(2) A supercenter (with supermarket).
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(3) The store is so big, signs show which end is the food end.
(3) The store is so big, signs show which end is the food end.
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(4) Car tires and basic care maintenance.
(4) Car tires and basic care maintenance.
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(5) The food end at the back (dairy products).
(5) The food end at the back (dairy products).
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(6) Signage like street signs with logos.
(6) Signage like street signs with logos.
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(7) Larger signs define product category areas.
(7) Larger signs define product category areas.
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(8) The depth of a supercenter is difficult to believe until you see it.
(8) The depth of a supercenter is difficult to believe until you see it.
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(9) Floor displays on pallets, directly from the manufacturer, was pioneered by Walmart.
(9) Floor displays on pallets, directly from the manufacturer, was pioneered by Walmart.
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(10) Spanish included with English.
(10) Spanish included with English.
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(11) Silk, the soy milk effort in the USA.
(11) Silk, the soy milk effort in the USA.
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(12) Walmart's brand, Great Value, here leveraging Silk's market.
(12) Walmart's brand, Great Value, here leveraging Silk's market.
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(13) Silk's effort to make soy similar to milk, so Americans find it easier to test out.
(13) Silk's effort to make soy similar to milk, so Americans find it easier to test out.
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(14) All Silk, but one space with Great Value, at over 2% discount.
(14) All Silk, but one space with Great Value, at over 2% discount.
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(15) In the special milk section, fat free, 2%, etc., Great Value also competes.
(15) In the special milk section, fat free, 2%, etc., Great Value also competes.
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(16) The plain white color reinforces the discount emphasis, while logos play on the brands they are substitutes for.
(16) The plain white color reinforces the discount emphasis, while logos play on the brands they are substitutes for.
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(17) Large spaces for the weekend rush time.
(17) Large spaces for the weekend rush time.
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(18) The fresh section.
(18) The fresh section.
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(19) Fruit in large trays attached to independent islands.
(19) Fruit in large trays attached to independent islands.
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(20) At the front of the store, lots of ready to eat for take away.
(20) At the front of the store, lots of ready to eat for take away.
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(21) Baked goods.
(21) Baked goods.
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(22) At the end of the store, lawn care and cookout supplies, where they can be picked up and loaded into customers' cars.
(22) At the end of the store, lawn care and cookout supplies, where they can be picked up and loaded into customers' cars.
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(23) Gas grills for back yard cookouts.
(23) Gas grills for back yard cookouts.
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(24) Pillow dispenser.
(24) Pillow dispenser.
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(25) Value cards for use at other retailers.
(25) Value cards for use at other retailers.
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(26) Walmart TV plays on large and small screens throughout the store.
(26) Walmart TV plays on large and small screens throughout the store.
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(27) Self checkout.
(27) Self checkout.
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(28) Turning bag loader.
(28) Turning bag loader.
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(29) Strip malls, the standard of American retail life.
(29) Strip malls, the standard of American retail life.
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(30) Very different stores often inhabit these retail islands.
(30) Very different stores often inhabit these retail islands.
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(31) A cram school.
(31) A cram school.
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(32) A hobby store, with club activities.
(32) A hobby store, with club activities.
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(33) A gardening store.
(33) A gardening store.
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(34) Themes for strip malls are not uncommon, but normally limited to architecture, not product categories.
(34) Themes for strip malls are not uncommon, but normally limited to architecture, not product categories.
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(35) A big box store for office supplies.
(35) A big box store for office supplies.
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(36) A big box store for shoes.
(36) A big box store for shoes.
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(37) A big box store for sports supplies.
(37) A big box store for sports supplies.
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(38) A big box store for home supplies
(38) A big box store for home supplies
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(39) The store is broken up into large rooms based on product categories.
(39) The store is broken up into large rooms based on product categories.
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(40) Mirrors.
(40) Mirrors.
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(41) Clocks.
(41) Clocks.
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(42) A large private big box store for hobby supplies.
(42) A large private big box store for hobby supplies.
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(43) Holloween was three months away.
(43) Holloween was three months away.
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(44) Home decorations are included here also.
(44) Home decorations are included here also.
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(45) Furniture, but with a flair toward the traditional Americana look.
(45) Furniture, but with a flair toward the traditional Americana look.
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(46) And the straight on hobby supplies.
(46) And the straight on hobby supplies.
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(47) Poster backing.
(47) Poster backing.
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(48) Sewing and knitting supplies.
(48) Sewing and knitting supplies.
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(49) Needless to say, China is the main supplier here.
(49) Needless to say, China is the main supplier here.
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(50) About one quarter of the store was dedicated to Christmas supplies, even though Christmas was six months away.
(50) About one quarter of the store was dedicated to Christmas supplies, even though Christmas was six months away.
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(51) Interestingly, inventory stored in baskets on top of displays.
(51) Interestingly, inventory stored in baskets on top of displays.
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(52) The baskets are also for sale.
(52) The baskets are also for sale.
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(53) Artificial Christmas trees.
(53) Artificial Christmas trees.
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(54) Walls of Christmas tree decorations.
(54) Walls of Christmas tree decorations.
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(55) Drug Emporium drive through.
(55) Drug Emporium drive through.
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(56) Drug store along the lines of a box store.
(56) Drug store along the lines of a box store.
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(57) At the entrance, fresh food supplies.
(57) At the entrance, fresh food supplies.
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(58) Big discounts at the entrance to the store.
(58) Big discounts at the entrance to the store.
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(59) These prices beat even Walmart.
(59) These prices beat even Walmart.
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(60) Supplies seem to have been purchased based on opportunity.
(60) Supplies seem to have been purchased based on opportunity.
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(61) The store is positioned as a natural alternative.
(61) The store is positioned as a natural alternative.
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(62) Organic supplies are spread throughout the store.
(62) Organic supplies are spread throughout the store.
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(63) Health related foods supplied from alternative channels.
(63) Health related foods supplied from alternative channels.
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(64) Many food products were supplied through cooperatives.
(64) Many food products were supplied through cooperatives.
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(65) Herbal and alternative treatments were on display.
(65) Herbal and alternative treatments were on display.
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(66) Right in the middle of a isle, a method to obtain service.
(66) Right in the middle of a isle, a method to obtain service.
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(67) Large vitamin section.
(67) Large vitamin section.
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(68) Almost a store within a store.
(68) Almost a store within a store.
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Bottom Line:
- Wal-Mart is the World's largest public corporation by revenue.
- Wal-Mart offers competitive prices.
- Wal-Mart does not offer convenience for consumers.
- With packaging and advertisement, consumers will slowing accept specific items such as soy milk.
- Great Value, Wal-Mart store brand, is very specialized and offers varied assortments.
- Wal-Mart has many incentive designs such as auto-checkouts and rotational lazy-Susans.
- Strip malls are common in America and are dominated by category killers.
- Stores specialize to compete with Walmart.
- Wal-Mart will have to change in many aspects to compete in the Asian market.