I require an essay in the APA Format, based on the below attachment. I need the flowing sections , researched , analyzed, and a marketing plan created based on the company, WALMART. The following 3 se

Running head: MARKETING PLAN FOR WALMART COMPANY 1

Marketing Plan for Walmart Company

Robert John Bell II

Columbia Southern Univerity

Situation Analysis

Walmart is among the leading and vastest retailers in the global consumer industry. The success of the firm results from different strategies, a strong market presence, and an extensive brand portfolio. According to McMillan (2012), the firm serves more than 200 million clients every week and manages more than 1000 retail stores in over 26 countries.

Competitive market

The firm faces significant competition from other players in the global consumer industry. Some of the major competitors include online stores and companies that provide similar commodities and services (Kamath, 2018). However, a strong market presence and economies of scale provide the firm with numerous competitive advantages that enable it to maintain its market dominance and influence.

Targeted market segments

The firm targets all the consumption segments because it provides different products to meet the needs of all demographic groups ranging from children to adults (McMillan, 2012). It also targets the middle-income earners with its low-cost strategy.

Company's capabilities stack up against the competition

Some of the strategies that the firm has adopted to increase its influence over competitors include making alliances with strategic partners. This approach has enabled the firm to coordinate with other prominent firms in different regions and offset competition (Kamath, 2018). The firm has also been focusing on its e-commerce capabilities to take advantage of internet marketing opportunities and to ward off the competition of other web-based firms.

Market Summary

The past analysis shows that Walmart accounts for about 15 percent of all the retail sales in different categories, including grocery, house furnishings, electronics, and general merchandise, among others. The firm has been recording an average of about 10.6 billion dollars in incremental sales annually. It dominated in the grocery category with a 23 percent market share, which is about 2.5 times the size of the next largest competitor (McMillan, 2012). The firm also led in the e-groceries category with 17 percent market share, which represents an increase of 2 percent from 2017.

SWOT Analysis:

Competition:

WalMart's main competitors include Amazon, an online retail company that also provides promotional and marketing services. Amazon is ranked among the most innovative firms globally, with a substantial online market presence and massive turnover. Another major competitor is Alibaba, an e-commerce firm. The company has been categorized among the Fab 50 firms in Asia. IKEA is also among Walmart’s significant competitors (Krugman, 2015). It operates in about 50 countries and enjoys a significant brand presence in the United States. Other notable competitors include eBay, Walgreens, and 7 Eleven, among others.

Competition strategies

Walmart’s competitive approaches mainly involve low-cost strategy. It provides medium quality commodities at a lower price than other competitors do. The firm maintains this approach because of its excellent supply chain and economies of scale (McMillan, 2012). The firm also pursues the strategy of value orientation to ensure that the clients remain satisfied and loyal to the brand. Walmart has adequate logistics networks that enable it to manage the movement of commodities and sell 100 percent of its inventory. The firm also uses market control as its competitive strategy. This approach involves the creation of barriers for new entrants and the adoption of creative techniques such as technology to increase its competitive advantages.

Product offerings

Walmart recognizes that modern consumers require the convenience of one-stop shopping experience (Kamath, 2018). Therefore, the company ensures that its clients can access all their product offerings in their stores. Some of the products offered in Walmart’s supercenters include grocery, fresh produce, bakery, deli, and dairy products. Clients can also purchase electronics, apparel, toys, and home furnishings in such stores (McMillan, 2012). Walmart stores may also include other specialty shops that provide different services such as banking, cosmetics, restaurants, healthcare, and photo lab centers. Clients can also purchase electronic products including computers, laptops, printers, digital cameras, books, jewelry, and music players, among others

Product distribution channels

Walmart implemented highly automated and centralized distribution channels that operate continuously. This approach enables the firm to meet the needs of diverse clients in different regions of operation. The company has numerous distribution centers in all regional zones. In the United States, the firm has more than 45 distribution channels that focus on importing products from different parts of the globe (Kamath, 2018). This aspect ensures that its stores are managed based on the demand for products. These distribution channels consist of more than 150 centers that directly serve retail units in the region. Each center serves about 75 to 100 retail stores (McMillan, 2012). Walmart’s distribution strategy follows a hierarchical structure that operates in a unique and systemized way to provide efficient flow of products from suppliers to the clients.

References

Kamath, R. (2018). Food traceability on blockchain: Walmart’s pork and mango pilots with IBM. The Journal of the British Blockchain Association, 1(1), 3712.

Krugman, P. (2015). Walmart’s visible hand. New York Times.

McMillan, T. (2012). The American Way of Eating: Undercover at Walmart, Applebee's, Farm Fields and the Dinner Table. Simon and Schuster.