These quotes from one of history's most famous retailing leaders and legendary retail icons will reveal what Walton was thinking and learning about the retail business as he was building the world famous Wal-Mart discount retail chain in the U.S.
Quotable Quotes from Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, about Retailing and Wal-Mart:
- "I probably have traveled and walked into more variety stores than anybody in America. I am just trying to get ideas, any kind of ideas that will help our company. Most of us don't invent ideas. We take the best ideas from someone else."
- "There's a lot more business out there in small town America than I ever dreamed of."
- "The two most important words I ever wrote were on that first Wal-Mart sign, ‘Satisfaction Guaranteed’. They're still up there, and they have made all the difference."
- "The secret of successful retailing is to give your customers what they want. And really, if you think about it from the point of view of the customer, you want everything: a wide assortment of good quality merchandise; the lowest possible prices; guaranteed satisfaction with what you buy; friendly, knowledgeable service; convenient hours; free parking; a pleasant shopping experience."
- "I guess in all my years, what I heard more often than anything was: A town of less than 50,000 population cannot support a discount store for very long."
