Thread: The End of Walmart?

The end of the Wal-Mart (WMT) era?
Posted Oct 3rd 2007 1:43PM by Zac Bissonnette
Filed under: Products and services, Newspapers, Wal-Mart (WMT), Marketing and advertising

Walking through Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) with my brother was frustrating me to no end last night: I couldn't find anything and the store was a complete mess.

"It would be easier to find stuff if people worked here," I said, referring to the fact that we couldn't find an employee to save our lives.

"I think Wal-Mart might be God's punishment for cheap people," he replied.

Apparently, we're not the only ones who are fed up. According to The Wall Street Journal, "The Wal-Mart Era, the retailer's time of overwhelming business and social influence in America, is drawing to a close."

Basically, retailers have found a way to compete with Wal-Mart. Conceding that consumers can save money by shopping at Wal-Mart, competitors have focused on atmosphere, customer service and selection. And their findings have been encouraging: Low prices are not the be-all and end-all for many consumers. People are also skipping Wal-Mart -- and willing to pay more -- for the peace of mind that comes from patronizing a store with a better reputation on employee relations.

So, is Wal-Mart losing its relevance? Maybe not. I would argue that Wal-Mart's focus on low prices has forced other retailers to compete on quality; Bentonville's stinginess may actually be serving to raise the bar at other companies that can no longer take for granted that their prices are about the same as other stores.

So even if you don't shop at Wal-Mart -- and even if the company is past its prime in terms of influence -- it may be making shopping (elsewhere) a better experience for you.


http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/0 ... t-wmt-era/

I really hope this is the end of the CheapMart era along with NAFTA, CAFTA and the rest of the globalization has just about killed the America I have known and loved.

This idea is also important in that it 'pokes in the eye' the mantra that many - but not all - those whom over-emphasis price, while tending to ignore quality, human perceptions, and the fact that even though most humans are (in purely economic terms...) rational beings, the rule is not iron-clad and invariable. I know no one - not even the cheapest stingiest relatives of mine - that buy the most inexpensive thing, everywhere and all the time...

Price is important, but other factors can be important too at times...

PS. See you at Costco.

PS. See you at Costco.

See you there!

I stopped shopping at Wal Mart about two years ago and since that time have found many places that have better quality for not much more than at Wal Mart. On top of that they actually have people working in the store that can help you locate an item. You don't have to stand in line for such a long time either for lack of cashiers. Cheap just got too be too inconvenient for one thing, but when I found out how they treat their employees..That did it!

A very recent and highly related thread on the same subject:

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=86359

This past Friday American Flag shopping (The last Flags were good ones From Wal-Mart... less then six months ago )
24 places to check out and two people working 7: 00 pm on a Friday night ...

No American Flags any where but in a corner of the back of the store and only small ones made in tyrant Land
when I ask to see a manager, they ask why I wanted a Flag this late in the year... ??????? (That one still has me going on....) Manager ask if I WOULD MIND shopping on line at the online place to get the flag I wanted because they couldn’t help me and wouldn’t be getting any thing in till spring if at all... By this time I’m peeved off and said no..
I want the one that is in the add for this store, for this price, and that’s what I came to get !!!!
after I called and your girl at your store on the phone she said it was here… I was ask to leave unless there was something else I wanted….


O and by the way I cant find my levis or ranglers strait leg any more at walmart they just have the wide bottoms that look like girls colors and half faded on the front... No good old AMERICAN Blue Jeans any more Im so done there and to think this area has put in two super walmarts and plan for more in th next year... I hope they fall on thier face

When I was researching the NAU I found a breakdown about how certain things would be set up. For instance they had environment, distribution etc. Well I found Walmarts name under distribution. Makes sense doesn't it since they are well known for their distribution system. Another thing that I thought odd was the inland port for the SuperHighway is Kansas right, well Wal-mart has their very large annual managers meetings there.

It has gotten to the point that whenever there is enough consumer mass to justify building a new WalMart, it takes business from an older WalMart it seems. Yep, the thing's run its course, I can feel it. RFID was a non-hunting dog for it too.

Who owns Costco??????

HiAnswer The Finance & Business Questions and Answers web
who owns Cosco?
Question:

Answers:
Cosco, also known as the Costco Wholesale Corporation, is a publicly owned and traded company. Here is a short history of the company:

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ: COST)
999 Lake Dr.
Issaquah, WA 98027

Phone: 425-313-8100
Fax: 425-313-8103
http://www.costco.com

Costco Wholesale is the largest wholesale club operator in the US (ahead of Wal-Mart's SAM'S CLUB). The company operates about 470 membership warehouse stores serving 45 million cardholders in 37 US states and Puerto Rico, Canada, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, and the UK, primarily under the Costco Wholesale name. Stores offer discount prices on, on average, 4,000 products (many in bulk packaging), ranging from alcoholic beverages and appliances to fresh food, pharmaceuticals, and tires. Certain club memberships also offer products and services such as car and home insurance, mortgage and real estate services, and travel packages.

To shop at Costco customers must be members -- a policy the company believes reinforces customer loyalty and provides a steady source of fee revenue. Three types of annual memberships are available: Business ($45 each and $35 for each additional card), Gold Star ($45; for individuals), and Executive ($100; allows members to purchase products and services, including insurance, mortgage services, and long-distance phone service, at reduced rates). Costco's card membership renewal rate is 86%.

Facing competition from discounters, including Target, that don't charge a membership fee, as well as from rival SAM'S CLUB, Costco is expanding and retrofitting its warehouses to accommodate fresh food sections and other ancillary units, such as gas stations and optical departments. Costco's foray into grocery sales has been a success. Food and sundries accounted for about 60% of Costco's total sales in 2005, making it the third-largest seller of groceries in the US behind Wal-Mart Supercenters and Kroger. However, the company has shelved plans for Costco Fresh, a new gourmet grocery format it had planned to launch in the fall of 2003. Costco is expanding its premium private-label Kirkland Signature line of some 330 items (about 15% of sales) to 500 products within five years. It also plans to grow its e-commerce business, Costco.com. New product introductions include caskets.

Despite intense competition in the crowded warehouse club market, the company plans to add up to 30 new outlets in the US and Canada by the end of its 2006 fiscal year. (Costco fell short of its 2005 goal for store openings with only 16 new locations opened, including warehouses in Japan, Taiwan, and the UK.) Through its joint venture with Mexico's Controladora Comercial Mexicana, Costco Mexico operates 27 warehouse stores south of the border and plans to add up to three new warehouses there next year. Farther from home, Costco is considering entering Australia, possibly via a joint venture such as it has in Mexico. Ultimately, the company plans to more than double its store count to 960 warehouses worldwide.

In addition to its stand-alone stores, Costco has begun opening outlets in malls to grow in congested areas, such as Los Angeles. Costco also operates two Costco Home stores, which sell furniture, and has plans for a third.

Costco Wholesale Industries, a division of Costco, operates manufacturing businesses, including food packaging, meat processing, jewelry distribution, and optical laboratories.

Despite its generally good reputation as an employer, Costco became the target in August 2005 of a national class-action lawsuit accusing the company of discriminating against women in promotions to store manager. A similar sex-discrimination suit is pending against its rival Wal-Mart Stores.

Other Answers:
Costco today is the result of a 1993 merger between The Price Company and Costco Wholesale. The Price Company, originator of the wholesale club sales format, was originally founded by Sol Price, in 1976 using the "Price Club" name for its warehouse locations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You need to be more specific. Cosco (container lines), Cosco (baby/kids products), or Costco (big box store)?
Source(s):
Cosco (container)
http://www.cosco.com/en/index.jsp

Cosco (kids) - Dorel Juvenile Group
http://www.djgusa.com/indexDJG.asp

Costco
http://www.costco.com/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you mean Costco? I think Costco owns Costco, headquartered in Kirkland, WA (well everything says Kirkland, but it's really Issauqua, WA I believe) Unless you're from San Diego and you know that Costco is really Price Club which was owned by the (conveniently named) Price brothers. If you're a native San Diegan, you DON'T call it Costco, it's still Price Club
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This article contents is post by this website user, HiAnswer.com doesn't promise its accuracy.
I would say better than Walmart but not by much yet...in some areas