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Walmart Effect in Our Society

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Submitted By mercerd84
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The average Walmart Supercenter is between 90,000 and 260,000 square feet in size, and there are over 3900 of them throughout the United States of America. Often reported as being the largest retailer in the world, it is actually hard to describe just what Walmart is since it affects so many different people in so many different ways. With services ranging from pharmacy, sales of electronics, clothing, food and alcohol, Walmart incorporates the main business functions of many individual stores and businesses into one superstore located in most cities throughout the United States. While Walmart’s retail reach affects people in many positive ways, there are other people in every community that are affected negatively. This “effect” ranges from low prices on goods, to forcing smaller retailers out of business to impacts on the environment and pay equality. Traded as WMT on the New York Stock Exchange, Walmart is routinely ranked as the number one retailer in the world. With annual sales in 2011 reaching $421.9 billion dollars, it is not hard to imagine just how big of an impact Walmart has on the world of retail. Considering that the company started out as a small “5 and dime” franchise store in Bentonville, Arkansas in 1962 by founder Sam Walton, it really is incredible to see that the company now employs 1.6 million people. The company’s strategy of expansion and cost cutting are legendary with more than 1000 superstores being completed in only 5 years, and a commitment to open or convert 1000 more new stores to sell fresh produce to areas of the country that are underserved by grocery chain stores by 2016 (Superville). This number is up from the 200 stores Walmart has opened which target these “food deserts” where produce is underserved, since

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