Qualitative Research on Walmart Shopping Experience

keneth 1

ASHOPPINGEXPERIENCEATWALMARTSTORE1.docx

Home >Social Science homework help >Qualitative Research on Walmart Shopping Experience

Running Head: A SHOPPING EXPERIENCE AT WALMART STORE 1

A SHOPPING EXPERIENCE AT WALMART STORE 6

A shopping experience at walmart store

Name

School

Instructor

Date due

Introduction

Walmart is one o the most hyped superstores around the world. Having branches in about 28 countries globally, it perfectly its status of global business enterprise. To get the experience, I visited the store on two different days to conduct my study. On the first day I went window shopping on the amazing goods sold by the store. I was extremely impressed by the range of goods and services offered by the store. It indeed earns its status as a hyper store.

Data analysis and developing patterns

On the second day, my aim was to make observations on how businesses were conducted at the store. Some major areas explored were quality of goods and services, accessibility of the store, its efficiency and the impact it has had on the community around it.

The data collected through observation was quite substantial (Mankekar, 2012). During analysis I established four patterns of data. The information displays the range of goods and services offered at the store, the challenges encountered the major milestones that the store overcomes and its impacts in the community. All these aspects are interrelated in that its strengths and weaknesses are all connected to their goods. Walmart has been able to impact a positive change in the lives of its customers, satisfying their needs and giving them world class shopping experiences.

Coding data through use of questionnaires

When coding the data, I established four major categories of data and nineteen related categories. The four major categories were goods and services, strengths, challenges and impacts of walmart on the community (Guy, 2008). All these categories are related in the sense that the challenges and strengths are observed from the goods sold and services offered. The weaknesses of walmart include untidiness in the arrangement of goods, delay in restocking the shelves and inaccessibility of some goods like groceries in the android app. The strengths also emanate from the goods and services. They include security at the mart, good quality products and customer friendly prices.

Positive feedback

From my observations, Walmart offers a pool of choices for customers to make purchases from. They also provide the advantage of one spot shopping for all their needs. It gives shoppers confidence to shop peacefully with their advanced security system and ample parking spots (Wolfinbarger, & Gilly, 2011). The store is competing favourably with its counterparts across the globe. The positive impacts it has had on the communities they are located in makes them stand out. This has been achieved through job creation and offering start-up loans for small businesses (Moreover, walmart has indulged itself in cooperate activities to improve communities around them. A good example is the social investment of Scotland. Through such activities, it has motivated people to work towards improving their livelihoods and partnering with Walmart.

The company fully recognizes its global responsibility in regenerating communities and maximizing taxes for national development. Generally, walmart has outdone most companies by being community centred and putting a substantial value in customer satisfaction and opinion. The mart is a major stakeholder in the global agenda to provide quality affordable and safe food and goods to people at all levels o the social ladder. Its activities in environmental sustainability are also exemplary.

Challenges in Walmart stores

Just like all other companies, Walmart has its share of challenges. First, is that there is a lot of delay in restocking the shelves. In such a world class business time is an irreplaceable resource. Goods should be delivered on time so that the customers access them whenever they need. On my study it was evident that some shelves were out of goods in some shops.

In the grocery and food section those that had expired had not yet been replaced. Customers appreciate timeliness. The delay in restocking drives them away. In addition, some shelves in the shops seemed dirty and untidy which is highly unattractive. This results in loss of customers and may cause health issues for both customers and employees (Wolfinbarger, & Gilly, 2011). It is therefore necessary that the company prioritizes cleaning in order to compete favourably in the market.

Another challenge noted was about the digital platform. Some of the goods like groceries are not available in the app for customers to purchase from home and have them delivered. The world is fast embracing digital services, the company should therefore in cooperate all its products so as to be at par with other superstores. Most goods in walmart are imported. This is a challenge because it does not promote the economy o the parent nation. The company ought to come up with innovative ways to process the raw materials from their communities so that they can promote local businesses.

Implications of the study

Upon the completion of my study, I concluded that the store is indeed worth the hype. The mart measures up to its reputation. Walmart Company has expanded notably over the time due to its extraordinary management. The customer centred mode of service delivery attracts more customers by the day. One of its major strengths is the online shopping and home delivery services. The company has also engaged in improving the communities surrounding them hence gaining their trust and confidence. The good quality of the products has earned the company a renowned reputation.

However, the company needs to improve on the few areas that their customers have highlighted. The staff should at all times maintain the tidiness o the shelves and the products themselves. The company should also broaden their online service portal to accommodate all the products (Wolfinbarger, & Gilly, 2011). They should develop innovative ways to enable them to process raw materials from the countries they are located in. This will go a long way in minimizing loss due to import duties and maximize revenue for those nations.

In conclusion, Walmart has fostered changed both in the social and economic sector while ensuring environmental sustainability. Through its management, its products have met the quality standards recommended for healthy living hence quality living standards. The company has set a millennial world record for other emerging superstores. Walmart is indeed a hypermarket to reckon with and a leader in providing quality services to the population.

Appendix

Table 1 Major categories of shoppers experience in walmart

Main categories

Related categories.

Walmart goods

Strengths

Weaknesses

General feedback

Electronics, clothing, furniture and home appliances, games, sports, food, movies and art and crafts

Security, quality of services, accessibility, efficiency, business model.

Untidiness, restocking, accessibility.

Variety of choice, social responsibility, initiatives.

The table above shows three categories and sixteen sub-categories of observations made at walmart store. These three categories are interrelated with the latter two describing the first major category. The strengths and weaknesses affect the goods directly. The general feedback results from the goods and services offered by Walmart stores.

References

Guy, C. M. (2008). Classifications of retail stores and shopping centres: some methodological issues. GeoJournal, 45(4), 255-264.

Mankekar, P. (2012). 'India Shopping': Indian grocery stores and transnational configurations of belonging. Ethnos, 67(1), 75-97.

Wolfinbarger, M., & Gilly, M. C. (2011). Shopping online for freedom, control, and fun. California Management Review, 43(2), 34-55. Griffith, R., Leibtag, E., Leicester, A., & Nevo, A. (2009). Consumer shopping behavior: how much do consumers save?. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 23(2), 99-120.