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111-527: A YouTuber is a type of content creator and social media influencer who uploads or creates videos on the online video-sharing website YouTube , typically posting to their personal YouTube channel. The term was first used in the English language in 2006, and subsequently appeared in the 2006 Time Person of the Year issue. Influential YouTubers are frequently described as microcelebrities . Since YouTube
222-556: A social media personality or an influencer , is an individual who has acquired or developed their fame and notability on the Internet . The growing popularity of social media provides a means for people to reach a large, global audience, and internet celebrities are commonly present on large online platforms such as Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , and YouTube , which primarily rely on user-generated content . Certain internet celebrities may function as lifestyle gurus promoting
333-516: A "medical mall" where customers can purchase primary care services. Prices without insurance were listed, for instance, at $ 30 for an annual physical and $ 45 for a counseling session. Continuing with its health care initiative, they opened a 2,600 square feet (240 m ) health and wellness clinic prototype in Springdale, Arkansas just to expand services. By October 2019, Walmart stopped selling all live fish and aquatic plants. In early 2020,
444-465: A $ 7 monthly subscription for five to eight delivered food samples each month. The service shut down in late 2013. In August 2013, the firm announced it was in talks to acquire a majority stake in the Kenya -based supermarket chain, Naivas . In June 2014, some Walmart employees went on strike in major U.S. cities demanding higher wages. In July 2014, American actor and comedian Tracy Morgan launched
555-635: A 2D anime form of that character on the album covers, allowing recognition of the avatar and for the agency. In 2023 in the United States, 27 million people were paid content creators. Of those, 12 million did content creation as their full-time profession. 8 million did it as part-time work, and 7 million did it as a hobby. Different types of internet celebrities can make money in various ways, but most of them earn money from endorsements or sponsorships. Internet celebrities can use their fame to promote products or experiences to their followers, as
666-703: A 5.5% increase in operating expenses, its net income increased by 3.9%. In the third quarter of 2020, Walmart reported revenue of $ 134.7 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.2 percent. In December 2020, Walmart launched a new service, Carrier Pickup, that allows the customers to schedule returns. In January 2021, Walmart announced that the company is launching a fintech startup, with venture partner Ribbit Capital, to provide financial products for consumers and employees. In February 2021, Walmart acquired technology from Thunder Industries, which uses automation to create digital ads, to expand its online marketing capabilities. In May 2021, Walmart acquired
777-688: A branch of the Ben Franklin stores from the Butler Brothers . His primary focus was selling products at low prices to get higher-volume sales at a lower profit margin, portraying it as a crusade for the consumer. He experienced setbacks because the lease price and branch purchase were unusually high, but he was able to find lower-cost suppliers than those used by other stores and was consequently able to undercut his competitors on pricing. Sales increased 45 percent in his first year of ownership to US$ 105,000 in revenue, which increased to $ 140,000
888-753: A commercial data company affiliated with Alibaba Group , the Chinese internet celebrity economy was estimated to be worth CN¥ 58 billion ( US$ 8.4 billion ) in 2016, more than China's total cinema box office revenue in 2015. There are two main business models in the wanghong economy: social media advertising, and online retail. In the online retailing business model, e-commerce-based wanghong use social media platforms to sell self-branded products to potential buyers among followers via Chinese customer-to-customer (C2C) websites, such as Taobao . Internet celebrities may promote their products by modeling for their shops by posting pictures or videos of themselves wearing
999-460: A company that links influencers with sponsorships, transformed the landscape of influencing. There is much debate about whether social media influencers can be considered celebrities, as their path to fame is often less traditional and arguably easier. Melody Nouri addresses the differences between the two types in her article "The Power of Influence: Traditional Celebrities vs Social Media Influencer". Nouri asserts that social media platforms have
1110-404: A following. Fame can be attained through different avenues and media forms, including art, humor, modeling, and podcasts . Marketing experts have concluded that anyone can build websites easily without any technical knowledge or complex coding languages. They can upload text, pictures, and videos instantly from personal computers or phones. With technological barriers diminishing, the web has become
1221-610: A greater negative impact on young, impressionable audiences compared to traditional media like magazines, billboards, advertisements, and tabloids featuring celebrities. Online it is thought to be simpler to manipulate an image and lifestyle in such a way that viewers are more susceptible to believing it. The early 2000s showed corporate endeavors to leverage the internet for influence, with some companies participating in forums for promotions or providing bloggers with complimentary products in return for favorable reviews. A few of these practices were viewed as unethical for taking advantage of
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#17327913143081332-665: A hardware store and an antiques mall, while the company's "Store #1" has since expanded to a Supercenter several blocks west at 2110 W. Walnut Street. Within its first five years, the company expanded to 18 stores in Arkansas and reached $ 9 million in sales. In 1968, it opened its first stores outside Arkansas in Sikeston, Missouri and Claremore, Oklahoma . The company was incorporated under Delaware General Corporation Law as Wal-Mart, Inc. on October 31, 1969, and changed its name to Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. in 1970. The same year,
1443-511: A lawsuit against Walmart seeking punitive damages over a multi-car pile-up which the suit alleges was caused by the driver of one of the firm's tractor-trailers who had not slept for 24 hours. Morgan's limousine was apparently hit by the trailer, injuring him and two fellow passengers and killing a fourth, fellow comedian James McNair. Walmart settled with the McNair family for $ 10 million, while admitting no liability. Morgan and Walmart reached
1554-420: A meetup and invite fans to meet them at a certain place and time without proper organization. This can attract crowds of fans, causing disorderly or even unsafe situations. For example, Tanacon was an organization produced in collaboration with talent manager Michael Weist involving a group of internet celebrities who were set to meet paying fans, but did not follow through. Because of the disorganized setup,
1665-419: A method of providing credibility to products. In social media advertising, internet celebrities can be paid to advertise products. When they have garnered sufficient attention and following, they can be approached by advertising companies to help advertise products and reach a wider audience. Endorsements for fashion and cosmetic products are common for Instagram internet influencers. YouTubers tend to advertise
1776-399: A micro-celebrity's popularity is often directly linked to their audience, and the audience comes to expect a certain degree of authenticity and transparency. The Internet allows the masses to wrest control of fame from traditional media, creating micro-celebrities with the click of a mouse. Wanghong ( Chinese : 网红 ; pinyin : wǎnghóng ; lit. 'Internet fame') is
1887-437: A particular lifestyle or attitude . In this capacity they act as key amplifiers of trends across various genres including fashion, cooking, technology, travel, video games, movies, esports , politics, music, sports, and entertainment. As part of influencer marketing , companies and organizations may enlist internet celebrities to advertise their products to their fan base and followers on their respective platforms. In 1991,
1998-429: A purchase, highlighting the impact of a negative review on a business's revenue. A typical method of marketing between the influencer and the audience is " B2C marketing ". B2C marketing, meaning Business to Consumer marketing, entails the strategies which a business would undertake to promote themselves and their services directly to their target audiences. This is typically through advertising and creating content through
2109-470: A rapid response to the disaster, donating $ 20 million, 1,500 truckloads of merchandise, food for 100,000 meals, and the promise of a job for every one of its displaced workers. An independent study by Steven Horwitz of St. Lawrence University found that Wal-Mart, The Home Depot , and Lowe's made use of their local knowledge about supply chains, infrastructure, decision makers and other resources to provide emergency supplies and reopen stores well before
2220-491: A same-day and last-mile delivery company in Brooklyn . In 2018, Walmart started crowdsourcing delivery services to customers using drivers' private vehicles, under the brand "Spark". On December 6, 2017, Walmart announced that it would change its corporate name to Walmart Inc. from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. effective February 1, 2018. On January 11, 2018, Walmart announced that 63 Sam's Club locations would be closing. Some of
2331-513: A settlement in 2015 for an undisclosed amount, though Walmart later accused its insurers of "bad faith" in refusing to pay the settlement. In 2015, Walmart was the biggest U.S. commercial producer of solar power with 142 MW capacity , and had 17 energy storage projects. This solar was primarily on rooftops, whereas there is an additional 20,000 m for solar canopies over parking lots. On January 15, 2016, Walmart announced it would close 269 stores in 2016, affecting 16,000 workers. Of
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#17327913143082442-625: A single viral event or viral video , and become an Internet meme . For example, Zach Anner , a comedian from Austin, Texas , gained worldwide attention after submitting a video to Oprah Winfrey 's "Search for the Next TV Star" competition. Viral videos from internet celebrities could entail a funny event happening in the moment, a popular new dance, or even a post on Twitter, such as the "Alex from Target" tweet in 2014. Many other people build their followings slowly over time, sharing their daily life and passions with people. Families such as
2553-857: A single Sam's Club in New Jersey which opened in November 1989), but in July and October that year, it opened its first stores in California and Pennsylvania , respectively. By the mid-1990s, it was the most powerful retailer in the U.S. and expanded into Mexico in 1991 and Canada in 1994. Wal-Mart stores opened throughout the rest of the U.S., with Vermont being the last state to get a store in 1995. The company also opened stores outside North America, entering South America in 1995 with stores in Argentina and Brazil; and Europe in July 1999, buying Asda in
2664-969: A specific type of internet celebrity is known as a net idol ( ネットアイドル , Netto aidoru ) , a sub-category of the idol industry in Japan . Net idols first emerged in the 1990s through personal websites and blogs when internet became more accessible, with some selling personal merchandise such as photo books through their websites. Around March 2007, dance covers (known as odottemita ( 踊ってみた , lit. "I tried dancing") ) became popular in video-sharing websites such as Niconico , which in turn led people into performing choreographed dances from anime series and idol groups. Notable creators of dance covers, known as odorite ( 踊り手 ) , who later debuted as idols include Kozue Aikawa from Danceroid , Beckii Cruel , and Keekihime . VTubers or virtual Youtubers are entertainers that use digital 3D model avatars that are computer generated. VTubers originated from Japan, beginning in
2775-428: A study that was done on Hungarian adolescents demonstrate these effects. The research found that the desire for fame on the internet was negatively associated with self-acceptance and potentially result to materialism and the desire for social recognition. Internet celebrities are also able to influence fans through creating parasocial relationships with their audiences. For example, Kim Kardashian frequently creates
2886-473: A sushi bar. On September 12, 2007, Wal-Mart introduced new advertising with the slogan , " Save money. Live better. ", replacing the previous slogan " Always Low Prices, Always ", which it had used since 1988. Global Insight , which conducted the research that supported the ads, found that Wal-Mart's price level reduction resulted in savings for consumers of $ 287 billion in 2006, which equated to $ 957 per person or $ 2,500 per household (up 7.3 percent from
2997-456: A total of 59 Supercenters, and opened 69 Neighborhood Markets, 8 Sam's Clubs, and 173 international locations, and relocated, expanded or converted 4 locations for a total of 177 international locations. On August 8, 2016, Walmart announced a deal to acquire e-commerce website Jet.com for US$ 3.3 billion. Jet.com co-founder and CEO Marc Lore stayed on to run Jet.com in addition to Walmart's existing U.S. e-commerce operation. The acquisition
3108-585: A wider array of products, regardless of relevance to their genre of content. Influencers can also expand their source of revenue by creating their own products or merchandise to sell. By doing this, and by using their platform to promote their products to an established audience, influencers can earn money by developing their own reputable brands. Bloggers can feature sponsored posts in social media to make profits. For instance, fashion blogger Chiara Ferragni started as an online blogger, and then gained millions of followers on Instagram. She later created her brand,
3219-482: A year to be eligible. A micro-celebrity, also known as a micro-influencer, is a person famous within a niche group of users on a social media platform. Micro-celebrities often present themselves as public figures. The concept of the micro-celebrity was originally developed by Theresa Senft and P. A. Poitier in their 2008 book, Camgirls: Celebrity and Community in the Age of Social Networks . According to Senft and Poitier,
3330-750: A year to increase fuel efficiency in Wal-Mart's truck fleet by 25 percent over three years and double it within ten; reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent in seven years; reduce energy use at stores by 30 percent; and cut solid waste from U.S. stores and Sam's Clubs by 25 percent in three years. CEO Lee Scott said that Wal-Mart's goal was to be a "good steward of the environment" and ultimately use only renewable energy sources and produce zero waste . The company also designed three new experimental stores with wind turbines , photovoltaic solar panels, biofuel -capable boilers, water-cooled refrigerators, and xeriscape gardens. In this time, Wal-Mart also became
3441-576: Is a comparable Chinese version; Chinese social media platforms, however, generate revenue differently. The greatest difference between Chinese internet celebrities and their Western counterparts is that the profits generated by Chinese celebrities can be immense. Unlike YouTube, which takes 45% of advertising revenue, Sina Weibo, one of the largest Chinese social media platforms, is not involved in advertising, which allows internet celebrities to be more independent. The monthly income of Chinese influencers can exceed CN¥10 million ( US$ 1.5 million ). In Japan ,
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3552-562: Is a form of ostracism where an individual is excluded from social or professional circles because of certain past or present actions or allegations. The act may occur on social media platforms or in person. Cancel culture is a common term among internet celebrities where they may lose their source of income, fans, or reputation because of their controversial actions. For example, Beauty Guru YouTuber Jeffree Star has faced many allegations of misconduct in his career, which include cyberbullying and vocally expressing racist remarks. On July 10, 2020,
3663-466: Is believed to be its contiguous pattern of expansion over time, building new distribution centers in a hub and spoke framework within driving distance of existing Supercenters. The company's satellite network was also completed in 1987, a $ 24 million investment linking all stores with two-way voice and data transmissions and one-way video communications with the Bentonville office. At the time,
3774-544: Is comparable to the US$ 21 million made by Fan Bingbing (范冰冰), a top Chinese actress. Li Ziqi (李子柒), a celebrity food blogger with more than 16 million followers on Weibo, has inspired many bloggers to post similar content on traditional Chinese cooking and crafts. Censorship in China has created an independent social media ecosystem that has become successful in its own way. For every Western social media platform, there
3885-513: Is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas . The company was founded by brothers Sam and James "Bud" Walton in nearby Rogers, Arkansas in 1962 and incorporated under Delaware General Corporation Law on October 31, 1969. It also owns and operates Sam's Club retail warehouses. As of October 31, 2022, Walmart has 10,586 stores and clubs in 24 countries, operating under 46 different names. The company operates under
3996-420: Is left highly unregulated by existing legislation. This became a prevalent concern when users on social media platforms were finding it difficult to distinguish any differences between advertisements and sponsorships with personal posts. This was evident with the mismanagement of Fyre Festival , where numerous Instagram influencers were sanctioned for their lack of transparency. This led to a massive backlash from
4107-475: Is small or wide. A scholarly article published from Thammasat University in Thailand explains that the younger generation is becoming more attracted to the path of fame compared to the typical intellectual development and financial security route. The appearance of the ease and simplicity of the life of internet celebrities obstructs the reality of what this life often really entails. Seeing influencers display
4218-696: Is the fourth most-subscribed non-corporation YouTuber. Every minute, 300 hours of videos are uploaded to YouTube, and 5 billion videos are watched every day. In August 2014, Variety wrote that YouTubers are more popular than mainstream celebrities among U.S. teens. Advertisers, in an effort to reach teenagers and millennials who do not watch regular television and movies, have started contacting YouTubers and other internet celebrities. YouTube's AdSense program enables creators to earn money from advertisements. AdSense has certain requirements—a YouTuber must have more than 1,000 subscribers, live in an eligible country, and have more than 4,000 hours of watch time within
4329-423: Is widely conceived as a bottom-up social media video platform, microcelebrities do not appear to be involved with the established and commercial system of celebrity culture; rather, they appear self-governed and independent. This appearance, in turn, leads to YouTubers being seen as more relatable and authentic, also fostered by the direct connection between artist and viewer using the medium of YouTube. In 2014,
4440-721: The COVID-19 pandemic . In 2020, Time named Neto and fellow YouTuber JoJo Siwa to its annual list of the world's 100 most influential people. Due to this level of influence, in 2013, University of Michigan associate professor Robert Hovden argued for the creation of a new index similar to the g-index and h-index to evaluate a person's output and impact on YouTube. YouTubers can earn revenue from Google AdSense . Additionally, they can supplement their income through affiliate links , merchandising , and 3rd party memberships using platforms such as Patreon . Popular channels have garnered corporate sponsors, who pay to be included in
4551-490: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) began its response. While the company was overall lauded for its quick response amidst criticism of FEMA, several critics were quick to point out that there still remained issues with the company's labor relations. In 2006, Charles Fishman published The Wal-Mart Effect , examining the operation of Wal-Mart's supply chain . His book caught
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4662-486: The Internet and the World Wide Web became widely available, leading to the creation of numerous websites dedicated to shared interests. These forums allowed users to seek advice and help from experienced individuals in their field, increasing the availability of information beyond mainstream print media and corporate websites . Dedicated social media platforms emerged from these developments, providing users with
4773-720: The University of Southern California surveyed 13–18-year-olds in the United States on whether ten YouTube celebrities or ten traditional celebrities were more influential; YouTube personalities took the first five spots of the ranking, with the YouTube duo Smosh ranking as most influential. The survey was repeated in 2015, and found six YouTubers on the first ranks, with KSI ranked as most influential. Several YouTubers and their influence were subjects for scientific studies, such as Zoella , and PewDiePie . Numerous studies in
4884-598: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic forced temporary measures such as store closures, limited store occupancy, large-scale employee dismissal, and the enforcement of social distancing protocols for Walmart and many other companies. Store hours were adjusted to allow cleaning and stocking. Limits on items were placed due to the rise of panic buying . During the pandemic, Walmart changed some of its employee benefits. Employees were able to decide to stay home and take unpaid leave if they feel unable to work or uncomfortable coming to work. Additionally, Walmart employees who contract
4995-492: The 2004 savings estimate of $ 2,329). On June 30, 2008, Wal-Mart removed the hyphen from its logo and replaced the star with a Spark symbol. The store branding became "Walmart", with the corporate name remaining with the hyphen as "Wal-Mart". The new logo received mixed reviews from design critics who questioned whether the new logo was as bold as those of competitors, such as the Target bullseye, or as instantly recognizable as
5106-464: The COVID-19 restrictions such as the mask requirements and employee benefits were lifted. In the first quarter of 2020, consumers responded to COVID by shopping less frequently (5.6% fewer transactions), and buying more when they did shop (16.5%). As people shifted from eating out to eating at home, net sales at Walmart increased by 10.5%, while online sales rose by 74%. Although Walmart experienced
5217-555: The Chiara Ferragni Collection. Like many other Instagram celebrities, Ferragni started by charging money per post for promoting brands. She earns revenue from promotional Instagram posts and the sale of her own products. In 2020, a report by venture-capital firm SignalFire stated that the economy spawned by internet creators was the "fastest-growing type of small business". Despite the recent emergence of influencer culture, influencer marketing and advertising it
5328-506: The Chinese version of Internet stardom. The wanghong economy is a Chinese digital economy based on influencer marketing in social media. Some wanghong celebrities generate profits via retail or e-commerce , through attracting the attention of their followers. Internet celebrities have become a popular phenomenon in China. For example, Sister Furong ( Fúróng Jiějiě, 芙蓉姐姐) received worldwide notoriety and fame for her self-promotion efforts through online posts. According to CBN Data,
5439-531: The Former CEO and founder of the agency Mediakix, previously spoke with Business Insider and said he believed influencer marketing on Instagram would continue to grow despite likes being hidden. By the 2010s, the term "influencer" described digital content creators with a large following, distinctive brand persona, and a patterned relationship with commercial sponsors. Consumers often mistakenly view celebrities as reliable, leading to trust and confidence in
5550-536: The LaBrant Family and The Bucket List Family share their children, life experiences, and travels with their followers. Individuals such as MrBeast and David Dobrik post content about their lifestyle and host challenges and giveaways. Although multiple studies offer slightly differing views, internet celebrities, or influencers, can be broken into five or six different categories: Nano, Micro, Mid-tier, Macro, Mega, and Celebrity. YouTube has risen as one of
5661-546: The Partner Program, which allows channels that meet certain metrics (currently 1000 subscribers and 4000 public watch hours in the past year) to run ads on their videos and earn money doing so. The Partner Program allowed for the first time YouTube personalities to make a living from the platform. During the 2010s, the ability for YouTubers to achieve wealth and fame due to success on the platform increased dramatically. In December 2010, Business Insider estimated that
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#17327913143085772-591: The Sears Roebuck catalog, and the arrival of shopping malls—and concluded that shop owners who adapt to changes in the retail market can thrive after Wal-Mart arrives. A later study in collaboration with Mississippi State University showed that there are "both positive and negative impacts on existing stores in the area where the new supercenter locates". In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in September 2005, Wal-Mart used its logistics network to organize
5883-672: The United Kingdom for US$ 10 billion . In 1997, Wal-Mart was added to the Dow Jones Industrial Average . In 1998, Wal-Mart introduced the Neighborhood Market concept with three stores in Arkansas. By 2005, estimates indicate that the company controlled about 20 percent of the retail grocery and consumables business. In 2000, H. Lee Scott became Wal-Mart's president and CEO as
5994-452: The United States and 2,800 elsewhere, employing more than 1.6 million associates. Its U.S. presence grew so rapidly that only small pockets of the country remained more than 60 miles (97 kilometers) from the nearest store. As Wal-Mart expanded rapidly into the world's largest corporation, many critics worried about its effect on local communities, particularly small towns with many " mom and pop " stores. There have been several studies on
6105-623: The ability to create profiles and connect with others. SixDegrees.com pioneered this concept in 1997. Additionally, websites supporting blogging emerged around the same time, allowing users to publish long-form articles and stories. Since then forums, social media and blogging have transformed into integral components of communication, social interaction, business and journalism. Popular social media platforms include Facebook , Instagram , YouTube , Reddit , Twitch , Snapchat , TikTok , Twitter , Discord , Viber , WeChat , and WhatsApp . The origins of online influencing can be traced back to
6216-429: The appearance of authenticity through harnessing the emotions of her audience. In Lueck's (2012) study they find that 60% of her Facebook advertising contains an "embedded emotional/transformational story". Her social media posts blur the boundaries between commercial promotion and personal storytelling, making it more difficult for followers to distinguish between authentic messages and promotional material. This motivates
6327-625: The attention of the press and the public. Fishman's case studies illustrate Wal-Mart's drive to lower costs and achieve greater efficiency and suggest that it may have significant upstream effects. Since Fishman's book was published, Wal-Mart has more than doubled in size. Further research on Wal-Mart's role in the food supply chain has tended to be limited and anecdotal. In November 2005, Wal-Mart announced several environmental measures to increase energy efficiency and improve its overall environmental record, which had previously been lacking. The company's primary goals included spending $ 500 million
6438-411: The biggest platforms for launching internet celebrities. YouTube creators (known as YouTubers ), regardless of the genres or types of videos they make, have created an industry that can generate revenue from video views and online popularity. For example, Swedish internet celebrity PewDiePie uploads gaming and comedy videos on YouTube. As of October 2024 , he has around 110 million subscribers and
6549-502: The biggest seller of organic milk and the biggest buyer of organic cotton in the world, while reducing packaging and energy costs. In 2007, the company worked with outside consultants to discover its total environmental impact and find areas for improvement. Wal-Mart created its own electric company in Texas, named Texas Retail Energy, which planned to supply its stores with cheap power purchased at wholesale prices. Through this new venture,
6660-485: The closures. Walmart planned to focus on "strengthening Supercenters, optimizing Neighborhood Markets, growing the e-commerce business and expanding pickup services for customers". In fiscal 2017, the company plans to open between 50 and 60 Supercenters, 85 to 95 Neighborhood Markets, 7 to 10 Sam's Clubs, and 200 to 240 international locations. At the end of fiscal 2017, Walmart opened 38 Supercenters and relocated, expanded or converted 21 discount stores into Supercenters, for
6771-405: The clothes or accessories they sell, or giving makeup or fashion tips. They serve as key opinion leaders for their followers, who either aspire to be like them or look up to them. Zhang Dayi (张大奕)—one of China's best-known wanghong according to BBC News , with 4.9 million followers on Sina Weibo —has an online shop on Taobao, reportedly earning CN¥300 million ( US$ 46 million ) per year. This
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#17327913143086882-509: The company expected to save $ 15 million annually and also to lay the groundwork and infrastructure to sell electricity to Texas consumers in the future. In 2006, Wal-Mart announced that it would remodel its U.S. stores to help it appeal to a wider variety of demographics, including more affluent shoppers. As part of the initiative, the company launched a new store in Plano, Texas, that included high-end electronics, jewelry, expensive wines and
6993-687: The company moved into Texas in 1975, there were 125 stores with 7,500 employees and total sales of $ 340.3 million. In the 1980s, Wal-Mart briefly experimented with a precursor to the Supercenter, the Hyper-Mart. Four stores combined features of discount stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, video arcades, and other amenities. Wal-Mart continued to grow rapidly, and by the company's 25th anniversary in 1987, there were 1,198 Wal-Mart stores with sales of $ 15.9 billion and 200,000 associates. One reason for Wal-Mart's success between 1980 and 2000
7104-666: The company opened a home office and first distribution center in Bentonville, Arkansas . It had 38 stores operating with 1,500 employees and sales of $ 44.2 million. It began trading stock as a publicly held company on October 1, 1970, and was soon listed on the New York Stock Exchange . The first stock split occurred in May 1971 for $ 47 per share. By this time, Wal-Mart was operating in five states: Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Oklahoma; it entered Tennessee in 1973 and Kentucky and Mississippi in 1974. As
7215-517: The company was the largest private satellite network, allowing the corporate office to track inventory and sales and to instantly communicate with stores. By 1984, Sam Walton had begun to source between 6% and 40% of his company's products from China. In 1988, Walton stepped down as CEO and was replaced by David Glass . Walton remained as chairman of the board. During this year, the first Wal-Mart Supercenter opened in Washington, Missouri . With
7326-475: The company's sales increased to $ 165 billion. In 2002, it was listed for the first time as America's largest corporation on the Fortune 500 list, with revenues of $ 219.8 billion and profits of $ 6.7 billion. It has remained there every year except 2006, 2009, and 2012. In 2005, Wal-Mart reported US$ 312.4 billion in sales, more than 6,200 facilities around the world—including 3,800 stores in
7437-598: The company. They eventually divested their shareholdings in Grupo Big to French retailer Carrefour , in transaction worth R$ 7 billion and completed on June 7, 2022. Walmart is the world's largest company by revenue , according to the Fortune Global 500 list in October 2022. In February 2023, Walmart announced that its FY2023 total revenue was $ 611.3 billion. Walmart is also the largest private employer in
7548-582: The concept of the micro-celebrity "is best understood as a new style of online performance that involves people 'amping up' their popularity over the Web using technologies like video, blogs and social networking sites". A micro-celebrity is also known as "a form of identity linked almost exclusively to the internet, characterizing a process by which people express, create and share their identities online". However, micro-celebrities differ from more traditional forms of celebrities associated with Hollywood stars because
7659-521: The contribution of its superstores, the company surpassed Toys "R" Us in toy sales in 1998. While it was the third-largest retailer in the United States, Wal-Mart was more profitable than rivals Kmart and Sears by the late 1980s. By 1990, it became the largest U.S. retailer by revenue. Prior to the summer of 1990, Wal-Mart had no presence on the West Coast or in the Northeast (except for
7770-554: The early 2010s, and have risen in popularity in the 2020s. The first virtual Youtuber was Ami Yamato, who debuted on May 18, 2011; the first VTuber who had used the phrase "virtual Youtuber" is Kizuna AI , who began entertaining in 2016. The appeal of VTubers is similar to a real person, except the entertainer may choose to remain anonymous through their VTuber persona. The 2D anime virtual avatars appealed to many Japanese fans and popularity began to spread internationally. In October 2021, there has been reported to be 16,000 VTubers around
7881-404: The economic impact of Wal-Mart on small towns and local businesses, jobs, and taxpayers. Kenneth Stone, a professor of economics, found that some small towns can lose almost half of their retail trade within ten years of a Wal-Mart store opening. However, in another study, he compared the changes to what small-town shops had faced in the past—including the development of the railroads, the advent of
7992-400: The emergence of digital blogs and platforms in the early 2000s. Nevertheless recent studies demonstrate that Instagram, an application with more than one billion users, harbors the majority of the influencer demographic. These individuals are sometimes referred to as "Instagrammers" or "Instafamous." A crucial aspect of influencing lies in their association with sponsors. The 2015 debut of Vamp,
8103-608: The entire platform at once. When the ads were introduced in August 2006, YouTube CEO Chad Hurley rejected the idea of expanding into areas of advertising seen as less user-friendly at the time, saying, "We think there are better ways for people to engage with brands than forcing them to watch a commercial before seeing content. You could ask anyone on the net if they enjoy that experience and they'd probably say no." However, YouTube began running in-video ads in August 2007, with preroll ads introduced in 2008. In December 2007, YouTube launched
8214-509: The first influencer marketing network. Murphy succeeded Blogstar with PayPerPost, which was introduced in 2006. This platform compensated significant posters on prominent forums and social media platforms for every post made about a corporate product. Payment rates were determined by the influencer's status. Though very popular, PayPerPost, received a great deal of criticism as these influencers were not required to disclose their involvement with PayPerPost as traditional journalism would have. With
8325-565: The first main store in the Northeast . Walmart's investments outside the U.S. have seen mixed results. Its operations and subsidiaries in Canada, the United Kingdom ( ASDA ), Central America, Chile ( Líder ), and China are successful, but its ventures failed in Germany, Japan, South Korea, Brazil and Argentina. In 1945, businessman and former J. C. Penney employee Sam Walton bought
8436-436: The followers to engage in particular purchasing behaviours which reflects her parasocial influence. Walmart Walmart Inc. ( / ˈ w ɔː l m ɑːr t / ; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores , and grocery stores in the United States and 23 other countries. It
8547-450: The highest earner on YouTube during the previous year was Dane Boedigheimer , creator of the web series Annoying Orange , with an income of around $ 257,000. Five years later, Forbes released its first list of the highest-earning YouTube personalities, estimating top earner PewDiePie 's income during the previous fiscal year at $ 12 million, more than some popular actors such as Cameron Diaz or Gwyneth Paltrow . Forbes estimated that
8658-767: The highlights of their lives has shown to produce some unintended effects on fans. Those who closely follow the lives of internet celebrities are more likely to develop psychological difficulties such as anxiety, depression, and dissociation. Although many internet celebrities appreciate the support and loyalty of their viewers and fans, the dedication to their lives can sometimes be intense. Fans may develop extreme behaviors or attitudes towards their favorite celebrities that can be identified as obsessive or may sometimes result to criminal behavior. The younger crowd are also being impacted through seeing their internet celebrities on different social media platforms. The Journal of Behavioral Addictions published by Akademiai Kiado evaluates
8769-400: The ideal platform for personal branding. Depending on their rise to fame, internet celebrities may reach their audiences in different ways. Some people write journals or blogs, some make YouTube or TikTok videos, others post frequently on Instagram or Twitter (X). The Internet has made fame accessible to and attainable for the general public. In some cases, people might rise to fame through
8880-505: The influencer themselves. The intention is that their followers, who relate or look up to certain influencers, will be more inclined to purchase an item because their favorite "Internet celebrity" recommended it. Internet celebrities typically promote a lifestyle of beauty and luxury fashion and foster consumer–brand relationships, while selling their own lines of merchandise. "Digital Branding: A Comprehensive Step-by-Step Guide to Strategy, Tactics, Tools, and Metrics" by David Rowles explains
8991-399: The labor of young individuals without providing remuneration. The Blogstar Network was established in 2004 by Ted Murphy of MindComet. Bloggers were encouraged to join an email list and receive remunerated offers from corporations in exchange for creating specific posts. For instance, bloggers were compensated for writing reviews of fast-food meals on their blogs. Blogstar is widely regarded as
9102-536: The late 2010s found that YouTuber was the most desired career by children. YouTubers' influence has also extended beyond the platform. Some have ventured into mainstream forms of media, such as Liza Koshy , who, among other pursuits, hosted the revival of the Nickelodeon show Double Dare and starred in the Netflix dance-comedy film Work It . In 2019, Ryan's Mystery Playdate , a show starring Ryan Kaji,
9213-478: The launch of free one-day shipping on more than 220,000 items with minimum purchase amount of $ 35. In September 2019, Walmart made the announcement that it would cease the sale of all e-cigarettes due to "regulatory complexity and uncertainty" over the products. Earlier in 2019, Walmart stopped selling fruit-flavored e-cigarette and had raised the minimum age to 21 for the purchase of products containing tobacco. That same month, Walmart opened its first Health Center,
9324-420: The makeup brand Morphe cut ties and ceased all makeup collaborations with Jeffree Star because his problematic past had resurfaced. The year before that, Kuwaiti celebrity Sondos Alqattan was "cancelled" for criticising Filipinos. As a result of this, some brands cut ties with her. Meetups are often a way internet celebrities interact with fans in real life. Occasionally, an internet celebrity might organize
9435-415: The meetup resulted in chaos. Alternatively, events can be organized at a venue with security personnel. VidCon is an annual organized video conference designed for people interested in online videos. It invites internet content creators to participate in events for paying fans, such as performances, panels, and meet-and-greets. Internet celebrities can draw in a devoted crowd of fans whether their reach
9546-410: The methods online influencers employ to increase their audience and brand visibility. Digital branding encompasses all online experiences and necessitates value provision." It is suggested that users are already familiar with the lives of their influencers as devoted followers. This makes it easy for them to promote companies as their followers feel as though they know the celebrities they follow, despite
9657-824: The name Walmart in the United States and Canada , as Walmart de México y Centroamérica in Mexico and Central America , and as Flipkart Wholesale in India . It has wholly owned operations in Chile and a majority stake in Massmart in South Africa . Since August 2018, Walmart held only a minority stake in Walmart Brasil, which was renamed Grupo Big in August 2019, with 20 percent of the company's shares, and private equity firm Advent International holding 80% ownership of
9768-428: The new tax law , it would be raising Walmart starting wages, distributing bonuses, expanding its leave policies and contributing toward the cost of employees' adoptions. Doug McMillon , Walmart's CEO, said, "We are early in the stages of assessing the opportunities tax reform creates for us to invest in our customers and associates and to further strengthen our business, all of which should benefit our shareholders." It
9879-655: The next year and $ 175,000 the year after that. Within the fifth year, the store was generating $ 250,000 in revenue. The lease then expired for the location and Walton was unable to reach an agreement for renewal, so he opened up a new store at 105 N. Main Street in Bentonville, naming it "Walton's Five and Dime". That store is now the Walmart Museum. On July 2, 1962, Walton opened the first Wal-Mart Discount City store at 719 W. Walnut Street in Rogers, Arkansas . Its design
9990-468: The opportunity to view exclusive content by clicking on the ad. The first such ad was for the Fox show Prison Break and solely appeared above videos on Paris Hilton's channel. At the time, the channel was operated by Warner Bros. Records and was cited as the first brand channel on the platform. Participatory video ads were designed to link specific promotions to specific channels rather than advertising on
10101-458: The potential for Walmart to save money and thus increase profits. On February 15, 2017, Walmart announced the acquisition of Moosejaw, a leading online active outdoor retailer, for approximately $ 51 million. The acquisition closed on February 13, 2017. On June 16, 2017, Walmart agreed to acquire the men's apparel company Bonobos for $ 310 million in an effort to expand its fashion holdings. On September 29, 2017, Walmart acquired Parcel,
10212-419: The previous company's logo, which was used for 18 years. The new logo made its debut on the company's website on July 1, 2008, and its U.S. locations updated store logos in the fall of 2008. Walmart Canada started to adopt the logo for its stores in early 2009. On March 20, 2009, Walmart announced that it was paying a combined US$ 933.6 million in bonuses to every full and part-time hourly worker. This
10323-717: The prior year. Income from continuing operations increased 3 percent to $ 13.3 billion, and earnings per share rose 6 percent to $ 3.35. On February 22, 2010, the company confirmed it was acquiring video streaming company Vudu, Inc. for an estimated $ 100 million. Walmart's truck fleet logs millions of miles each year, and the company planned to double the fleet's efficiency between 2005 and 2015. Fifteen based at Walmart's Buckeye, Arizona , distribution center were converted to run on biofuel from reclaimed cooking grease made during food preparation at Walmart stores. On November 14, 2012, Walmart launched its first mail subscription service called Goodies. Customers pay
10434-711: The products being promoted. A 2001 study from Rutgers University discovered that individuals were using "internet forums as influential sources of consumer information." The study proposes that consumers preferred internet forums and social media when making purchasing decisions over conventional advertising and print sources. An influencer's personality strongly impacts their audience's purchasing decision, with those who engage with their audience being more persuasive in encouraging product purchases. Companies today place great importance on feedback and comments received through social media platforms as consumers trust other consumers. Reviews are often relied on to persuade consumers to make
10545-776: The public, who felt the promotion of the event deliberately misled and confused target audiences. As a result, numerous advertising bodies sought to introduce strict regulations and guidelines around influencer marketing. This includes the AANA (Australian Associations of National Advertisers), who states that influencer advertising must be "clearly distinguishable". In August 2024, the Federal Trade Commission voted unanimously to ban marketers from using fake user reviews created by generative artificial intelligence chatbots (such as ChatGPT ) and influencers paying for bots to increase follower counts . Cancel culture
10656-448: The reality being different. Self-branding, also known as personal branding , describes the development of a public image for commercial gain or social or cultural capital. The rise of social media has been exploited by individuals seeking personal fame and product sales. Platforms such as Instagram , Twitch , Snapchat , VSCO , YouTube , and TikTok , are the most common social media outlets on which online influencers attempt to build
10767-455: The stores earmarked for closure, 154 were in the U.S., 95% of which were located, on average, 10 miles from another Walmart store. The 269 stores represented less than 1 percent of global square footage and revenue for the company. The 102 locations of Neighborhood Markets that were formerly or originally planned to be Walmart Express, which had been in a pilot program since 2011 and converted in to Neighborhood Markets in 2014, were included in
10878-408: The stores had already liquidated, without notifying employees; some employees learned by a company-wide email delivered January 11. Walmart said that ten of the stores will become e-commerce distribution centers and employees can reapply to work at those locations. Business Insider magazine calculated that over 11,000 workers would be affected. On the same day, Walmart announced that as a result of
10989-577: The success of PayPerPost, the public became aware that there was a drive for corporate interests to influence what some people were posting to these sites. The platform also incentivized other firms to establish comparable programs. Despite concerns, marketing networks with influencers continued to grow throughout the 2000s and into the 2010s. The influencer marketing industry is expected to be worth up to $ 15 billion by 2022, up from as much as $ 8 billion in 2019, according to estimates from Business Insider Intelligence, which are based on Mediakix data. Evan Asano,
11100-419: The tenth-highest earner that year was Rosanna Pansino at $ 2.5 million. That year, NME stated that " vlogging has become big business." The rapid influx of wealth within the YouTube community has led some to criticize YouTubers for focusing on earnings more than the creativity and connection with their fanbase that some claim was at the heart of the platform before expanded monetization. In August 2021, it
11211-944: The then-seven-year-old host of the toy review and vlog channel Ryan's World , began airing on the Nick Jr. Channel ; later that year, NBC debuted A Little Late with Lilly Singh in its 1:35 am ET time slot. Singh's digital prominence was cited as a reason for her selection as host by then-NBC Entertainment co-chairman George Cheeks. In 2024, Canadian YouTuber Jasmeet Singh Raina , otherwise known as JusReign, released his half-hour comedy series titled Late Bloomer . In addition to expanding into other forms of media, several YouTubers have used their influence to raise money for charity or speak out on social issues . Notable examples include James Stephen "MrBeast" Donaldson and Mark Rober , who helped raise over $ 20 million with their Team Trees campaign, and Felipe Neto , who publicly criticized Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro for his response to
11322-433: The videos. In 2018, Walmart , Nordstrom , and others sought YouTube stars as influencers . In the early days of YouTube, there was no way to monetize videos on the platform. Much of the site's content was homemade and produced by hobbyists with no plans for making money on the site. The first targeted advertising on the site came in the form of participatory video ads, which were videos in their own right that offered users
11433-487: The virus would receive "up to two weeks of pay". After two weeks, hourly associates who are unable to return to work are eligible for up to 26 weeks in pay. Walmart paid pandemic bonuses of $ 428 million to its staff. People who did part-time or temporary work received a bonus of $ 150 while those who worked full-time received a bonus of $ 300. Starting in July 2020, Walmart customers were required to wear masks in all stores nationwide, including Sam's Club. By February 2022,
11544-490: The world with 2.1 million employees. It is a publicly traded family-owned business, as the company is controlled by the Walton family . Sam Walton's heirs own over 50 percent of Walmart through both their holding company Walton Enterprises and their individual holdings. Walmart was the largest United States grocery retailer in 2019, and 65 percent of Walmart's US$ 510.329 billion sales came from U.S. operations. Walmart
11655-455: The world. VTubers function in a similar fashion to YouTubers and streamers , with some VTubers being music artists. These VTubers that were music artists or broadcast their musical talent would be dubbed "VSinger" (virtual singer). Agencies such as Hololive and VShojo , scout and hire these VTubers to aid in marketing and build popularity. Their trademark character being the VTuber avatar or
11766-422: Was in addition to $ 788.8 million in profit sharing , 401(k) pension contributions, hundreds of millions of dollars in merchandise discounts, and contributions to the employees' stock purchase plan. While the economy at large was in an ongoing recession , Walmart reported solid financial figures for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2009, with $ 401.2 billion in net sales, a gain of 7.2 percent from
11877-408: Was inspired by Ann & Hope , which Walton visited in 1961, as did Kmart founder Harry B. Cunningham . The name was derived from FedMart , a chain of discount department stores founded by Sol Price in 1954, whom Walton was also inspired by. Walton stated that he liked the idea of calling his discount chain "Wal-Mart" because he "really liked Sol's FedMart name". The building is now occupied by
11988-717: Was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1972. By 1988, it was the most profitable retailer in the U.S., and it had become the largest in terms of revenue by October 1989. The company was originally geographically limited to the South and lower Midwest, but it had stores from coast to coast by the early 1990s. Sam's Club opened in New Jersey in November 1989, and the first California outlet opened in Lancaster , in July 1990. A Walmart in York, Pennsylvania , opened in October 1990,
12099-508: Was reported Kevin Paffrath made $ 5 million in just the first 3 months of 2021 and his YouTube analytics showed he made "several million" in ad revenue within the prior 12 months. By 2021, YouTuber earnings had expanded even more, with Forbes estimating that the highest earner that year was MrBeast at $ 51 million. Social media influencer This is an accepted version of this page An internet celebrity , also referred to as
12210-427: Was reported that Walmart is now looking at entering the subscription-video space, hoping to compete with Netflix and Amazon. They have enlisted the help of former Epix CEO, Mark Greenberg, to help develop a low-cost subscription video-streaming service. On February 26, 2019, Walmart announced that it had acquired Tel Aviv-based product review start-up Aspectiva for an undisclosed sum. In May 2019, Walmart announced
12321-463: Was structured as a payout of $ 3 billion in cash, and an additional $ 300 million in Walmart stock vested over time as part of an incentive bonus plan for Jet.com executives. On October 19, 2016, Walmart announced it would partner with IBM and Tsinghua University to track the pork supply chain in China using blockchain. The use of blockchain to automate the tracking of the supply chain promises
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