This paper introduces various supply chain concepts and explains their importance. It describes initiatives being undertaken by the largest retailers and reviews what small and mid-size firms need to do to compete.

Very few small and mid-size retailers can compete with companies like Wal-Mart on price. However, while some go to the wall, many smaller retailers prosper alongside Wal-Mart exploiting the traffic that they generate and managing their own supply chains and customer propositions well.