Walmart: In Search of Renewed Growth

Would a strategic shift to a more upscale experience give the world’s largest retailer a new path for growth?

Stephan Meier, Felix Oberholzer-Gee  | Fall 2020
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In early 2020 Walmart Stores, Inc., the world’s largest retailer, faced several strategic challenges. The company had just been ranked number one on the Fortune 500 list, but its growth rate lagged its competition. International expansion had turned out to yield uneven results, and Walmart lagged in online sales. To foster continued growth, the company was considering a strategic shift: looking outside the store's traditional customer base to attract more upscale consumers. Walmart's past efforts to move upscale had not been successful. What are the strategic risks and benefits of the company's latest efforts to improve sales?

Case ID: 080408
Supplemental Materials: Teaching Note
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