Final answer:
Wal-Mart saved money by switching to cardboard packaging for various products, a move that aligns with cost-effective and environmentally sustainable practices within the retail sector. This decision reflects long-standing trends in retail marketing and packaging, akin to the historical evolution of mail-order retail. Cardboard packaging is not only more affordable but also resonates with the company's large-scale economic impact on the retail landscape.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student asked about a product that Wal-Mart saved money on by changing its packaging to cardboard. This question pertains to Wal-Mart's business strategies and decisions, which involves understanding their cost-saving measures in the context of packaging materials. In this scenario, Wal-Mart would have saved money by switching from more expensive packaging solutions, like foam take-out trays, foam "packaging peanuts", CD cases, or foam-walled drink cups, to less costly cardboard packaging. This move could be analyzed from both a business efficiency and an environmental sustainability perspective. Cardboard is often cheaper and more easily recycled than foam products, offering a sustainable and cost-effective solution for packaging.Mail-order retail strategies have played a significant role in developing consumer markets, as seen historically with the likes of the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, Philadelphia's John Wanamaker, and discounters like Woolworth's. A transition to cardboard packaging could be a modern reflection of the adaptability within the retail and packaging sectors, similar to the historical shifts seen within the industry.
Additionally, the subject matter can be linked to larger economic implications, like the impact of large retailers such as Wal-Mart on small town economies and the relationships with local businesses. The packaging decision could also play into broader market strategies and dynamics, exemplified by cases such as the 1947 DuPont monopoly case, where the market definitions of packaging materials were instrumental to the case's outcome.