Will Wal-Mart Take Over The World?

Wal-Mart's expansion, despite the recession, shows little sign of slowing. How can smaller retailers survive? Business Week reports.

1 minute read

December 2, 2002, 4:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen

"In the old days, there were shops of all kinds -- bakeries, shoe stores, pharmacies, and the like. Then came Wal-Mart. And the fear that the giant all-in-one store would come to small towns and squash mom-and-pop operations turned out to be real. American consumers find the Bentonville, (Ark.)-based discounter... irresistible for its convenience, selection, and low prices. As local stores have continued to close, Wal-Mart has grown to 2,780 outlets in the U.S. alone... How can other retailers survive the Wal-Mart juggernaut? The answer is, and has always been, differentiation."

Thanks to Chris Steins

FULL STORY: Will Wal-Mart Take Over the World?

Wednesday, November 27, 2002 in Business Week

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