Trying to find someone who has never shopped at Wal-Mart is like trying to find a cannibal at a vegan convention. The ubiquitous stores are to be found everywhere and stock just about everything under the sun. For those who are regular shoppers at Wal-Mart and those who may drop in occaisionally, here are some fun facts as well as shopping tips that tell you more about where you are shopping and also how to save money while doing it.

Fun Facts

Wal-Mart is the world’s largest retailer with nearly 7,000 stores worldwide and over 4,000 in the US alone. Nearly 180 million people shop at Wal-Mart stores all over the world each week, out of which 127 million are in the US. The company employs 1.3 million people in the US and over half a million more internationally. With these kinds of numbers behind it, it should be no surprise that the company has an estimated annual turnover of around $ 350 billion.

The company donates heavily to charities and the Chronicle of Philanthropy named them the leading corporate cash contributor in America. The company initially promised never to sell alcohol but is now the largest retailer of wines and spirits in the US.

Shopping Tips

Planning your Wal-Mart shopping trip carefully can save you hundreds of dollars a month. Look for newspaper coupon inserts. There are great weekly sales that can offer you great savings on selected goods. You never know what will be on sale in a particular week so keep your plans flexible, especially for big ticket items and you could really save big time.

Use the Wal-Mart website to find goods at reduced prices. Being able to ship directly from the warehouse to your home means the company saves a lot on overheads, which they pass on to you. Shipping is free and you can buy things from furniture to fishing gear to everyday items like cleaning supplies. Many items shown on the website are often not available in the stores.

Search the web for coupon sites that offer free discount coupon downloads. Most of the well known coupons are accepted at Wal-Mart and these can substantially increase your savings.

Keep an eye open for the company’s regular clearance sales of slow moving items. Because they want to use the space for faster moving goods, the company sells items on clearance (usually labeled with a special red sticker) at extremely low prices just to clear the space being used as fast as possible.

And finally, keep an eye open for lesser known brands which are cheaper than the well known ones. Wal-Mart has a strict quality code and even the unknown brands must meet it. However, be careful when buying clothing and ensure that the sizes fit. Also when buying electronic goods check up on the warranty and replacement policies of the manufacturer.

Impulse shopping and retail therapy is fine, but planning your Wal-Mart shopping to take advantage of their special offers and sales can bring you significant savings.

Author Bio: Sale Explorer is a frequently updated online shopping directory for hot deals , sales, discounts and coupons.

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