Walmart Inc.

Walmart Inc. is a name that resonates globally, a ubiquitous presence in the retail landscape. But beyond the familiar blue and yellow storefronts lies a fascinating story of ambition, innovation, and relentless expansion. From its humble origins as a single discount store in rural Arkansas, founded by the visionary brothers Sam and James "Bud" Walton, Walmart has grown to become the world's largest company by revenue and the largest private employer. This blog post will delve into the remarkable journey of Walmart, exploring its rise from a small-town venture to a multinational behemoth.

We will uncover the key milestones that have defined Walmart's ascent, from its initial expansion across the United States to its ventures into international markets. We will examine the business model that has fueled its growth, as well as the factors that have contributed to both its successes and its setbacks. Moreover, we will explore the family-owned nature of this business, a unique aspect that continues to shape its direction, as the company is still controlled by the Walton family.

This is not just a story of a company; it is a chronicle of American entrepreneurship, and of how one small idea can grow to influence global commerce. Join us as we unravel the story of Walmart, a retail giant that continues to impact the world of business and consumption.

1945-1969: Walmart's Genesis: The Early Years

In 1945, businessman and former J. C. Penney employee Sam Walton embarked on his entrepreneurial journey by purchasing a Ben Franklin store branch from the Butler Brothers. Walton's vision centered around a strategy of selling products at low prices to achieve higher-volume sales with a lower profit margin, framing this approach as a crusade for the consumer. He encountered initial challenges as both the lease price and branch purchase were unusually high. However, he overcame these obstacles by identifying lower-cost suppliers than those used by other stores. This allowed him to significantly undercut his competitors on pricing.

The effectiveness of this strategy was quickly evident. Sales increased by an impressive 45 percent in his first year of ownership, reaching US$105,000 in revenue. This growth continued, with sales rising to $140,000 the following year and $175,000 the year after that. By the fifth year, the store was generating $250,000 in revenue. However, when the lease for this location expired and Walton was unable to reach a renewal agreement, he opened a new store at 105 N. Main Street in Bentonville, naming it "Walton's Five and Dime." This store now serves as the Walmart Museum, a testament to the company's humble beginnings.

A pivotal moment in Walmart's history occurred on July 2, 1962, when Walton opened the first Wal-Mart Discount City store at 719 W. Walnut Street in Rogers, Arkansas. The store's design was inspired by Ann & Hope, which Walton visited in 1961, as did Kmart founder Harry B. Cunningham. The name "Wal-Mart" was, in turn, inspired by FedMart, a chain of discount department stores founded by Sol Price in 1954, who also served as an inspiration for Walton. Walton stated that he liked the idea of calling his discount chain "Wal-Mart" because he "really liked Sol's FedMart name". The original building now houses a hardware store and an antiques mall, while the company's "Store #1" has since expanded to a Supercenter located several blocks west at 2110 W. Walnut Street.

Within its first five years, the company expanded to 18 stores across Arkansas and achieved $9 million in sales. By 1968, Walmart had already begun to expand beyond Arkansas, opening its first stores outside the state in Sikeston, Missouri, and Claremore, Oklahoma.

1969-1990: Walmart's Incorporation and Growth as a Regional Power

The company took a significant step by being incorporated under Delaware General Corporation Law as Wal-Mart, Inc. on October 31, 1969. The following year, in 1970, it changed its name to Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. That same year, the company also established its home office and first distribution center in Bentonville, Arkansas, marking a crucial development in its operational structure. By this time, Walmart had 38 stores in operation, with 1,500 employees and sales reaching $44.2 million. On October 1, 1970, Wal-Mart began trading stock as a publicly held company and was soon listed on the New York Stock Exchange, marking its arrival as a publically traded company. The first stock split occurred in May 1971 for $47 per share.

By this point, Wal-Mart's presence had expanded into five states: Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Oklahoma. The company continued its expansion, entering Tennessee in 1973 and Kentucky and Mississippi in 1974. As Walmart ventured into Texas in 1975, it had grown to 125 stores, employing 7,500 associates and achieving total sales of $340.3 million.

In the 1980s, Walmart briefly experimented with a precursor to the Supercenter, the Hyper-Mart. These four stores combined features of discount stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, video arcades, and other amenities, marking a move toward a more comprehensive retail model. Walmart continued to grow rapidly, and by the company's 25th anniversary in 1987, it had a network of 1,198 stores, with sales totaling $15.9 billion and 200,000 associates. One of the key factors behind Walmart's success between 1980 and 2000 is believed to be its strategic pattern of contiguous expansion, establishing new distribution centers in a hub-and-spoke framework within driving distance of existing Supercenters.

The company also completed its satellite network in 1987, a $24 million investment that linked all stores with two-way voice and data transmissions and one-way video communications with the Bentonville office. At the time, this network was the largest private satellite system, allowing the corporate office to effectively track inventory and sales and to instantly communicate with all its stores. By 1984, Sam Walton had already begun sourcing between 6% and 40% of his company's products from China, demonstrating an early move to optimize its supply chain. In 1988, Sam Walton stepped down as CEO, being replaced by David Glass, while retaining his position as chairman of the board. It was also during this year that the first Wal-Mart Supercenter opened in Washington, Missouri.

With the increasing presence of its superstores, Walmart surpassed Toys "R" Us in toy sales in 1998, marking a significant milestone in its retail dominance.

1990-2005: Walmart's Retail Rise to Multinational Status

While it was already the third-largest retailer in the United States, Walmart surpassed rivals Kmart and Sears in profitability by the late 1980s. By 1990, it had officially become the largest U.S. retailer by revenue, marking a significant milestone in its ascent.

Prior to the summer of 1990, Walmart had no presence on the West Coast or in the Northeast (with the exception of a single Sam's Club in New Jersey which opened in November 1989). However, in July and October of that year, it opened its first stores in California and Pennsylvania, respectively, rapidly expanding its reach across the entire country. By the mid-1990s, Walmart had solidified its position as the most powerful retailer in the U.S., and began its international expansion into Mexico in 1991 and Canada in 1994. Walmart stores continued to open throughout the rest of the U.S., with Vermont being the last state to get a store in 1995, completing its nationwide presence.

The company also began expanding its operations beyond North America, entering South America in 1995 with stores in Argentina and Brazil; and making its entry into Europe in July 1999, with the purchase of Asda in the United Kingdom for US$10 billion.

In 1997, Walmart was added to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, a testament to its significance in the financial market.

In 1998, Walmart introduced the Neighborhood Market concept with three stores in Arkansas, marking a new strategic approach to smaller markets. By 2005, estimates indicated that the company controlled approximately 20 percent of the retail grocery and consumables business.

In 2000, H. Lee Scott became Walmart's president and CEO, a period that saw the company's sales increase dramatically to $165 billion. By 2002, Walmart was listed for the first time as America's largest corporation on the Fortune 500 list, with revenues reaching $219.8 billion and profits of $6.7 billion. It has maintained that position almost every year since, with the exceptions of 2006, 2009, and 2012.

By 2005, Walmart reported US$312.4 billion in sales, managing over 6,200 facilities worldwide—including 3,800 stores in the United States and 2,800 elsewhere—and employing more than 1.6 million associates. Its U.S. presence grew so substantially that very few pockets of the country remained more than 60 miles (97 kilometers) from the nearest store.

As Walmart grew rapidly into the world's largest corporation, many critics expressed concern about its effect on local communities, particularly small towns with many "mom and pop" stores. There have been several studies on the economic impact of Walmart on small towns and local businesses, jobs, and taxpayers. Kenneth Stone, a professor of economics, found that some small towns can lose almost half of their retail trade within ten years of a Walmart store opening. However, in another study, he compared the changes to what small-town shops had faced in the past—including the development of the railroads, the advent of the Sears Roebuck catalog, and the arrival of shopping malls—and concluded that shop owners who adapt to changes in the retail market can thrive after Walmart arrives. A later study in collaboration with Mississippi State University showed that there are "both positive and negative impacts on existing stores in the area where the new supercenter locates".

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in September 2005, Walmart used its logistics network to organize a rapid response to the disaster, donating $20 million, 1,500 truckloads of merchandise, food for 100,000 meals, and the promise of a job for every one of its displaced workers. An independent study by Steven Horwitz of St. Lawrence University found that Walmart, The Home Depot, and Lowe's made use of their local knowledge about supply chains, infrastructure, decision makers and other resources to provide emergency supplies and reopen stores well before the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) began its response. While the company was overall lauded for its quick response amidst criticism of FEMA, several critics were quick to point out that there still remained issues with the company's labor relations.

In 2006, Charles Fishman published The Wal-Mart Effect, examining the operation of Walmart's supply chain. His book caught the attention of the press and the public, illustrating Walmart's relentless drive to lower costs and achieve greater efficiency, and suggesting that it may have significant upstream effects. Since Fishman's book was published, Walmart has more than doubled in size. Further research on Walmart's role in the food supply chain has tended to be limited and anecdotal.

2005-2010: Walmart's Strategic Initiatives

Environmental initiatives

In November 2005, Walmart launched a series of environmental measures to address its previous shortcomings in sustainability and to increase its energy efficiency. The company's primary goals included investing $500 million a year to boost fuel efficiency in its truck fleet by 25 percent over three years and doubling it within ten. Furthermore, the initiatives aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent in seven years, lower energy use at stores by 30 percent, and cut solid waste from U.S. stores and Sam's Clubs by 25 percent in three years. CEO Lee Scott stated that Walmart's ambition was to become a "good steward of the environment," ultimately using only renewable energy sources and producing zero waste. To further this commitment, the company designed three new experimental stores featuring wind turbines, photovoltaic solar panels, biofuel-capable boilers, water-cooled refrigerators, and xeriscape gardens. During this period, Walmart also became the largest seller of organic milk and the largest buyer of organic cotton worldwide, while also reducing packaging and energy costs. In 2007, the company collaborated with external consultants to analyze its overall environmental impact and pinpoint areas for improvement. Walmart even created its own electric company in Texas, named Texas Retail Energy, with plans to supply its stores with affordable power purchased at wholesale prices. Through this innovative venture, the company anticipated saving $15 million annually, as well as establishing the infrastructure to sell electricity to Texas consumers in the future.

Branding and store design changes

In 2006, Walmart announced that it would be remodeling its U.S. stores, with the objective of appealing to a wider range of demographics, especially more affluent shoppers. As part of this strategy, the company launched a new store in Plano, Texas, that included high-end electronics, jewelry, expensive wines, and a sushi bar, reflecting a more upscale approach to retail.

On September 12, 2007, Walmart unveiled new advertising with the slogan, "Save money. Live better.", replacing its previous slogan "Always Low Prices, Always", which it had used since 1988. Global Insight, which conducted the research that supported the ads, found that Walmart's price level reduction resulted in savings for consumers of $287 billion in 2006, which was the equivalent of $957 per person or $2,500 per household (a 7.3 percent increase from the 2004 savings estimate of $2,329).

On June 30, 2008, Walmart removed the hyphen from its logo and replaced the star with a Spark symbol. The store branding became "Walmart", while the corporate name remained with the hyphen as "Wal-Mart". The new logo received mixed reviews from design critics, who questioned whether it was as bold as those of competitors, such as the Target bullseye, or as instantly recognizable as the previous company's logo, which had been used for 18 years. The new logo made its debut on the company's website on July 1, 2008, and its U.S. locations updated store logos in the fall of 2008. Walmart Canada began adopting the logo for its stores in early 2009.

Acquisitions and employee benefits

On March 20, 2009, Walmart announced that it was distributing a combined US$933.6 million in bonuses to every full and part-time hourly worker. This was in addition to $788.8 million in profit sharing, 401(k) pension contributions, hundreds of millions of dollars in merchandise discounts, and contributions to the employees' stock purchase plan. While the economy was experiencing an ongoing recession, Walmart reported robust financial figures for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2009, with $401.2 billion in net sales, a 7.2 percent increase from the prior year. Income from continuing operations increased by 3 percent to $13.3 billion, and earnings per share rose by 6 percent to $3.35.

On February 22, 2010, the company confirmed its acquisition of video streaming company Vudu, Inc. for an estimated $100 million, marking its entrance into the digital content market.

History

2011-2019: Walmart's Strategic Evolutions and New Ventures

Walmart's truck fleet logs millions of miles each year, and the company planned to double the fleet's efficiency between 2005 and 2015. To further these goals, fifteen trucks based at Walmart's Buckeye, Arizona, distribution center were converted to run on biofuel from reclaimed cooking grease made during food preparation at Walmart stores, showcasing a commitment to innovative solutions.

On November 14, 2012, Walmart launched its first mail subscription service called Goodies. For a $7 monthly subscription, customers would receive five to eight delivered food samples each month. However, the service was shut down in late 2013, illustrating that not all new initiatives were successful.

In August 2013, the company announced it was in discussions to acquire a majority stake in the Kenya-based supermarket chain, Naivas, indicating its continued interest in expanding its international presence.

In June 2014, some Walmart employees went on strike in major U.S. cities demanding higher wages, reflecting ongoing challenges with labor relations. In July 2014, American actor and comedian Tracy Morgan launched a lawsuit against Walmart seeking punitive damages over a multi-car pile-up, alleging that the accident was caused by the driver of one of the firm's tractor-trailers who had not slept for 24 hours. Morgan's limousine was hit by the trailer, injuring him and two fellow passengers and killing a fourth, fellow comedian James McNair. Walmart settled with the McNair family for $10 million, while admitting no liability. Morgan and Walmart reached a settlement in 2015 for an undisclosed amount, although Walmart later accused its insurers of "bad faith" in refusing to pay the settlement.

In 2015, Walmart was recognized as the biggest U.S. commercial producer of solar power, with 142 MW capacity, and had 17 energy storage projects. This solar infrastructure primarily consisted of rooftop installations, with an additional 20,000 m2 for solar canopies over parking lots, showcasing the company's focus on sustainability.

The Walmart Supercenter in Grundy, Virginia (Store #3303) was built as part of a $200 million revitalization project. This store was built on top of a two-story parking garage, which is the only structure of its kind in the United States, demonstrating the company's willingness to engage in more complex construction projects.

On January 15, 2016, Walmart announced it would close 269 stores in 2016, affecting 16,000 workers. Of the stores marked for closure, 154 were in the U.S., most of which were located, on average, within 10 miles of another Walmart store. These 269 closures represented less than 1 percent of global square footage and revenue for the company. The 102 locations of Neighborhood Markets that were formerly or originally planned to be Walmart Express were also included in the closures. Walmart planned to concentrate on "strengthening Supercenters, optimizing Neighborhood Markets, growing the e-commerce business, and expanding pickup services for customers," reflecting a strategic shift in the company’s operations. In fiscal 2017, the company planned to open between 50 and 60 Supercenters, 85 to 95 Neighborhood Markets, 7 to 10 Sam's Clubs, and 200 to 240 international locations. By the end of fiscal 2017, Walmart opened 38 Supercenters, relocated, expanded or converted 21 discount stores into Supercenters, for a total of 59 Supercenters, opened 69 Neighborhood Markets, 8 Sam's Clubs, and 173 international locations, and relocated, expanded or converted 4 locations for a total of 177 international locations. On August 8, 2016, Walmart announced a deal to acquire e-commerce website Jet.com for US$3.3 billion. Jet.com co-founder and CEO Marc Lore stayed on to run Jet.com, in addition to Walmart's existing U.S. e-commerce operation, reflecting an effort to bolster the company's online retail presence. The acquisition was structured as a payout of $3 billion in cash, and an additional $300 million in Walmart stock vested over time as part of an incentive bonus plan for Jet.com executives. On October 19, 2016, Walmart announced a partnership with IBM and Tsinghua University to track the pork supply chain in China using blockchain, hoping to improve efficiency and save money.

On February 15, 2017, Walmart announced the acquisition of Moosejaw, a leading online active outdoor retailer, for approximately $51 million. On June 16, 2017, Walmart agreed to acquire the men's apparel company Bonobos for $310 million, in an effort to expand its fashion offerings. On September 29, 2017, Walmart acquired Parcel, a same-day and last-mile delivery company in Brooklyn, further enhancing its distribution capabilities. In 2018, Walmart started crowdsourcing delivery services to customers using drivers' private vehicles, under the brand "Spark".

On December 6, 2017, Walmart announced that it would change its corporate name to Walmart Inc. from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., effective February 1, 2018.

On January 11, 2018, Walmart announced that 63 Sam's Club locations would be closing. Some of the stores had already liquidated without notifying employees, with some employees finding out through a company-wide email delivered that day. Walmart stated that ten of the stores would be converted into e-commerce distribution centers, and that employees could reapply to work at those locations. Business Insider magazine estimated that over 11,000 workers would be affected. On the same day, Walmart announced that, as a result of the new tax law, it would raise starting wages, distribute bonuses, expand its leave policies, and contribute toward the cost of employees' adoptions. Doug McMillon, Walmart's CEO, said, "We are early in the stages of assessing the opportunities tax reform creates for us to invest in our customers and associates and to further strengthen our business, all of which should benefit our shareholders."

It was reported that Walmart was exploring entering the subscription-video space, with hopes to compete with Netflix and Amazon. They enlisted the help of former Epix CEO, Mark Greenberg, to help develop a low-cost subscription video-streaming service, which highlighted its interest in media and entertainment.

On February 26, 2019, Walmart announced that it had acquired Tel Aviv-based product review start-up Aspectiva for an undisclosed sum.

In May 2019, Walmart announced the launch of free one-day shipping on more than 220,000 items with a minimum purchase amount of $35, reflecting a desire to improve its services to consumers.

In September 2019, Walmart made the announcement that it would cease the sale of all e-cigarettes due to "regulatory complexity and uncertainty" over the products, showing a willingness to be socially responsible. Earlier in 2019, Walmart stopped selling fruit-flavored e-cigarettes and had raised the minimum age to 21 for the purchase of products containing tobacco. That same month, Walmart opened its first Health Center, a "medical mall" where customers can purchase primary care services. Prices without insurance were listed, for instance, at $30 for an annual physical and $45 for a counseling session, showing a new effort to enter the healthcare market. Continuing with its health care initiative, they opened a 2,600 square feet (240 m2) health and wellness clinic prototype in Springdale, Arkansas, just to expand services.

By October 2019, Walmart stopped selling all live fish and aquatic plants.

2020s: Walmart's Continued Growth and Development

In the early 2020s, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic significantly impacted Walmart and other businesses, forcing temporary measures such as store closures, limited store occupancy, large-scale employee dismissals, and the enforcement of social distancing protocols. Store hours were adjusted to allow for cleaning and restocking, and limits on items were put in place due to the rise of panic buying.

During the pandemic, Walmart modified some of its employee benefits. Employees were given the option to stay home and take unpaid leave if they felt unable to work or uncomfortable coming to work. Additionally, Walmart employees who contracted the virus would receive "up to two weeks of pay." After two weeks, hourly associates who were unable to return to work would be eligible for up to 26 weeks of pay. Walmart also paid pandemic bonuses of $428 million to its staff. Part-time and temporary workers received a bonus of $150, while full-time workers received a bonus of $300. Starting in July 2020, Walmart customers were required to wear masks in all stores nationwide, including Sam's Club. By February 2022, the COVID-19 restrictions, such as mask requirements and employee benefits, were lifted.

In the first quarter of 2020, consumer behavior shifted due to COVID, with shoppers making fewer trips (5.6% fewer transactions) but purchasing more when they did shop (16.5%). As people shifted from eating out to eating at home, net sales at Walmart increased by 10.5%, while online sales rose by 74%. Although Walmart experienced a 5.5% increase in operating expenses, its net income increased by 3.9%. In the third quarter of 2020, Walmart reported revenue of $134.7 billion, a year-on-year increase of 5.2 percent.

In December 2020, Walmart launched a new service, Carrier Pickup, which allows customers to schedule returns.

In January 2021, Walmart announced that the company was launching a fintech startup, with venture partner Ribbit Capital, to provide financial products for consumers and employees, reflecting a new expansion into financial services.

In February 2021, Walmart acquired technology from Thunder Industries, which uses automation to create digital ads, to expand its online marketing capabilities.

In May 2021, Walmart acquired the Israeli startup Zeekit for $200 million. Zeekit uses artificial intelligence to allow customers to virtually "try on" clothing via a dynamic virtual platform, showcasing the company’s interest in technological advancements.

In August 2021, Walmart announced it would open its Spark crowdsource delivery to other businesses as a white-label service, competing with Postmates and online food ordering delivery companies, further expanding its presence in the delivery market.

In December 2021, Walmart announced it would participate in the Stephens Investment Conference and the Morgan Stanley Virtual Global Consumer & Retail Conference. In June 2022, Walmart announced it would be acquiring Memomi, an AR optical tech company, reinforcing the company's efforts in integrating technology.

In August 2022, Walmart announced it would be acquiring Volt Systems, a vendor management and product tracking software company, improving the management of its supply chain. Walmart also announced it was partnering with Paramount to offer Paramount+ content to its Walmart+ subscribers, in a bid to better compete with Amazon and other subscription services.

In August 2022, Walmart announced that locations were not going back to 24 hours, with most stores now being open between 6 am and 11 pm.

In January 2023, Walmart announced it would raise its minimum wage for U.S. hourly workers from $12 to $14 an hour. Approximately 340,000 employees were expected to receive a raise, effective in early March 2023, and Walmart's U.S. average wage was expected to be over $17.50. The company also announced it would be adding additional college degrees and certificates to its Live Better U program, showcasing its desire to invest in its workforce.

In February 2023, Walmart announced that they had made $611.3 billion in sales in the previous financial year, up 6.7%, which included a bump in the fourth quarter of the year that saw $164 billion in sales. Profits for the company were also up, almost doubling from the previous year, highlighting its strong financial performance.

In April 2023, the company announced it would add electric vehicle charging stations at thousands of stores by 2030, which would be in addition to the almost 1,300 existing stations that were in operation at 280 company locations at the time of the announcement. CNBC noted that the company stated it had more than 4,700 stores and 600 Sam Club's stores that were located within 10 miles of roughly 90% of Americans, demonstrating its potential impact in promoting the use of electric vehicles.

In January 2024, Walmart announced it would open over 150 stores in the U.S. over the next five years while remodeling 650 existing ones across 47 states and Puerto Rico. This was a reversal for the company, which had been in a period of de-emphasizing new store openings, as it focused on online competition, and came amid an overall greater industry focus on traditional retail in the post-pandemic area, reflecting the changing dynamics in the industry.

In February 2024, the company announced that its "Project Gigaton" initiative, which began in 2017 to reduce its Scope 3 emissions from suppliers by 1 billion metric tons by 2030, had reached its goal 6 years early. The company also reported that 75% of its net sales in fiscal year 2023 were from suppliers participating in the initiative, highlighting its commitment to sustainability.

In 2024, Walmart reported that they were planning to remove the self-checkout from some stores due to customer feedback.

On August 27, 2024, Walmart announced a new service to transport goods from Asia to the U.S. in order to compete more effectively with Amazon, highlighting its willingness to compete with its major competitors.

On November 25, 2024, Walmart announced that it is ending its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, in addition to delisting products designed for transgender minors such as breast binders, marking a significant change in the company’s social policies.

In January 2025, Walmart redesigned its logo for the first time since 2008. The new logo largely stayed the same except the words are a little bigger and the background is a darker blue, along with the spark being slightly bigger, marking a minimal change to its visual identity.

Acquisitions and employee benefits

In February 2024, the company announced that managers would be given stock grants of up to $20,000, and also announced a 3-1 stock split that will make it easier for employees to buy company stock, reflecting a focus on employee benefits. Such stock rewards for rank-and-file employees are rare in the retail industry, which analysts say could generate $20 billion in revenue for the average household in the near future. The company is also raising the starting base salary for store managers and increasing the bonus plan to up to 200 percent of their regular salaries.

Also in February, Walmart entered into an agreement to acquire Vizio for $2.3 billion, with the intention of expanding its advertising sales in video content that streams for free on Vizio devices, demonstrating its ongoing push into new markets.

Wal-Mart logo
from 1962 to 1964

Wal-Mart logo from 1966 to 1981

Wal-Mart logo from 1981 to 1992

Wal-Mart logo from 1992 to 2008

Walmart logo from 2008 to 2025

Operating Divisions

As of 2016, Walmart's expansive operations are structured into four distinct divisions: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, Sam's Club, and Global eCommerce. This organizational framework allows the company to effectively manage its diverse retail formats and international presence. In the United States, Walmart’s stores operate in four primary formats: discount stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam's Club stores, each catering to different consumer needs and shopping preferences. Walmart International’s operations encompass an even broader range of store formats, including supermarkets, hypermarkets, cash-and-carry stores, home improvement stores, specialty electronics stores, restaurants, apparel stores, drugstores, and convenience stores, demonstrating the company's adaptability to diverse markets around the globe.

Walmart Supercenters: The Modern Hypermarket Experience

Walmart Supercenters, typically branded simply as "Walmart," are expansive hypermarkets with sizes ranging from 69,000 to 260,000 square feet (6,400 to 24,200 square meters), averaging around 178,000 square feet (16,500 square meters). These stores provide a comprehensive shopping experience, stocking a wide array of general merchandise alongside a full-service supermarket, including meat and poultry, baked goods, delicatessen items, frozen foods, dairy products, garden produce, and fresh seafood. Many Walmart Supercenters also feature a garden center, pet shop, pharmacy, Tire & Lube Express, optical center, one-hour photo processing lab, portrait studio, and numerous alcove shops, such as cellular phone stores, hair and nail salons, video rental stores, local bank branches (like Woodforest National Bank branches in newer locations), and fast-food outlets.

Many Walmart Supercenters currently host McDonald's or Subway restaurants. In some Canadian locations, Tim Hortons have been opened. More recently, several Supercenters, like those in Tallahassee, Florida, and Palm Desert, California, have added Burger King to their locations, and the location in Glen Burnie, Maryland, boasts an Auntie Anne's and an Italian restaurant due to its past as a hypermarket called Leedmark. Some Walmart locations in Canada have Axess Law locations, Mary Brown's, Burger King and McDonald's, and Atlantic Lottery Corporation locations in the Atlantic region. Some U.S. locations also have Wendy's, Domino's, Taco Bell, Claire's, and small arcades called GamePlay. A smaller number of U.S. locations include KFC, Hardee's, Papa John's, Dairy Queen, Little Caesars, and A&W Restaurants.

Certain Walmart Supercenter locations also have fuel stations which sell gasoline distributed by Murphy USA (which spun off from Murphy Oil in 2013), Sunoco ("Optima"), the Tesoro Corporation ("Mirastar"), USA Gasoline, and even some now offer Walmart-branded gas stations.

As of October 31, 2022, there were 3,572 Walmart Supercenters in 49 of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Hawaii remains the only state without a Supercenter location. The largest Supercenter in the world, covering 260,000 square feet (24,000 square meters) on two floors, is located in Crossgates Commons in Albany, New York, highlighting the scale of some of these locations.

A typical Supercenter sells approximately 120,000 items, compared to the 35 million products sold in Walmart's online store, showing the vast selection that is available online.

The "Supercenter" name has been largely phased out, with these stores now generally referred to simply as "Walmart," since the company introduced its new logo in 2008. However, the branding is still used in Walmart's Canadian stores (spelled as "Supercentre" in Canadian English), showcasing how the name is not completely forgotten.

Walmart Discount Stores: The Foundation of a Retail Empire

Walmart Discount Stores, also generally branded simply as "Walmart," are discount department stores that range in size from 30,000 to 221,000 square feet (2,800 to 20,500 square meters), with an average store covering approximately 105,000 square feet (9,800 square meters). These stores primarily carry general merchandise and a limited selection of groceries. However, some newer and remodeled discount stores feature an expanded grocery department, similar to Target's PFresh department, indicating a shift in strategy. Many of these stores also include amenities such as a garden center, pharmacy, Tire & Lube Express, optical center, one-hour photo processing lab, portrait studio, a bank branch, a cell phone store, and a fast-food outlet. Additionally, some locations feature gasoline stations. Discount Stores were Walmart's original concept, representing the foundation of its retail empire, though they have since been surpassed in prevalence by Supercenters, reflecting a change in the market landscape.

In 1990, Walmart introduced its first Bud's Discount City location in Bentonville. Bud's operated as a closeout store, similar to Big Lots. Many Bud's locations were opened to fulfill leases in shopping centers as Walmart stores relocated to newly built Supercenters. However, all of the Bud's Discount City stores had either closed or been converted into Walmart Discount Stores by 1997, demonstrating the company's move away from the closeout concept.

At their peak in 1996, there were 1,995 Walmart Discount Stores. However, as of October 31, 2022, that number had dropped significantly to 365, reflecting the shift towards the Supercenter model.

Walmart Neighborhood Market: Bringing Convenience to the Forefront

Walmart Neighborhood Market, sometimes branded as "Neighborhood Market by Walmart" or informally known as "Neighborhood Walmart," is Walmart's chain of supermarkets. These stores range in size from 28,000 to 65,000 square feet (2,600 to 6,000 square meters), averaging approximately 42,000 square feet (3,900 square meters), about a fifth of the size of a Walmart Supercenter, offering a smaller and more convenient format. While the first Walmart Neighborhood Market opened ten years after the first Supercenter, Walmart did not significantly focus on this smaller grocery store format until the 2010s, highlighting a strategic shift in the company's approach.

These stores primarily concentrate on three of Walmart's major sales categories: groceries, which account for around 55 percent of the company's revenue, pharmacy, and, at some locations, fuel. For groceries and consumables, the stores offer a selection of fresh produce, deli and bakery items, prepared foods, meat, dairy, organic options, general grocery items, and frozen foods, in addition to cleaning products and pet supplies. Some stores also offer wine and beer sales and drive-through pharmacies, and certain locations, such as the one at Midtown Center in Bentonville, Arkansas, feature made-to-order pizza with a seating area for dining. Customers can also utilize Walmart's site-to-store service, picking up online orders at Walmart Neighborhood Market stores, just like the Supercenters and Discount Stores, showcasing the interconnectedness of the retail formats.

Products at Walmart Neighborhood Market stores are priced the same as those at Walmart's larger Supercenters. A Moody's Investors Service analyst has noted that the wider company's pricing structure gives the chain of grocery stores a "competitive advantage" over competitors such as Whole Foods Market, Kroger, and Trader Joe's, highlighting the importance of pricing strategy in the retail sector.

Neighborhood Market stores initially expanded slowly, serving as a means to fill the gaps between Walmart Supercenters and Discount Stores in existing markets. In its first 12 years, the company opened approximately 180 Walmart Neighborhood Markets. By 2010, however, Walmart stated that it was prepared to accelerate its expansion plans for these grocery stores, demonstrating a greater focus on this particular retail model. As of October 31, 2022, there were 682 Walmart Neighborhood Markets, each employing between 90 and 95 full-time and part-time workers. The total number of Neighborhood Markets and other small formats combined is 783, indicating their growth in the retail landscape.

Walmart's Former Stores and Concepts: A Look at Past Innovations

Over the years, Walmart has experimented with various store formats and concepts, some of which have been phased out or evolved into other models. One such endeavor was Supermercado de Walmart, locations designed to appeal to Hispanic communities in the United States. The first of these stores, a 39,000-square-foot (3,600-square-meter) store in the Spring Branch area of Houston, opened on April 29, 2009, and was a conversion of an existing Walmart Neighborhood Market. In 2009, another Supermercado de Walmart opened in Phoenix, Arizona. However, both of these locations were closed in 2014, marking the end of this specific concept. Also in 2009, Walmart launched "Más Club," a warehouse retail operation patterned after Sam's Club, but its lone store also closed in 2014, illustrating that not all of its experimental concepts were a success.

Walmart Express was another concept, a chain of smaller discount stores that offered a range of services from groceries to check cashing and gasoline service. This format was aimed at small towns that were deemed unable to support a larger store and larger cities where space was limited. Walmart initially planned to build 15 to 20 Walmart Express stores, focusing on Arkansas, North Carolina, and Chicago, by the end of its fiscal year in January 2012. However, by September 2014, Walmart rebranded all 22 of its Express format stores to Neighborhood Markets in an effort to streamline its retail offering, and continued to open new Express stores under the Neighborhood Market name. As of October 31, 2022, there were 101 small-format stores in the United States. These include 92 other small formats, 8 convenience stores, and 1 pickup location. On January 15, 2016, Walmart announced that it would be closing 269 stores globally, including 102 Neighborhood Markets that were formerly or originally planned to be Express stores, which further marks the shift away from this concept.

Between 2002 and 2022, Walmart owned the Amigo supermarkets chain in Puerto Rico. In 2022, Walmart announced its decision to sell its Amigo stores to Pueblo Inc. and focus on modernizing its 18 Supercenter and Division 1 formats and seven Sam's Club stores, signaling a new approach to the Puerto Rican market.

Walmart's Initiatives: Exploring Innovation and Adaptability

Walmart has consistently explored new avenues and adapted to changing consumer needs through a variety of initiatives. In September 2006, Walmart announced a pilot program to sell generic drugs at $4 per prescription. This program was launched at stores in the Tampa, Florida, area, and by January 2007 had expanded to all stores in Florida. While the average price of generics is $29 per prescription, compared to $102 for name-brand drugs, Walmart maintained that it was not selling at a loss or providing them as an act of charity. Instead, they were utilizing the same mass distribution mechanisms that it uses to offer lower prices for other products. Many of Walmart's low-cost generics are imported from India, where they are made by drug manufacturers such as Ranbaxy Laboratories and Cipla, showcasing its global supply chain.

On February 6, 2007, the company launched a "beta" version of a movie download service, selling about 3,000 films and television episodes from all major studios and television networks. However, the service was discontinued on December 21, 2007, due to low sales, demonstrating that not all innovative ideas are successful.

In 2008, Walmart started a pilot program in the small grocery store concept called Marketside in the metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, area. These four stores, however, closed in 2011, which demonstrates the challenges that the company faces when venturing into new areas.

In 2015, Walmart began testing a free grocery pickup service, allowing customers to select products online and choose their pickup time. At the store, a Walmart employee loads the groceries into the customer's car, further enhancing the shopping experience. As of December 17, 2017, this service was available in 39 U.S. states, highlighting the popularity of this new format.

In May 2016, Walmart announced a change to ShippingPass, its three-day shipping service, moving to a two-day delivery to remain competitive with Amazon. Walmart priced this service at 49 dollars per year, compared to Amazon Prime's 99-dollar-per-year price, demonstrating its aim to compete with its biggest rivals.

In June 2016, Walmart and Sam's Club announced they would begin testing a last-mile grocery delivery that utilized services such as Uber, Lyft, and Deliv to bring customers' orders to their homes. Walmart customers could shop using the company's online grocery service at grocery.walmart.com and request delivery at checkout for a small fee. The first tests were planned to go live in Denver and Phoenix. Walmart announced on March 14, 2018, that it would expand online delivery to 100 metropolitan regions in the United States, the equivalent of 40 percent of households, by the end of 2018, demonstrating the company's rapid expansion in this market.

Walmart's Winemakers Selection private label wine was introduced in June 2018 in about 1,100 stores. The wine, sourced both domestically and internationally, was described by Washington Post food and wine columnist Dave McIntyre as notably good for its inexpensive ($11 to $16 per bottle) price level, showcasing that Walmart is also trying to sell quality products.

In October 2019, Walmart announced that customers in 2,000 locations in 29 states could use the grocery pickup service for their adult beverage purchases. Walmart would also deliver adult beverages from nearly 200 stores across California and Florida, showing its expansion into this market.

In February 2020, Walmart announced a new membership program called "Walmart +", marking another step towards competing with Amazon Prime, and this announcement came shortly after Walmart announced the discontinuation of its personal shopping service, Jetblack, reflecting that the company is constantly adapting its business.

Walmart International: A Global Retail Presence

As of October 31, 2022, Walmart's international operations encompassed a substantial 5,266 stores and 800,000 workers across 23 countries outside of the United States. The company has wholly owned operations in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and the UK, demonstrating its direct control in key international markets. With 2.2 million employees worldwide, the company stands as the largest private employer in both the U.S. and Mexico, and is one of the largest in Canada, showcasing its significant global workforce. In fiscal year 2019, Walmart's international division generated sales of US$120.824 billion, representing 23.7 percent of its total sales, underscoring its financial importance on the international stage. International retail units range in size from 1,400 to 186,000 square feet (130 to 17,280 square meters), while wholesale units range from 24,000 to 158,000 square feet (2,200 to 14,700 square meters), demonstrating its adaptability to different market needs. The current president and CEO of Walmart International is Kathryn McLay.

Walmart's Setbacks: Navigating the Challenges of Global Expansion

While Walmart has achieved remarkable success on a global scale, the company has also faced significant challenges and setbacks in certain international markets. In the 1990s, Walmart made substantial financial investments to gain a foothold in both the German and Indonesian retail markets, ultimately encountering difficulties.

Walmart entered Indonesia by opening stores in Lippo Supermall (now known as Supermal Karawaci) and Megamall Pluit (now known as Pluit Village), through a joint-venture agreement with local conglomerate Lippo Group. However, both stores were forced to close due to the 1997 Asian financial crisis, demonstrating the impact of external factors on business expansion.

In Germany, Walmart took over the supermarket chain Wertkauf with its 21 stores for DM750 million in 1997. The following year, Walmart acquired 74 InterSPAR stores for DM1.3 billion. However, the German market at this point was an oligopoly, characterized by high competition among companies using a similar low-price strategy as Walmart. As a result, Walmart's low-price approach yielded no competitive advantage. Furthermore, Walmart's corporate culture was not well-received by employees and customers, particularly Walmart's "statement of ethics," which attempted to restrict relationships between employees, a possible violation of German labor law, and led to a public discussion in the media, creating a negative image among customers. In July 2006, Walmart announced its withdrawal from Germany due to sustained losses. The stores were sold to the German company Metro during Walmart's fiscal third quarter. While Walmart did not disclose its losses from its German investment, they were estimated to be around €3 billion.

In 2004, Walmart purchased the 118 stores in the Bompreço supermarket chain in northeastern Brazil. In late 2005, it took control of the Brazilian operations of Sonae Distribution Group through its new subsidiary, WMS Supermercados do Brasil, thereby acquiring control of the Nacional and Mercadorama supermarket chains, the leaders in the Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná states, respectively. None of these stores were rebranded. As of January 2014, Walmart operated 61 Bompreço supermarkets, 39 Hiper Bompreço stores, 57 Walmart Supercenters, 27 Sam's Clubs, and 174 Todo Dia stores. With the acquisitions of Bompreço and Sonae, by 2010, Walmart had become the third-largest supermarket chain in Brazil, behind Carrefour and Pão de Açúcar.

Walmart Brasil, the operating company, had its head office in Barueri, São Paulo State, with regional offices in Curitiba, Paraná; Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul; Recife, Pernambuco; and Salvador, Bahia. Walmart Brasil operated under the banners Todo Dia, Nacional, Bompreço, Walmart Supercenter, Maxxi Atacado, Hipermercado Big, Hiper Bompreço, Sam's Club, Mercadorama, Walmart Posto (Gas Station), Supermercado Todo Dia, and Hiper Todo Dia. Recently, the company started the conversion process of all Hiper Bompreço and Big stores into Walmart Supercenters, and Bompreço, Nacional, and Mercadorama stores into the Walmart Supermercado brand.

Since August 2018, Walmart Inc. only held a minority stake in Walmart Brasil, which was renamed Grupo Big on August 12, 2019, with 20% of the company's shares and private equity firm Advent International holding 80% ownership of the company. On March 24, 2021, it was announced that Carrefour would be acquiring Grupo Big, further distancing Walmart from its Brazilian venture.

Walmart Argentina was founded in 1995 and operates stores under the banners Walmart Supercenter, Changomas, Mi Changomas, and Punto Mayorista. On November 6, 2020, it was announced that Walmart had sold its Argentine operations to Grupo de Narváez and renamed Hiper Changomas, marking another exit from a Latin American market.

Walmart's UK subsidiary, Asda (which retained its name after being acquired by Walmart), is based in Leeds and accounted for 42.7 percent of 2006 sales of Walmart's international division. In contrast to its U.S. operations, Asda was originally and still remains primarily a grocery chain, with a stronger focus on non-food items than most UK supermarket chains other than Tesco. In 2010, Asda acquired stores from Netto UK. In addition to small suburban Asda Supermarkets, larger stores are branded Supercentres. Other banners include Asda Superstores, Asda Living, and Asda Petrol Fueling Station. In July 2015, Asda updated its logo featuring the Walmart Asterisks behind the first 'A' in the Logo. In May 2018, Walmart announced plans to sell Asda to rival Sainsbury's for $10.1 billion. Under the terms of the deal, Walmart would have received a 42% stake in the combined company and about £3 billion in cash. However, in April 2019, the United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority blocked the proposed sale of Asda to Sainsburys.

On October 2, 2020, it was announced that Walmart would sell a majority stake of Asda to a consortium of Zuber and Mohsin Issa (the owners of EG Group) and private equity firm TDR Capital for £6.8bn, pending approval from the Competition and Markets Authority.

In Japan, Walmart owned 100 percent of Seiyu (西友 Seiyū) as of 2008. It operated under the Seiyu (Hypermarket), Seiyu (Supermarket), Seiyu (General Merchandise), Livin, and Sunny banners. On November 16, 2020, Walmart announced they would be selling 65% of their shares in the company to the private-equity firm KKR in a deal valuing 329 stores and 34,600 employees at $1.6 billion. Walmart was supposed to retain 15% and a seat on the board, while a joint venture between KKR and Japanese company Rakuten Inc. would receive 20%.

Walmart Under Scrutiny: Navigating Corruption Allegations

Walmart, despite its global success, has faced serious accusations of corruption that have raised ethical concerns and sparked public debate. An April 2012 investigation by The New York Times reported allegations from a former executive of Walmart de Mexico that, in September 2005, the company had paid bribes through local intermediaries to officials throughout Mexico. These alleged bribes were in exchange for construction permits, information, and other favors, which gave Walmart a significant advantage over its competitors. Walmart investigators found credible evidence that both Mexican and American laws had been violated. There were also concerns that Walmart executives in the United States had "hushed up" these allegations. A follow-up investigation by The New York Times, published December 17, 2012, revealed evidence that regulatory permission for the siting, construction, and operation of nineteen stores had been obtained through bribery. There was evidence that a bribe of US$52,000 was paid to alter a zoning map, enabling the opening of a Walmart store a mile from a historical site in San Juan Teotihuacán in 2004. Following the initial article's release, Walmart issued a statement denying the allegations and describing its anti-corruption policy. While an official Walmart report claimed that it had found no evidence of corruption, the article alleges that previous internal reports had indeed uncovered such evidence before the story became public, raising further doubts about the integrity of their investigations. Forbes magazine contributor Adam Hartung commented that this bribery scandal was a reflection of Walmart's "serious management and strategy troubles," stating, "[s]candals are now commonplace ... [e]ach scandal points out that Walmart's strategy is harder to navigate and is running into big problems," reflecting the reputational damage caused by such incidents.

In 2012, an incident involving CJ's Seafood, a crawfish processing firm in Louisiana partnered with Walmart, gained media attention for the mistreatment of its 40 H-2B visa workers from Mexico. These workers were subjected to harsh living conditions in tightly packed trailers outside of the work facility, along with physical threats, verbal abuse, and were forced to work extremely long shifts. Many of the workers were afraid to report the abuse because the manager had threatened the lives of their family members in the U.S. and Mexico if the abuse was reported. Eight of the workers confronted management at CJ's Seafood about the mistreatment; however, the management denied these allegations, and the workers went on strike. These workers then brought their stories to Walmart due to their partnership with CJ's. While Walmart was investigating the situation, the workers gathered 150,000 signatures of supporters who agreed that Walmart should stand by the workers and take action. In June 2012, the visa workers held a protest and day-long hunger strike outside of the apartment building where a Walmart board member resided. Following this protest, Walmart announced its final decision to no longer work with CJ's Seafood. Less than a month later, the Department of Labor fined CJ's Seafood "approximately $460,000 in back-pay, safety violations, wage and hour violations, civil damages, and fines for abuses to the H-2B program. The company has since shut down", demonstrating the impact of worker action.

As of December 2012, internal investigations were ongoing into possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Walmart invested US$99 million on internal investigations, which expanded beyond Mexico to implicate operations in China, Brazil, and India, reflecting the global scale of the potential corruption issues. The case has added fuel to the ongoing debate as to whether foreign investment will ultimately result in increased prosperity or if it merely allows local retail trade and economic policy to be taken over by "foreign financial and corporate interests," underscoring the complex relationship between globalization and corporate ethics.

Sam's Club: The Wholesale Warehouse Experience

Sam's Club is a well-known chain of warehouse clubs that sell a variety of groceries and general merchandise, often in bulk quantities. These locations typically range in size from 32,000 to 168,000 square feet (3,000 to 15,600 square meters), with an average club size of approximately 134,000 square feet (12,400 square meters), offering a more spacious shopping environment compared to regular retail stores. The first Sam's Club was opened by Walmart, Inc. in 1983 in Midwest City, Oklahoma, under the name "Sam's Wholesale Club," a name chosen to honor the company's founder, Sam Walton. As of October 31, 2022, Sam's Club operated 600 membership warehouse clubs and accounted for 11.3% of Walmart's revenue, reaching $57.839 billion in fiscal year 2019. The current president and CEO of Sam's Club is Christopher Nicholas.

Walmart's Global eCommerce: Powering the Digital Marketplace

Walmart's Global eCommerce division, headquartered in San Bruno, California, is the driving force behind the company's online retail operations. This division provides online retailing services for Walmart, Sam's Club, Asda, and all other international brands, demonstrating its broad scope and influence. Within the United States, the division maintains several locations in California and Oregon, specifically in San Bruno, Sunnyvale, Brisbane, and Portland, showcasing its strong presence in the technology sector. Its global operations also extend beyond the U.S., with key locations in Shanghai (China), Leeds (United Kingdom), and Bangalore (India), highlighting its international reach and diverse team.

Subsidiaries

Walmart's Private Label Brands: A Closer Look

Private label brands constitute a significant part of Walmart's product offerings, representing approximately 40 percent of the products sold in its stores. These brands are produced for the company through contracts with various manufacturers. Walmart first ventured into private label brands in 1991 with the launch of Sam's Choice, a line of drinks produced by Primo Water. Sam's Choice quickly gained popularity, and by 1993, it had become the third-most-popular beverage brand in the United States, showcasing the potential of private label products in the market. Other notable Walmart brands include Great Value and Equate, which are popular in the U.S. and Canada, and Smart Price in Britain. A 2006 study highlighted "the magnitude of mind-share Walmart appears to hold in the shoppers' minds when it comes to the awareness of private label brands and retailers," demonstrating the strong connection the brand has with shoppers.

Walmart's Foray into Entertainment: A Blend of Content and Commerce

In an interesting move that combined entertainment and brand integration, Walmart teamed up with Procter & Gamble in 2010 to produce Secrets of the Mountain and The Jensen Project, two-hour family movies that featured the characters using Walmart and Procter & Gamble-branded products, demonstrating an innovative approach to advertising. The Jensen Project also incorporated a preview of a product that would be released in Walmart stores several months later, highlighting a strategic link between content and commerce. A third movie, A Walk in My Shoes, also aired in 2010, and a fourth is currently in production, showing a commitment to this marketing strategy. Additionally, Walmart's director of brand marketing also serves as co-chair of the Association of National Advertisers's Alliance for Family Entertainment, showcasing Walmart's influence within the entertainment industry.

Conclusion

The journey of Walmart, from a humble five-and-dime store to a global retail behemoth, is a compelling narrative of ambition, adaptation, and transformation. From its early days in rural Arkansas, founded by the vision of Sam and Bud Walton, the company has relentlessly expanded, evolving from a regional power to a multinational giant. We've explored its growth through the decades, from its early discount stores to the sprawling Supercenters, and the rise of Neighborhood Markets to address a different kind of consumer need. We've witnessed its ventures into international markets, some successful, like its operations in Canada and the UK with ASDA, and some not, like its attempts in Germany and Indonesia.

Walmart's influence extends beyond its vast retail network. Its strategic moves into e-commerce, powered by its Global eCommerce division, show its commitment to adapt and to compete in the digital age, with the development of its own platforms to compete with Amazon, and its focus on the expansion of its delivery methods. It has also ventured into new spaces, such as healthcare with its pharmacy services and health centers, and into entertainment with the creation of movies in partnership with Procter & Gamble, and even into fin-tech and new types of technologies.

However, Walmart's story is not without its complexities. The company has faced criticisms regarding its impact on local economies, and has been involved in various scandals, including allegations of corruption and mistreatment of workers, that have cast a shadow on its corporate image. These setbacks serve as important reminders of the challenges and responsibilities that come with such vast global power and influence.

Yet, despite these challenges, Walmart has demonstrated a remarkable capacity for innovation and resilience. It has consistently adapted to changing market conditions, pioneering new retail concepts, and embracing new technologies. The company's focus on sustainability, with initiatives such as its Project Gigaton, and its recent attempts to improve employee benefits, showcase its ability to evolve to meet the changing times.

As Walmart continues to grow and innovate, its impact on the global economy and consumer culture remains undeniable. Whether you view it as a force for progress or an example of corporate overreach, the legacy of Walmart is one that continues to shape the retail landscape, with its successes, failures and lessons learned. Its story serves as a testament to the power of retail and the constant need for companies to adapt in order to thrive in an ever-changing world.