Abstract

The caselet primarily focuses on the US retail giant Wal-Mart’s unsuccessful venture in Japan. It discusses the different strategies that the company adopted in Japan and their impact on its business. The caselet gives an overview of the Japanese retail market and the closely-knit network of suppliers and retailers which made life difficult for Wal-Mart. It also compares the relevance of Wal-Mart’s everyday low pricing (EDLP) strategy in Japan and the US.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Importance of market research in global retailing
• Need for channel relations in a foreign country
• and Aligning strategies with diverse cultures in retailing.

Keywords

Wal-Mart, Sam Walton, Every Day Low Pricing (EDLP), Japan, Seiyu, Suppliers, Retailers, Economy, Chirashi, Whale, Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA)