Wal-Mart's Apparent Target Market Cuts

Wal-Mart's apparent target market cuts a broad cross-section. On one hand the company has a reputation for drawing a low-class crowd, but its revenue figures suggest that virtually everybody shops there. Indeed, the latter is much closer to the truth. A wide range of customers appears to be on hand. The full store and full parking lot are testimony to the broad-based appeal of Wal-Mart. The goods at Wal-Mart are of relatively low quality and have low prices to match.

This tells me that Wal-Mart appeals more to a particular psychographic -- people looking to save money -- than to a particular demographic. The broad product range at Wal-Mart is another indicator that the company targets a wide range of consumers. The store carries everything from food and household items to pet supplies, sporting goods, clothing and specialty services such as pharmacy. The items tend to be common items, things that are demanded by everybody.

Again, this supports the idea that it is the psychographic rather than any demographic that appeals to Wal-Mart customers. There may be a perception that low-cost goods appeal to a low-end demographic, but a visit to Wal-Mart does not bear that out. While there may be few fashionistas, there are people in business attire and in the parking lot there are nice vehicles. The in-store demographic is by no means exclusively low-end. It is interesting that the impression I get is that anybody could be a Wal-Mart customer.

It is hard to imagine anybody feeling as though they did not fit in. Some consumers may not buy all of their items at Wal-Mart, but so much of the product range consists of basic goods. If one wanted to purchase a jug of milk or a garbage can for the bathroom, it is hard to imagine feeling out of place among the Wal-Mart shoppers. Most people -- if they are relatively devoid of ego -- would feel comfortable in the store at least for some purchases.

The first impression of the products offered is that it is a broad range of products. There is a mix of well-known name brands and relatively generic products. There is little product line specialization, the objective seems to be to carry a very wide range of products to attract a large volume of customers. There are very few high-end products at Wal-Mart. For the most part, they are low-end with some medium-end national brands as well.

The apparent goal of the company is to attract a lot of customers to its stores, and then entice them to buy with good deals in highly visible places. The company cannot make much money per item, so it needs to bring in a lot of customers in order to sell enough to turn a profit. Wal-Mart's most obvious image is that as a low-cost provider.

The slogan "Everyday low prices" is common throughout the store and many goods are signed indicated that they have been subject to a recent price reduction. Wal-Mart does appear to want to establish a strong presence in the community. The store is large, as is the parking lot. There is a clear intention to draw a substantial number of customers from the community and to become a major retailing force in the area. The location is a primary form of marketing for the company.

Geographically, the location is out of the way, but physically its large presence makes stands out even among other box stores. And the Wal-Mart is much larger than conventional retailers. It would take a long time to walk past the Wal-Mart, and it cannot help but be noticed by all who pass it. Wal-Mart does have a large Internet presence -- they are second to Amazon in online retailing -- but the physical store appears to remain the cornerstone of the company's business.

The establishment projects dominance more than anything else. It is large and imposing. The selection of goods is immense, the customer base broad and the prices low. Whatever Wal-Mart does, it appears to do better than its competition does. It is not particularly welcoming -- the color schemes are unattractive and the store layout is a bit sloppy. The lighting is harsh and there is no comfort in the store.

The store appears more to be designed for efficiency, particularly in the way you are guided to certain low price goods throughout the store, something that brings.