Retail Market Analysis - The Local Costs and Benefits of Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart in Town? Community Impact Likely to be Mixed

Low prices draw hoards of consumers to big-box stores like Wal-Mart. And big-box stores often drive smaller neighboring retailers out of business. How communities respond when Wal-Mart comes to town could make a difference. Our study shows that there are definite costs and benefits associated with Wal-Mart, and they are not evenly distributed. The clear winners are consumers; losers include smaller retailers attempting to compete head-to-head with Wal-Mart and, to a lesser extent, wholesalers; and, often, Wal-Mart workers.

PRESS (Selected)

ARTICLES/PAPERS

  • White paper - The Local Costs and Benefits of Wal-Mart
  • Irwin, Elena G. and Jill K. Clark. 2007. “How States Can Mitigate the Impacts of Big Box Retail on Local Communities.” Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy. 37 (1): 53-55.
  • Irwin, Elena G. and Jill K. Clark. 2006. “Wall Street vs. Main Street: What are the Benefits and Costs of Wal-Mart to Local Communities?” Choices: The Magazine of Food, Farm & Resource Issues. 21 (2):117-122.

PRESENTATIONS

  • Wal-Mart in the Local Economy - Prepared for the Annual Economic Update Presented by the OSU Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics for OSU Extension personnel, Jan. 25, 2006, Columbus

The following resources are from a study conducted by Elena Irwin and Jill Clark (see About Our Team).

 

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e: clark.1099@osu.edu; p: 614.247.6479; f: 614.292.0078
m: Retail Market Analysis, Dept. of Agricultural, Environmental, & Development Econ.
103 Agricultural Administration Bldg., 2120 Fyffe Rd., Columbus, Ohio  43210  USA