Market Plan

Marketing Plan Analysis and Presentation: Part 1 – Research Template

Directions: Visit the website for the company you have selected and obtain a copy of the annual report. Locate three to five additional resources that will provide data and information related to the brand story; the company vision, mission, and marketing objectives; and strategies and tactics the company is currently using to meet the marketing objectives. You will also use this information to complete a SWOT analysis. Apply your research findings when completing each item below.

Company Name: Walmart Inc.

Brand Story: In 250 words, provide a thorough description of the company and brand.

Reference and cite your research sources within the summary.

Walmart Company was founded in the year 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas in the United States of America. The American retail corporation manages a chain consisting of hypermarkets, grocery stores, and discount department avenues. Walmart has a total of 10,526 worldwide with a total of 2.2 million employees and a net worth of $386.3B (Tikhonova, 2021). Walmart’s wide range of goods is marketed with the banner of Great Value. Walmart's brand promise is to 'save money and love better'. Generally, Walmart makes part of the list of retails with great brand promises (Walton et al., 2018). The Company combines the low prices promise with emotional gains to provide its customers with better life quality and access to necessities.

The major aspects that Walmart uses in growing are quality products, easy shopping, and unbeatable prices. Further, Walmart's brand persona is compared to that of a servant in leadership and who is committed to helping the customers save money with better living (Pandey et al.,2021). Additionally, the Company embraces brand omnipresence. This is the aspect of the company being present for its customers everywhere in a unique seamless manner. Technology aid in delivering the strategy of doing away with boundaries associated with time and space and as a result enhances the formation of a network infrastructure that is omnipresent. Therefore, Walmart came up with a redesign concept for the retail stores that works technologically through the integrated neatwork to achieve omnipresence (Walton et al., 2018). The Company’s brand identity is a perfect fit.

Company Vision: The vision of Walmart is “to make every day easier for busy families”. Here, busy families are the major concern in business strategy.

Company Mission: Walmart’s mission statement is to help people worldwide save money and be able to live better anytime and anywhere basically through retail stores and e-commerce

Company Marketing Objectives:

Company Marketing Strategies and Tactics: Tactics: In 250 words, provide a high-level summary of

the strategies and tactics the company is currently using to meet its marketing objectives. Include

discussion about the market and consumer data that was used in formulating the strategies and

tactics. Reference and cite your research sources within the summary.

Walmart's marketing strategy is based on the 4Ps; Price, Product, Promotion, and Place (Pandey et al.,2021). Walmart has enabled its price positioning through low prices that are customer-friendly, focusing on bulk and more sales to have high sales instead of overpricing goods (Schepers & Koster, 2021). Additionally, the company has varied purchase alternatives of paying cash or installments. Significantly, universal barcoding creates a supply flow that is effective and gives room for lower prices. Walmart Company deals with a wide range of products and sells the products that customers prefer. As a strategy, the Company deals with a variety of goods in different categories (Walton et al.,2018). These include; hardware, health goods, appliances, groceries, furniture, etc. Similarly, Walmart buys in huge quantities to realize discounts and even economies of scale.

Additionally, the Company runs frequent promotions as a marketing strategy and tactics. The stores employ low prices slogans that enhance promotion. Varied modes of advertisements such as TV ads, eCommerce platforms, and billboards are equally used by Walmart. The Fourth strategy is the aspect of the place. The Company achieves the place strategy through eCommerce platforms for customers to access and buy products without visiting physical locations (Pandey et al., 2021). The Company has ensured better geographical locations especially in the United States of America with the outlets placed strategically. Generally, Walmart uses both its past and current market and consumer data for coming up with strategies. This is enabled through data mining that shows patterns in sales and marketing.

SWOT Analysis: Using the data and information from your research, complete a SWOT analysis for the company. Reference and cite the topic materials for details on conducting SWOT analysis.

Strengths · Walmart is the largest retailer worldwide, with unmatched operations coupled with strong markets against other suppliers and many competitors. · Walmart is recognized internationally. (Omnipresent brand) · Walmart has strong markets against other suppliers and many competitors.	Weaknesses · Employee turnover: A bigger percentage of Walmart employees earn little wages hence a lack of employee loyalty. · Less differentiation: Due to other companies having the same products, there is stiff competition with other stores, like Amazon and Kmart. · Public Relations: Walmart has been criticized for questionable activities like bribery and a poor work environment
Opportunities · Healthcare. Walmart moved into healthcare by introducing insurance services · Walmart is in the process of forming a fintech Company as partners with Ribbit Capital. This move will enable affordable goods for customers. · Social commerce. This is an eCommerce platform that allows purchase on social media. It is among the big shifts experienced in Walmart	Threats · As a worldwide Company, Walmart becomes exposed to various countries’ political problems · Stiff price competition in terms of price is by other retailers. · Many local retailers do not like Walmart as they view it as a threat.

Citation of Sources: Provide APA citations for the company’s annual report and the other research sources utilized in completing the assignment.

Name of Source	Citation Information
Walmart website	Tikhonova, M. (2021). Financial Analysis of Walmart and Costco in 2017-2018. SCIENTISTs, 100.
Scholarly article	Schepers, B., & Koster, S. (2021). Walmart, Always Low Prices? (Doctoral dissertation).
Scholarly book	Grant, M. (2021). Walmart: Healthcare for All?. SAGE Publications: SAGE Business Cases Originals.
Scholarly article	Pandey, R., Dillip, D., Jayant, J., Vashishth, K., Nikhil, N., Qi, T. J., ... & Qhi, L. Y. (2021). Factors Influencing Organization Success: A Case Study of Walmart. International journal of Tourism and hospitality in Asia Pasific (IJTHAP), 4(2), 112-123.
Scholarly article	Ofori-Nyarko, N. S., Wang, F., & Annoh, W. O. SWOT ANALYSIS: WAL-MART STORES INC.
Scholarly article	Walton, S., Penner, G., & McMillon, D. Walmart Inc.

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