But could consumers ever be benefited from higher prices than they could otherwise pay? Consider what can happen when a large national chain begins to operate in a small community Such companies as Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and online automobile brokers are well-known examples, but restaurant chains, grocery stores, clothing stores, and fast-food stores provide sijnilar situations. In many cases, the immediate benefit to consumers is lower prices. For all the obvious reasons (and some not so obvious), larger national chains can often sell the same products at lower prices than local smaller firms. Some critics of the market consolidation that occurs in these situations argue that consumers are not benefited from the lower prices provided by these businesses.