Millions of people walk through Walmart’s doors every day, making it one of the most visited retailers in the world. But behind the familiar blue storefront are plenty of surprising facts that most shoppers never hear about. From its humble beginnings to the technology powering today’s stores, here are 14 Walmart facts that might surprise even the chain’s most loyal customers.
Walmart Sells Much More Online Than You’ll Find in Stores
Even the largest Walmart Supercenters carry only a fraction of the products available online. Walmart’s website features an expanded selection of furniture, electronics, clothing, home décor, appliances, and specialty items that many stores simply don’t have room to stock.
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Great Value Products Go Through Extensive Testing
Walmart’s Great Value brand has become one of the largest private-label grocery brands in the country. Many products undergo extensive quality and taste testing to ensure they can compete with well-known national brands while still offering lower prices.
Private Brands Go Beyond Great Value
While Great Value may be Walmart’s best-known store brand, it’s far from the only one. The retailer also sells exclusive brands across categories including clothing, home goods, baby products, pet supplies, outdoor equipment, and personal care.
Walmart Is One of the World’s Largest Private Employers
Walmart employs millions of associates worldwide, making it one of the largest private employers on the planet. Behind every store is an enormous workforce that supports retail locations, distribution centers, transportation, technology, customer service, and corporate operations.
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Prices Can Vary Between Stores
Although Walmart is known for low prices, not every store charges exactly the same amount for every item. Pricing can vary based on regional competition, operating costs, local demand, and other market conditions.
Walmart Started as a Single Five-and-Dime Store
Long before Walmart became a global retail powerhouse, founder Sam Walton operated a small variety store called Walton’s 5&10 in Bentonville, Arkansas. The success of that first store eventually inspired him to open the first Walmart Discount City in 1962.
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You Can Still Visit the Original Store
The original Walton’s 5&10 building still stands in downtown Bentonville and now serves as the Walmart Museum. Visitors can explore exhibits about the company’s history while seeing many of the original features that were preserved from the store.
Walmart Has Its Own Culinary Innovation Center
New food products don’t simply appear on store shelves by accident. Walmart’s Culinary & Innovation Center develops recipes, tests products, and gathers employee feedback before many private-label foods ever reach customers.
Food Traceability Is a Major Priority
After several nationwide produce recalls over the years, Walmart invested heavily in technology that helps trace certain food products through the supply chain. Improving traceability allows products to be identified more quickly during food safety investigations.
Walmart Operates One of the Largest Private Truck Fleets in America
Getting products to thousands of stores requires an enormous transportation network. Walmart’s private fleet delivers merchandise across the country every day, helping keep shelves stocked while giving the company greater control over deliveries.
Stores Can Respond Quickly During Natural Disasters
When hurricanes, floods, or other emergencies strike, Walmart often adjusts shipments based on local demand. Stores in affected regions may receive additional deliveries of bottled water, batteries, generators, cleaning supplies, and other emergency essentials in the near future.
The Walmart Cheer Has Been Around for Decades
Employees at many Walmart stores are familiar with the famous Walmart Cheer, a tradition dating back to the 1970s. Inspired by a company chant Sam Walton observed during a business trip, the cheer has remained part of Walmart’s culture for generations.
Grocery Pickup Changed the Shopping Experience
Walmart was one of the retailers that helped make curbside grocery pickup a mainstream shopping option. Today, millions of customers use the service to order groceries online and have employees bring purchases directly to their vehicles.
Walmart Is Constantly Investing in New Technology
From automated distribution centers and supply-chain improvements to online ordering systems and inventory management, Walmart continues to invest heavily in technology. Many of these behind-the-scenes innovations help stores stay stocked while making shopping faster and more convenient for customers.
