Carrefour and Wal-Mart! Anxious

The secret of success of Wal-Mart, the retail kingdom

1In August, 1996, Wal-Mart, the world's first retail brand, entered the China market and set off a shopping whirlwind in Shenzhen, shocking the traditional department store retail industry. What is Wal-Mart's marketing secret? Why should Wal-Mart build a retail kingdom that dominates the world?

Sam walton, the founder of Wal-Mart, once said

We work side by side. This is the secret. We reduce the cost of living for each customer. We want to give the world a chance to see what it is like to improve everyone's life through savings.

US$ 93.6 billion: Sales reached a world record.

No industry is more closely related to consumers' daily life than retail. An American scholar once defined the mission of retail industry as "improving living standards and spreading happiness". Wal-Mart is the most dazzling pearl in this industry.

199 1 year, Wal-Mart's annual sales exceeded $40 billion, making it one of the largest retail enterprises in the world. According to the classified ranking of American service industry 1994 published by Happiness magazine in May, the sales of Wal-Mart 1993 reached US$ 67.34 billion, an increase of more than11800 million over the previous year, surpassing Sears, which ranked first in 1992, and ranked first in American retail industry. From 65438 to 0995, Wal-Mart's sales continued to grow, setting a world record in retail industry, achieving annual sales of 93.6 billion US dollars, ranking fourth in Fortune magazine's list of 95 largest enterprises in the United States. In fact, Wal-Mart's annual sales are equivalent to the sum of all department stores in the United States, and it still maintains a strong development momentum. In contrast, the annual sales of some large department stores in China, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, are only several billion RMB, which is far from Wal-Mart.

Up to now, Wal-Mart has 265,438+033 Wal-Mart stores, 469 Sam member stores and 248 Wal-Mart shopping malls in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, China and Indonesia. It has developed so rapidly in just a few decades that it has to be said that it is a miracle of the retail industry.

How does Wal-Mart quickly develop from a small retail store to a large retail group and become the first retail brand in the world?

First of all, Wal-Mart put forward the aim of "helping customers save every penny" and realized the promise of the cheapest price.

Secondly, it is not enough to have cheap goods. Wal-Mart also provides customers with the new enjoyment of superb service. The company has always adhered to the principle of "service first, employees are different". When you walk into Wal-Mart, customers will feel at home.

Third, Wal-Mart promotes the new concept of "one-stop" shopping. Customers can buy all the goods they need in the shortest time and at the fastest speed. It is this fast and convenient way of shopping that attracts modern consumers.

In addition, although Wal-Mart has repeatedly reduced its advertising expenditure in order to reduce costs, it still gives generously to various public welfare undertakings. No pains, no gains. Wal-Mart's long-term investment in public welfare activities and its unique creativity have greatly improved the popularity of Pinjing brand and successfully shaped its outstanding image in the eyes of consumers.

Finally, the key reason why Wal-Mart can surpass Sears is that Wal-Mart adopts different retail management forms for different target consumers, occupying high-end and low-end markets respectively. For example: Wal-Mart Fair Shopping Plaza for middle and lower class consumers; Sam member shop that only provides various benefits and services for members; And the Wal-Mart department store, which is popular with upper-class consumers.

The above five reasons enable Wal-Mart to stand out from the retail industry and establish a unique contemporary retail kingdom. The following describes its success in detail from these five aspects, which may inspire domestic retail enterprises to accelerate the process of developing international retail brands.

First, promise the cheapest price.

All large supermarket chains adopt low-cost management strategies. What makes Wal-Mart different is that it tries its best to save money from various aspects, such as purchase channels, distribution methods, marketing expenses and management expenses, and puts forward the slogan of "parity every day and consistency", striving to realize the promise of cheaper prices than other firms.

Strict purchasing attitude, perfect distribution system and advanced inventory management are the key factors for Wal-Mart to achieve the lowest cost and the cheapest price.

Its founder Walton once said, "We attach importance to the value of every penny, because one of the purposes of our service is to help every customer save money when shopping in the store. Every time we save a dollar, we win the trust of our customers. " To this end, he asked every purchaser to be firm when purchasing goods. He warned: "You are not bargaining for the store, but bargaining for the customers. We should strive for the best price for our customers. "

Wal-Mart generally buys goods directly from the factory, and the purchase price is the lowest. Once the transaction is concluded, the headquarters will inform the manufacturer to send the goods directly to the Wal-Mart distribution center. Wal-Mart has 65,438+06 distribution centers in the United States, all of which are located less than one day away from the outlets. It has more than 6,000 trucks and transports an average of 654.38+900,000 boxes of goods every day. From 65438 to 0987, the company established the largest private satellite communication system in the United States, in order to save the communication cost between headquarters and branches, speed up decision-making communication and information feedback, and improve the operation efficiency of the whole company. The high-speed computer at the headquarters connects 16 distribution centers and 1000 stores. Every item sold at the checkout counter of the store through a laser scanner will be automatically recorded in the computer. When the stock of a certain commodity is reduced to a certain amount, the computer will send a signal to remind the store to ask for the goods from the headquarters in time. The headquarters arranges the supply of goods and sends them to the nearest distribution center, and then the computer in the distribution center arranges the delivery time and route. The required goods will appear on the shelves of the warehouse within 36 hours after the store places an order. This efficient inventory management enables the company to quickly grasp the sales situation and market demand trends, and replenish the inventory shortage in time. This can reduce the inventory risk, reduce the backlog of funds and speed up the operation of funds.

Wal-Mart has also adopted warehouse management, which fully embodies economies of scale in the cost of commodity sales. For example, the interior decoration of Sam's member store is simple, and all shelf space is used to store and display goods as much as possible. The price is not marked on every commodity, but on the shelf. As long as the barcode of the goods is scanned, the cash register will accurately collect the price. Commodities are mostly sold in large packages to reduce the cost of a single package. With the continuous improvement of China's productivity level and the enhancement of consumers' purchasing power, many cities have the conditions to implement this model. Merchants gradually realized the advantages of warehousing business model and began some attempts. Cheap storage stores like Guangkelong are opening one after another. At present, the most critical issue is to learn from the experience of foreign successful enterprises (such as Wal-Mart) to achieve the lowest cost and achieve economies of scale more comprehensively and thoroughly.

In addition to the above points, Wal-Mart chose the strategy of reducing advertising expenses in order to reduce operating expenses. General large department stores in the United States advertise on TV or newspapers 50- 100 times a year, while Wal-Mart only advertises 12 times. Facing the American market flooded with advertisements, Wal-Mart boldly adopted this advertising strategy and remained invincible for a long time, from which we can get some enlightenment: for businesses, blindly increasing advertising investment may not necessarily lead to a proportional increase in turnover. Sometimes, if the advertising expenses are appropriately reduced, the operating costs will be correspondingly reduced, and the performance will be significantly improved.

Second, the new enjoyment of super-class service

In the retail industry, comfortable shopping environment and good service are bound to be associated with higher prices; However, in chain supermarkets with low commodity prices, customers can only get discounts on shopping prices, but they can't enjoy quality services. K-Mart is a famous large discount chain store in America. Its storefront is very big, but in order to save labor costs, there are few clerks. Although there are many kinds of cheap goods on display in the shop, it is not easy for customers to ask one or two shop assistants about them. Here, although customers have satisfied their desire to buy cheap goods, they don't feel that the clerk pays a little attention to them, so there is a fly in the ointment in their hearts.

It is not enough for retail enterprises to establish brand image in customers' minds only by relying on good quality and cheap goods. Customers also want to enjoy meticulous and enthusiastic service while shopping. It is with this in mind that Wal-Mart attracts a large number of customers with its superb service from the customer's point of view. When you walk into any Wal-Mart supermarket, the clerk will immediately appear in front of you, smiling. There is such a slogan in the shop: "We try our best to ensure that every product will satisfy you!" If customers are not satisfied with any goods they buy here, they can return them to the store within one month and get full payment. Walton once said, "We all work for customers. You may think you are working for your boss, but in fact he is just like you. There is a big boss outside our organization, and that is the customer. " Wal-Mart regards quality service as its highest duty.

In many Wal-Mart stores, there are signs like this:

1. The customer is always right;

2. If Gurong has any mistakes, please refer to Article 1.

This is a vivid portrayal of Wal-Mart's customer first principle. Some employees said with emotion, "Wal-Mart made us realize for the first time that customers are always right.

The secret of Wal-Mart's management lies in constantly understanding customers' needs, putting yourself in their shoes and providing customers with the greatest convenience. Once, a customer went to Wal-Mart to find a special paint, but the store was out of stock, so the manager of the paint department personally took the customer to the opposite paint store to buy it. The customers and the owner of the paint shop are very grateful. Walton often says to employees, "Let's treat our customers with friendliness and enthusiasm, just like entertaining guests at home, and let them feel that we care about their needs all the time."

Third, the new concept of "one-stop" shopping.

Whether customers can buy all the goods they need at one time, whether they can get the sales information of new products in time, whether they can enjoy extra services such as door-to-door delivery and free parking, and whether they can shop in the store at any time ... These questions are also important signs to evaluate the quality of a store.

In Wal-Mart, consumers can experience the new concept of "one-stop shopping". In terms of commodity structure, we strive to be rich in varieties and distinctive in characteristics to meet customers' various preferences. Its business projects are diverse, including food, toys, new clothes, cosmetics, household appliances, daily necessities, meat, fruits and vegetables.

In addition, for the convenience of customers, Wal-Mart has set up some special service types:

● Free parking. For example, the Sam store in Shenzhen has nearly 400 free parking spaces with a business area of over 12000 square meters, while another Wal-Mart shopping plaza with a business area of over 17800 square meters also has about 150 parking spaces.

● Wal-Mart moved the bakery into the shopping center, and even set up the "Sam Leisure Corridor", where all the delicious food and fresh cakes are for customers to enjoy after shopping.

● Hiring professionals in the store to consult customers about computers, cameras, video recorders and related products for free will help reduce the risks brought by blind purchase.

● There is a Michelle Xerox document processing business center in the store, which can provide customers with many services, including color document production, copying, enlargement and reduction of engineering drawings, high-speed printing and so on.

● Wal-Mart can provide delivery service for a purchase of more than 2,000 yuan, and 49 yuan every time within the prescribed scope (because the commodity price does not include delivery fees).

In addition, Shenzhen Sam Store handles all mobile computer sales and all models sold by the Mobile Bureau. The price is cheaper than other agency outlets 100 yuan; We also sell Runxun's communication products as an agent, and charge various types of Taiwan fees. All kinds of Chinese computers and digital computers are cheaper than other Runxun outlets in 50 yuan.

In the location of stores, Wal-Mart also takes convenience for customers to shop as the primary consideration. In the United States, its tentacles extend to remote small towns that Sears and Kmart disdain. From Minnesota to Mississippi, from Southern California to Oklahoma, Wal-Mart is everywhere. Wal-Mart will open in any township as long as it lacks cheap stores.

Fourth, donate public welfare to establish an image.

In order to provide more benefits to customers, Wal-Mart tries its best to reduce advertising expenses. For this reason, Wal-Mart has made great efforts to promote creativity and strive to get the best results with the least investment. All products promoted by Wal-Mart are always snapped up. In terms of promotion methods, Wal-Mart pays special attention to the role of event marketing 8. For example, the "Precision Shopping Float Training Team" was set up at the Fairbury branch in Nablus, California, and participated in the local float parade. All the players dressed in Wal-Mart uniforms and pushing floats to change formation stood out in the parade. In order to add some interest to the boring life in the community and create a happy atmosphere, Wal-Mart will regularly hold a series of outdoor auctions, bands and circus performances to attract customers to shop. Every year, on the second Saturday of 10, Wal-Mart will hold a "Eating Round Mooncakes" competition in the parking lot of Oyanta branch. This activity attracted many customers from other states to attend and watch. News media reports further enhanced the popularity of the competition and Wal-Mart. In addition, when Wal-Mart's stock went public, Wall Street securities analysts and shareholders were invited to go boating in the stream and camping on the lake.

Although Wal-Mart has repeatedly cut advertising expenses, on the other hand, it has been generous in donating money to non-profit organizations and public welfare undertakings (such as schools, libraries, economic development groups, hospitals, medical research projects and environmental protection projects).

▲ Since 1983, Wal-Mart has donated $52 million to United Way charities in various states in the United States.

▲ The branch in Xiangshan City, Georgia held a pro-pig contest to raise money for charity.

▲ Since 1988, Wal-Mart has raised $57 million to help children's hospitals set up "Children's Miracle" TV programs, and is the largest sponsor.

▲ Walton also actively funded public and private schools and set up special scholarships to help Latin American students go to Arkansas to study at universities. He also donated a certain percentage of the turnover of his own brand "Sam American Select" as a scholarship to students studying mathematics, science and computer.

However, domestic retail enterprises are rarely willing to invest in public welfare undertakings whose short-term direct benefits are not obvious. What they care about is often seasonal promotion and publicity. In fact, donating to public welfare undertakings (such as Project Hope) is a long-term investment, which plays an important role in improving brand awareness and corporate image in the long run.

Verb (abbreviation of verb) market segment full coverage

Sears Company is the originator of the global bulk mail order and retail industry, and was established in 1886. Before 1992, it kept the first position in the retail industry. Its popularity in the United States is amazing-8 out of every 65,438+00 people in the United States go shopping at Sears at least once a year. Sears' commodity route has always been aimed at the middle and lower classes. One of its main selling points, like Wal-Mart, is the low price of goods. However, after entering the 1990s, Sears' retail business was in crisis, and by 1992, it had been overtaken by Wal-Mart with only a few decades' history. For the survival and development of the company, Sears had to change its business strategy and turn its attention to insurance, real estate, finance and credit card industries to diversify its operations. So why can Wal-Mart beat Sears, which has been dominant for many years, in the battlefield of retail?

Wal-Mart has chosen a variety of retail forms to target different grades of consumers in brand management strategy. It is precisely because Wal-Mart attacked from all sides and seized the high-end and low-end markets that Wal-Mart replaced Sears, which was once popular in the United States, and became the first brand in the retail industry.

After World War II, the structural level of consumers began to change constantly. The original middle and lower classes have gradually divided into "upper middle class" and "lower middle class". In order to cope with this change, Wal-Mart decisively adopted brand strategy in different business forms. Among them, the Sam Member Store founded by 1983 and the Wal-Mart Shopping Plaza founded by 1988 are all aimed at "lower" level consumers, so as to achieve an ideal situation of reducing expenses more thoroughly and win over most customers who originally belonged to Sears. Another business form, Wal-Mart General Store, was established in 1987, with a large scale and excellent service. Sears sells a wide range of products that are unique. In contrast, most of the products sold by Sears are simple in style and lack of uniqueness, so the "upper middle class" customers will certainly not be attached to Sears. Because Wal-Mart challenged Sears from these two aspects at the same time and launched an attack, Sears was unable to compete with it, and finally gave up the position of the boss and moved to industries other than retail.

Membership system is a new retail form. Sam member store is a major feature of Wal-Mart's operation, and it is also a magic weapon to win the market and defeat Sears.

Membership brings many benefits to Wal-Mart:

1. Established a long-term and stable consumer market. Wal-Mart has turned a large number of unstable consumers into stable tenants through membership system and organizational constraints, thus greatly improving Wal-Mart's turnover and market share.

2. A large number of brand loyalists have been trained. Through the membership system, consumers who become members will shop in Sam member stores for a long time, which will easily lead to buying habits, thus cultivating consumers' loyalty to Wal-Mart, a retailer brand.

3. The membership fee income is considerable. Although the membership fee is a small sum relative to individuals, it is a considerable income for Sam stores with many members, often more than the net profit of sales.

On the other hand, membership is a form of promotion similar to price reduction, and consumers can also get many benefits from it, such as:

A enjoy ultra-low price concessions or special services. For consumers, joining a Sam store can enjoy lower price concessions, and the one-time membership fee is far less than the ultra-low price concessions they will enjoy every time they shop in the future, so they are often willing to join a member store.

B convenient for shopping. Once consumers become members, they can enjoy various special services; For example, you can receive the style, performance and price information of newly arrived goods on a regular basis and enjoy home delivery service.

C you can use your membership card to give gifts to your relatives and friends. There are many forms of membership cards, and its supplementary cards can be transferred to others as gifts.

Members of Sam member stores can be divided into two categories: corporate members and individual members. To apply for business membership, a copy of valid business license must be presented, and 8 affiliated members can be nominated; Individual member applicants can nominate 2 affiliated members only by presenting their ID cards or passports. The fees for the two types of members are uniform, with the annual fee for the main card being 150 yuan and the annual fee for the supplementary card being each 50 yuan (taking Shenzhen Sam Store as an example). Simple membership procedures ensure that every consumer has the possibility of becoming a member and enjoying preferential treatment.

Wal-Mart (Wal-Mart) Small Documents:

1950 Walton, Sam opened its first exclusive store.

1962, Walton opened the first Wal-Mart store in rajesh, Arkansas under the name of "WaI-Mart".

Wal-Mart was listed in new york in 1972. In the following 17 years, its value increased by 100 times (to 1989).

1979, Wal-Mart's total sales exceeded $65,438 billion for the first time.

1983, Sam Sam Club successfully opened.

From 65438 to 0985, the famous American financial magazine Forbes listed Walton as the richest man in the United States.

1987, the first general department store (HyperMart) opened in Galen, Texas, and established one of the largest private satellite communication systems in the United States, connecting its subordinate branches with its headquarters.

1988 In March, the first Wal-Mart supermarket was established in Washington, Missouri.

199 1 year, in cooperation with the famous local CIFAS, 45 Sam member stores and wal-mart stores were established in Mexico. A, and opened 122 chain stores in Canada.

On March 1992, Walton was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

1993 There are 330 retail stores in Britain, France, Germany and other European countries, and their overseas turnover accounts for 27.6% of the total turnover.

1994 formally established an international business department to take charge of overseas affairs.

1August, 996 12 China's first Wal-Mart shopping plaza and Sam member store opened in Shenzhen.

Ten principles of successful management in sam walton:

1. Manage wholeheartedly and do better than others.

2. Share profits with colleagues.

3. Encourage your colleagues.

4. Communicate with colleagues in everything.

5. Appreciate colleagues' contribution to the company.

Celebrate your success, but don't be discouraged if you fail.

7. Listen to the opinions of everyone in the company.

8. Exceeding customers' expectations, they will come again and again.

9. Control costs are lower than competitors.

10. Go upstream, find another way and give up traditional ideas.

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