In addition to the problems caused by the timing and locations of Tesco’s entry, their entry mode had negative effects as well. The company chose to expand into the U.S. by wholly owned subsidiaries through greenfield investments. They quickly built the 199 stores as well as multiple distribution centers from the ground up. In doing so, they were making an “unprecedented bid to establish both a store network and a proprietary distribution system at the same time” (Birchall 2006). This decision would prove to be troublesome as the size and styles of the stores were often unfamiliar and unpleasant to the U.S. consumers. In hindsight, initial entry by joint ventures may have allowed them to benefit from the knowledge of local retailers and could have potentially prevented a number of the problems they experienced in reaching consumers.