The company owned a fleet of more than 3,000 trucks and 12,000 trailers'
(Most competitors outsourced trucking.) wal-Mart had implemented a satellite
network system that allowed information to be shared between the company's
wide network ofstores, distribution centers, and suppliers. The system consolidated
orders for goods, enabling the company to buy full truckload quantities
without incurring the inventory costs'
In its early years,Wal-Mart is strategy was to build large discount stores in
small rural towns. by contrast,competitors such as Kmart focused on large
towns with populations greater than 50,000. wal-Marts marketing strategy
was to guarantee "everyday low prices" as a way to pull in customers' Traditional
discount retailers relied on advertised "sales'