Wal-Mart....Saving the Retail Recession??

Wal-Mart has long been the choice for those wanting to save money on anything from toilet paper, to groceries, clothing, some household appliances, and much more, and with the economy in a constant downfall it is actually saving some of the recession numbers. Compared to January 2008, retailers sales have declined by 1.6 %, but without Wal-Mart's sales included in that number, the decline would have fallen by a staggering 5.6%. Wal-Mart has often had competitors such as Target and K-mart, but Wal-Mart has always had the winning hand with it's everyday low prices strategy and as the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart has no need to worry about it's sales.

In the past, some of the middle class and wealthier Americans, have bought cars, large appliances, and vacations like most people shop for groceries, but lately people have been buying groceries with the thoughoutful consideration of how people buy a luxury car. With this said, since Wal-Mart has the cheapest prices for almost all grocery items and most other shopping products, it has become a normal stomping ground for Americans feeling the recession. Many retail stores have beat their low expectation sales goals, but have still experienced double digit percentages of sales declines. Wal-Mart says that they give a large amount of their success during these times to an increase in customer traffic. This helps Wal-Mart stay on top of the retail game.

This article relates to me because although I do not really like shopping at Wal-Mart, I like many other Americans, have succombed to the Wal-Mart scene. The aesthetics of the store, crowded interior, traffic jams in the parking lot, and overall store personality, just aren't something that I enjoy or want to deal with when I need basic living products. Normally, Target is my store of choice, but the recession has definitely hit me and going to Wal-Mart has been something that isn't much of a choice but more of a need.

This article can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/business/06retail.html?ref=business.