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Sam Walton and his brother opened the first Wal-Mart discount store in 1962 at Rogers, a small town in Arkansas, USA. They sold everything from apparels to automotive supplies to small appliances in this large warehouse type store. Their prices were very low. Although the conventional wisdom suggested that discount stores could succeed only in large cities, Wal-Mart, from the modest beginnings, exploded onto the national retailing scene. Today, Wal-Mart is not just the world's largest retailer, but also the world's largest company. Their annual sales are around $300 billion. They are the number one seller in multiple categories of consumer products. Wal-Mart sells 30% of the disposable diapers purchased in US each year, 30% of hair-care products, 26% of toothpaste, and 20% of pet food. Wal-Mart's total sales per day is larger than the GDP of some countries. The company is now expanding rapidly into international markets. The giant retailer has a substantial impact on the U.S. economy. What are the secrets behind their spectacular success? Mostly, day in and day out, Wal-Mart lives up to its promise: Always Low Prices, Always. Its mission is to "lower the world's cost of living". To deliver on this promise, they listen to their customers and take care of them, treat employees as partners and keep tight rein on costs. The company stays close to the customers, talks directly with them and delivers what customers want: a broad selection of carefully selected goods at unbeatable prices.