[Name of the Writer]

[Name of Instructor]

[Subject]

[Date]

Marketing Analysis of Walmart

Introduction

Walmart is one of the leading retail stores of the world. It operates Walmart discount stores, Neighborhood Markets, supercenters, and Sam's Club located in the USA. Walmart operates in sixty nine different banners in twenty seven countries including Brazil, China, India, UK, Argentina, Canada, and many more. Its securities are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol of WMT (www.news.walmart.com). Walmart serves its members and customers more than two hundred million times a week, through different channels like retail stores, online, and on mobile devices. In the fiscal year 2012, its sales were approximately $444 billion and it employs 2.2 million workers globally (www.corporate.walmart.com).

When a company represents the world's largest retailer its brand management takes on an incredible meaning. Walmart has developed unique marketing strategies to cater thousands of target markets across the globe. It is delving deep into the comprehensive research and collaborates with the best in the industry to serve more markets, with more inventions and effectiveness (www.careers.walmart.com).

Discussion

Product

As Walmart is a multinational retailer, it has almost every product or a brand that people use or see in their everyday life. It broad range of product categories includes electronic items, video games, grocery, gifts, outdoor living, and many others. Walmart differentiates itself from other reatailers by offering a shopping experience with a wide range of products at low prices under the same roof (Jagath, 2009, n.d). Thus, the discounting strategy of Walmart is what differentiates it from other superstores. Low cost leadership is one of strategies that differentiate Walmart from others. Secondly, Walmart also uses product differentiation strategy by developing a product or services unique to its customers. According to Walmart, a unique feature associated with the brand can be created in real or in the minds of customer in order to make them believe that they are being offered something special and different. Walmart markets its brands in way that makes customers feel these are exclusive to the store. The company has achieved this strategy by offering unique brand images and warranties. According to the customers of Walmart, they believe that Walmart provides them something exclusive that they cannot find at any of the competitor's store (www.ehow.com).

Furthermore, Walmart had released Great Value brand in the year 1993 and expand and enhanced it recently in 2009. It provides families with affordable and high quality grocery, and different household consumable options as compared to national brands. Walmart strongly emphasizes on better quality of its products and for that it works with various hundred suppliers and product testing facilities to ensure Great Value quality is equal or better than the national brands by testing more than 5,250 products against leading national brands, conduct almost 2,700 customer test for comparing the texture, aroma, color, flavor, and appearance of Great Value products against leading national brands. Furthermore, Walmart has introduced eighty new brands like strawberry yogurt, thin crust pizza, and many more; with lower prices as well (www.news.walmart.com). Hence, Walmart ...