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What do ou understand by Business Environment
Business environment
Business environment
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The competitive environment
As we all know it that Costco Wholesale Corporation is the biggest multinational corporation, and it is the second largest retailer in the world after Wal-Mart. Since, we all know that when a company or a person get success in his or her business he or she will definitely get some competitors (from the same or similar industry which offers similar products and services), in the market. This is the case for Costco Wholesale Corporation. The corporation has four major competitors such as Amazon, Wal-Mart, Target, and Jet.com. However, Wal-Mart is still their biggest competitor.
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores is the world's first retailer in Canada, as well as the world's largest company. It is the number one biggest discount retailer in the United States. The store sells groceries, general merchandise, electronic items, etc., The Company operates more than 5,300 stores in the US, including about 4,600 Wal-Mart Stores and 660 Sam's Club membership-only warehouse clubs. Moreover, Wal-Mart is the biggest competitor for Costco.
Amazon
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Amazon is the fourth most valuable public company and the largest Internet Company by revenue in the world.
In 2017, Amazon acquired Whole Foods Market. The Whole Foods had disrupted the grocery industry such as Wal-Mart, Target, and Costco. Additionally, Amazon had acquired Whole Foods for $13.7 billion, which vastly increased Amazon's presence in the retail industry. The organic grocery chain Whole Foods had a big impact on Costco Wholesale Corporation because Costco stock price falls down, they had investor problem, and Costco customer had started to shop from Amazon for electronics, books, clothes, and groceries. Amazon became one of the biggest competitors for
Costco. https://ezproxy.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&AN=123112938&site=eds-live&scope=site https://ezproxy.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&AN=124573692&site=eds-live&scope=site Target Corporation Target is the second discount retailer in the United States (behind Wal-Mart). Target sells groceries, general merchandise, electronic items, etc., just like Costco, Wal-Mart, and Amazon. Furthermore, Target operates 1,800-plus stores across North America, as well as an online business at Target.com. Target is the third biggest competitor for Costco. Jet. com Jet.com is also a competitor for Costco and Amazon because the company have some same plan, strategy, and services that both Costco and Amazon provides. The similarity is in their plan because Jet.com has a simple plan to offer product in a lower price on the web just like Costco and Amazon, also when some consumers buys some items from the company web, and adds their product they want to buy in their carts, the price will be even cheaper than before. However, the main similarity Jet.com has with Costco is that the customers can only make any purchase if he or she has a member card. Also, the consumer has to pay a $50 annual fee for the card just like Costco. Jet.com is one of the competitor of Costco because of his similarity with Costco plans and services.
The food market business is usually a difficult one, but online retailer Amazon's proceeding to purchase high-end chain Whole Foods changed the landscape. The new corporation is currently reducing prices, as well as Amazon is managing to reduce costs by taking its online expertise
Wal-Mart, a "Big-Box Retailer" employs more than 2.1 million associates worldwide and has two-thousand seven-hundred stores in the United States with many more in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Central America, Chile, China, Germany, Japan, Korea, India, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom, making Wal-Mart the largest retailer in the world. "Wal-Mart accounts for upward of 30 percent of U.S. sales, and plans to more than double its sales within the next five years" (Lynn 29-36). Why is Wal-Mart so successful, and is Wal-Mart actually bad for America?
"Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is the world's largest retailer, with $285.2 billion in sales in the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2005. The company employs 1.6 million associates worldwide through more than 3,700 facilities in the United States and more than 2,400 units in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. More than 138 million customers per week visit Wal-Mart stores worldwide." (Walmartfacts.com)
Costco Wholesale Corporation was an uncommon type of retailers called wholesale clubs. These clubs differentiated themselves from other retailer by requiring annual membership purchase. Especially in case of Costco, their target market is wealthier clientele of small business owners and middle class shoppers. They are now known as a low cost or discount retailer where they sell products in bulk with limited brands and their own brand. The company is competing with stores like Wal-Mart, SAM’s, BJ’s, and Sears.
Costco was founded on September 15th, 1983 by Jeffery Brotman and James Sinegal (Chesley). It became renowned for its warehouse club retail model, pioneered by former competitor Price Club. After a major merger in 1993 with Price Club, Costco expanded to 206 locations, doubling the size of the company (“Costco Wholesale Historical Highlights”). The decision was based on the fact Costco and Price Club shared similar business philosophies, operations, and the looming threat of being taken over by Sam’s Club. Operating as PriceCostco, international expansion began with development of stores in Mexico, the opening of two stores in England, and the licensing of a Price Club in South Korea ("Costco Wholesale Corporation").
Petco on the other hand is competing with PetSmart and other pet food stores and maintaining their percentage in the market. The company’s competitive strategy relating to its internal analysis is to expand its market to other animals: Horses, Cattle, and Hamsters to Tarantulas.
Let start with Costco. Costco is Wholesale, Retail Corporation which operates an international chain of membership distribution centers that provides quality, brand name merchandise at noticeably more affordable rates than a conventional wholesale or retail sources. Costco 's warehouses display the largest and great product categories such as groceries, candy, appliances, television and media, automotive supplies, tires, toys, hardware, sporting goods, jewelry, watches, cameras, books, house wares, apparel, health and beauty aids, tobacco, furniture, office supplies and office Their ability to distribute the cut rate from their operating proficiencies in supply chain management and cash flow, permits them to offers items at discounted rate and a lower price than their competitors. For Costco the meaning of being the low-cost provider while also differentiating from the competitors is ambiguous at best. Costco’s CEO, Jim Sinegal, is certain that low priced, and the high value merchandises are exactly what is needed maintain and achieve a staying power in the industry.
In the warehouse segment, Wal-Mart’s Sam’s Club competes harshly with Costco. Costco has fewer warehouses but greater sales and revenues. Costco customers also shop at Costco more frequently than Sam’s Club customers and, on average, spend more each visit as well. Costco’s dominance may be the result of better innovation. Costco offers luxury items and was the first to sell fresh meat and produce, and gasoline. This is important because innovation is a key factor in assessing competitors in an industry.
Walmart a name known globally they are a true empire. They are known as one of the largest company in the world. Sam Walton founded Walmart opening the first store in 1952 and Arkansas since then in has grown. According to Snyder Walmart is located in over 27 counties they have over a 11,000 stores and over two million employees. Walmart stands by the mission statement “We save people money so they can live better.” Walmart is known for is super low prices, and they compete with anyone who tries to enter their market. Walmart has a very formal and bureaucratic structure. There is a very clear hierarchy and commands come from the top and flows to the bottom. Although Walmart is so successful they have received lots of backlash due to some
Wal-Mart now operates retail stores around the globe in three different facets: Wal-Mart Stores, Sam's Club, and International.
Key Issues: At the end of 2012, Costco was a successful business; however, there are some issues that they would need to deal with. These issues mainly arise from their previous successful ventures as a warehouse wholesale company. The first issue is that Costco has competitors that can actually be and are a threat to their success. Competition allows a company to improve itself and prove its prowess to its customers. However, when a competitor is able to provide the service at a much reduced cost, problems will arise.
WALMART store inclusive is the largest retailer and the largest company in terms of revenue.
Wal-Mart is the world's largest retailer and second largest corporation. It is the largest private employer in the United States and Mexico. Wal-Mart is the largest grocery retailer in the United States, with an estimated 20% of the retail grocery and consumables business, and the largest toy seller in the United States, with an estimated 45% of the retail toy business, having surpassed Toys"R" Us in the late 1990s. Wal-Mart has 1,929 stores which as of 2005 sales figures totaled about $155,477,000,000 in sales. Wal-Marts revenue as of 2006 was an estimated $315,654 billion USD, net income $11.231billion USD, and employs more than 1.8 million employees.1
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is in the discount, variety stores industry. It was founded in 1945, Bentonville in Arkansas which is also the headquarters of Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart operates locally as well as worldwide. It operated 1209 discount stores, 1980 super centers, and 567 Sam’s Club by January 31, 2006. It has also extended its operations to many international countries. It runs its retail stores in two forms: Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart Stores. The Sam’s Club sells assorted product lines such as hardwares, electronics, jewelry, and to mention a few. The Wal-Mart stores also offer similar products in addition to the following: health and beauty products, apparel for women, men and children, household appliances etc (www.yahoo.finance.com). The Vision Statement, Mission Statement, Values and Code of Conduct, Corporate Governance: Directors, Executive Management, Committees and Stakeholder will be the key elements that will discussed in this report as it relates to Wal-Mart. In addition to that, the major trends in the general/macro environment and industry will be analyzed.
The Wal-mart is the largest retail chain in United States and in the world. The wal-mart was founded in the year 1962 by Mr Sam Walton. It was originally named as Wal-Mart discount city in Rogers, Arkansas. At the time when the Wal-Mart stores started in the year 1962 it was focused only in small rural cites and town which had a population of 5000 to 25000. It was soon increased to 18 stores in 1969. In the next 30 years it had more than 4750 stores across 50 states in USA and 9 countries with $245 billion sales. It started its international operations in Mexico in the year 1991 and then it expanded it to different countries across Europe and Asia.