Just checked a list of GDP rankings... WTF, Germany not 3rd anymore?!?!

[Roland]

Originally posted by DanS
"Didn't know they got there. It's funny though to see them in some old small spanish town in the middle of nowhere..."

They are in my home town (pop ~40k) in Ohio. Yes, Ohio exists! We've got an Aldi to prove it.

I think the superstore approach is fusing a supermarket with a retail discounter.

I think the town was called Llerida. A medieval fortress that has not grown beyond its city walls. Only old buildings. And then you turn around a corner, and "Aldi" glares in your face.

So, how is your Ohio Aldi run ? By non-existing people, I assume ?

About superstore - can you describe that ? Supermarket and Discounter do not carry particularly differing connotations with me...

[Roland]

Originally posted by DanS
The basis for greeters is actually quite good and efficient. If you've never been in the store, you just ask them where they have what you're looking for.

At the entrance?

That job is usually fulfilled by a high tech innovation here, called "sign"...

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Roland
Btw, what exactly is that "superstore" approach ?

From what I've been able to gather: A Wal-Mart Superstore is exactly like a regular Wal-Mart but it sells food as well and is usually larger in size.

[Roland]

"but it sells food as well"

"normal" Walmarts do not sell... food ?

How big does a store have to be to be a superstore ?

[DanS]

Aldi in Lancaster, Ohio is run the same way as an Aldi in any other corner of the world. I think the whole place is run by 5 or 6 people.

At first, people looked at it like any other novelty. Definitely different than any US supermarket. But I don't think Aldi changed a thing with their MO, and they have a steady business, as far as I can tell.

I am dubious about the business model, because I can't see where they could drive scale, however.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Roland
"normal" Walmarts do not sell... food ?

Not in my experience. Obviously I can't speak for Germany though.

How big does a store have to be to be a superstore ?

180,000-square-feet is the most impressive size I've ever heard of one getting to.

[Roland]

Dan:
Would you say they are looking for just a niche ?

dino:

"180,000-square-feet is the most impressive size I've ever heard of one getting to."

That's about 16.000 m2 ?
Our local Interspar has 5000, the biggest IS in Austria 10.000 m2... (I had to do some research on sales per m2 a while ago when I was working about a very wierd shopping center regulation).

I'd be surprised if the differences weren't bigger than that....

[Adam Smith]

Roland:

It was on a lot of basic foods and would have killed most small retailers.

There you go again, protecting competitors instead of protecting competition. Just like with GE - Honeywell. (Where's that half-assed troll smiley when you really need it?)

The answer to the pop quiz is India, with about 60 million people in households with income greater than $100K per year.

[Roland]

"There you go again, protecting competitors instead of protecting competition. Just like with GE - Honeywell."

GE-Honeywell was the Commission, Walmart the german one. So let's keep that separated...

"The answer to the pop quiz is India, with about 60 million people in households with income greater than $100K per year."

Huuuuge households ?

[Ted Striker]

Whoahhhh...that's alot of MF'ers with over 100K!!!

How many in the US, Adam Smith?

[Dimorier Maximus]

Dang...did anybody see that United States country? Where the heck did they come from? They sure took that first spot!

[Roman]

Germany has not been the world's third largest economy for a long time now. It has only been the third using nominal GDP. These statistics use PPP and through cross-referencing with other sources seem to be correct, but the growth rates are indeed suspect and may indicate changes in measuring over the years.

[Oldenbarnevelt]

Much more interesting than the GDP (yes, populous countries have a large GDP ) is the GDP per capita. Now here's the top 50 of 1999, from the same website:

1. Luxembourg 34,200
2. United States 33,900
3. Singapore 27,800
4. Switzerland 27,100
5. Monaco 27,000
6. Norway 25,100
7. Belgium 23,900
8. Denmark 23,800
9. Iceland 23,500
10. Austria 23,400
11. Japan 23,400
12. Canada 23,300
13. France 23,300
14. Netherlands 23,100
15. Liechtenstein ¹ 23,000
16. Germany 22,700
17. Kuwait 22,500
18. Australia 22,200
19. United Kingdom 21,800
20. Italy 21,400
21. Finland 21,000
22. Sweden 20,700
23. Ireland 20,300
24. Bahamas, The ¹ 20,000
25. San Marino ² 20,000
26. Israel 18,300
27. Andorra ³ 18,000
28. United Arab Emirates 17,700
29. Brunei 17,400
30. New Zealand 17,400
31. Spain 17,300
32. Qatar 17,000
33. Taiwan 16,100
34. Cyprus ¹ 15,400
35. Portugal 15,300
36. Greece 13,900
37. Malta 13,800
38. Bahrain 13,700
39. Korea, South 13,300
40. Chile 12,400
41. Czech Republic 11,700
42. Slovenia 10,900
43. Malaysia 10,700
44. Mauritius 10,400
45. Argentina 10,000
46. Nauru (1993 est.) 10,000
47. Northern Mariana Islands ³ 9,300
48. Saudi Arabia 9,000
49. Palau ² 8,800
50. Mexico 8,500

[Colonâ„¢]

6. Norway 25,100
7. Belgium 23,900
8. Denmark 23,800
9. Iceland 23,500
10. Austria 23,400
11. Japan 23,400
12. Canada 23,300
13. France 23,300
14. Netherlands 23,100
15. Liechtenstein ¹ 23,000

Hah!

[DanS]

Hey! Fighting isn't allowed in the War Room!