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Health & Fitness

Peak Walmart?

Here is a very interesting analysis of some less-recognized economic factors that may have significant implications for Walmart and for the retailing industry in general. As Charles Hugh Smith highlights in his comments for Of Two Minds, Walmart is facing significant competition from other dollar stores, as well as from the neighborhood drug stores, such as Walgreen’s and CVS, both of whom are relocating or opening stores nearer their customers.

The other main insight here is that, due to current economic conditions and affordability concerns, a large number of retail customers are no longer able to afford to drive to the larger superstores, resulting in a structural decline in miles driven: “Since consumers are having more trouble now getting to the stores, the stores are physically moving back to the consumers. Here we have stores proliferating that can be patronized and staffed by people without dedicated autos who instead walk or bike.”

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