Also the low switching cost and consumer awareness of shopping around to find the best bargains increased competition around stores to capture customers. Corporate stakes were high for Wal-Mart, this can be seen in its earlier years (Ben Franklin stores) where they were losing
In this particular case we can observe how low labor cost contributes to obtain low import tariffs therefore leads to cheaper products. Walmart’s success in Mexico was definitely possible because of the NAFTA implementation. Question 2 NAFTA benefits every company that is willing to operate abroad. This agreement solved some difficulties but Wal-Mart`s inherent competitive strategy was effective in the Mexican Market. As we all know Wal-Mart`s strategy to win against its competitors is its offered prices.
One of the main reasons for Walmart’s lack of success in other countries is in trying to impose American values, cultures and shopping habits in other countries. Take Germany for example, where consumers felt that additional labor used to pack purchases added to the final cost of the product. Also, working hours for the attendants were way beyond what was allowed by the German government for such categories of labor. Walmart’s foray into India has not met with success either. Being a developing economy, local traders fear that a behemoth like Walmart would put them out of business.
Adaptation Strategy Wal-Mart has recognized the shift in the spending habits of our consumers. They have realized that many consumers no longer purchase the products they want, but strictly the products they need. Wal-Mart’s strategy is to provide the products in high demand at the lowest possible cost. The company adhered to their strategy by implementing tactics such as, increasing the inventory in areas of necessity, such as food, health, and beauty, and decreasing the inventory on items such as apparel and home décor. Food consumption is not an option; it is essential.
WALMART STORES: “EVERY DAY LOW PRICES” IN CHINA Question 1 Why is Wal-Mart successful in the US? * Focus on price and service – Providing the best quality goods at the lowest price in a friendly environment. Wal-Mart is well-known for selling brand name products for less. Moreover, providing great customer service, showing respect for the individual and striving for excellence become its organizational culture, which has been carried out through the company’s history and been followed by employers as well as employees, no matter what the location is. * Successful marketing to attract customers.
While other competitors, such as Target, operate in the same market trying to attract consumers looking for low prices and conveniently giving customers the access to a one stop shopping store. Though the largest company and one of the most successful, Walmart can make improvements. The key problem for Walmart has to do with the negative treatment of employees causing a high employee turnover. Walmart’s success has come from its well know low prices and extreme variety of products allowing customers to get all their shopping done in one place. The company continues to employ new IT systems to track sales and allow managers to compare their store’s success to others.
I think Supermarkets have a minimal competitive impact because they try to reach a different target market, even though Supermarkets and the wholesale club industry both carry similar products. As customers, we are always looking for the best deal and price, and the demand in this industry is very high. The ability to provide better prices hinges on the company’s relationship with its suppliers. 2. Do all three warehouse club rivals—Costco, Sam’s, and BJ’s Wholesale—have highly similar strategies?
They have a good variety of products to shop for. Wal-Mart has many competitors, but one of the strengths that the company has the ability to lower the prices for their customers need. Wal-Mart can be consider a unique store because of one special strategy that they have. The strategy consists of comparing the prices of the other stores, if the other store has an ad of a lower price than Wal-Mart, then they will give it to them to the same price. Many costumers is one of the plus that they give to Wal-Mart because this means that they don’t have to go store by store catching all the specials that they have.
By driving down the costs from their suppliers and overhead as much as possible, it resulted in some of the lowest prices possible for consumers, in which they kept at low prices all the time, as opposed to constant fluxuating prices with sales and promotions. All of these competitive advantages can be seen as reasons for Wal-Mart’s success in North America, particularly the US. This success model however cannot carry over into foreign markets without changes. There are many intervening factors that also should be taken into effect, such as laws and culture in foreign markets that can prove as large barriers for this same business plan, particularly in China. I believe Wal-Mart is not having the success it hoped for and expected in China because they got focused on the enormous market size, and lacked research into the market structure prior to market entry.
Wal-Mart offers valuable discount to their customers while still offering brand name and fashionable product. Hence Wal-Mart was able to capture a lot of Target customers and increase their sales and profits, while target was seeing no profit growth and a steep decline in sales. * General Public – The Company was not concerned about how the general public viewed their products and services. The public image of the company affects consumers buying power. Wal-Mart sales also increased because the public viewed them as a better place to save money in the recession that they were facing.