1. Retail Industry) Category specialists, or sometimes called “category killers,” are big-box stores that offer a full assortment of products within a given category or specialty. In early America, there were only general stores, where customers went to purchase all their essential items for life. As times began to change, entrepreneurs sought to gain a competitive advantage by introducing specialty stores that offered a wide variety of goods in a specific product category. Specialty stores have boomed across urban America in product categories such as furniture, clothing and electronics. It wasn't until the late 1970s and early 1980s that we began to see the first big-box supercenters emerge from these smaller specialty stores. During this time companies such as Wal-Mart, JC Penny and Sears expanded into this new category of stores called the "Killers category". Today, category killers have evolved into massive retail stores that dominate specific merchandise categories and, as a result, have put many specialty stores out of business. b) The main environmental factors that influence the specialized sector include technological, economic and demographic factors. First, technology can impact the market by helping companies find new and efficient ways of doing business. A change in technology can open the door for new players to enter the market, as well as present new competitive advantages. Second, some retailers are influenced by economic factors more than other retailers. Being able to build large warehouses with a large assortment of goods and knowledgeable employees is a luxury that only some companies can afford. Accordingly, these more on......middle of paper......kets. Globalization continues to represent a major opportunity for large retailers that should be taken into consideration. Best Buy can learn from Walmart's use of supply chain management and its globalization strategy to gain a greater share of wallet. Global markets offer a unique opportunity, especially in the electronic market, to increase brand awareness. Like Walmart, Best Buy can find ways to enter foreign markets and achieve greater economies of scale. As a result, Walmart can learn a lot from how Best Buy provides customers not only with a wide assortment of products, but also with great customer service and technical support. Geek Squad service is something Walmart should try to establish to achieve better customer satisfaction. If there's one thing Walmart can learn from Best Buy, it's how to implement better customer relationship management.