How Big Are U.S. Retailers—Really?

• May 11, 2025 • 3 min read

(...and why you should care)

Walk into a Walmart in Kansas, suburban Ohio, heck, rural Texas, and you might think it’s just another big-box store—rows of everyday products, families shopping, fluorescent lighting. But behind that ordinary setting is something much larger.

That single store likely generates more annual sales than an entire retail chain in many countries. And it’s just one of over 4,600 Walmart locations in the U.S.

That’s not an exaggeration.

It showcases the scale—and opportunity—of the U.S. retail market.

If you're an international supplier or emerging brand, the size of this market isn’t just impressive—it’s strategically important. Because when a single retailer can move more product than your home country’s entire sector, getting in means rewriting your business trajectory.

Let’s break that down.

Walmart: Bigger Than You Think

The world’s largest retailer started in a small town: Rogers, Arkansas, in 1962, founded by Sam Walton.

Today, it’s on track to hit nearly $700 billion in annual revenue. It employs over 2.5 million people. It operates more than 4,600 stores in the U.S. alone.

The average revenue per Walmart location in the U.S.? Around $150 million.

Let that sink in.

A single U.S. Walmart store generates more annual revenue than many well-known retail brands do across Europe, Asia, or Africa.

And while everyone talks about e-commerce, Walmart’s real edge is in physical presence and grocery dominance—it still controls roughly 20% of all U.S. grocery sales.

Every week, over 240 million people visit Walmart worldwide, with the U.S. making up the lion’s share. This level of foot traffic, combined with American purchasing power—is hard for many international businesses to fully grasp.

E-commerce? That’s Just a Slice

Here’s what’s wild:

Walmart’s entire e-commerce business accounts for just about 6% of all e-commerce retail sales in the U.S. And yet, they still hold around 20% of the U.S. grocery market.

So what does that tell you?

The U.S. retail market is so big that even the largest retailer in the world only controls a fraction of it.

Amazon: Different Game, Same Gravity

Amazon isn’t trying to be Walmart.

It’s something else entirely.

Over $250 billion in U.S. online retail revenue, with a logistics network that ships more than 1.6 million packages per day.

That’s 66,000 per hour.

1,000+ per minute.

By the time you finish reading this post, Amazon will have shipped another 3,000.

And even still, they’re just one player.

Other Retail Giants You Should Know

Walmart and Amazon grab headlines, but here’s what many suppliers overlook:

The U.S. is full of retail giants with open doors.

Costco
Kroger
Home Depot
CVS
Target
Walgreens
Lowe’s

Each of these companies generates over $100 billion in annual revenue. Yes—each.

Each has its own systems, buyers, consumer behavior, and opportunities.

In many countries, getting into one major retailer is the entire game.

In the U.S., getting into one is just the beginning.

So, Why Should You Care?

Because the U.S. retail space isn’t just big—it’s structured to absorb new products at scale.

If you have the right product—and can deliver consistently—there’s room for you.

There is room for new products, new brands, and international suppliers—if you know:

How to approach U.S. retailers
How to handle backend operations (EDI, routing, warehousing, compliance, etc.)
How to market to American consumers
How to position your product correctly
And how to move quickly and professionally

That’s Where CrossBridge Comes In

We help international brands and new suppliers succeed in the U.S. market by handling what they can’t afford to get wrong:

Retailer onboarding and EDI compliance
ERP systems and order processing
Inventory and warehouse coordination
Accounting, reporting, forecasting
Real-time performance dashboards

You focus on the product, marketing, and relationship-building.

We handle the infrastructure that keeps your orders moving and your retailer relationships healthy.

Whether you're entering the U.S. for the first time, selling online, or just landed a retail deal, we handle everything from setup to delivery—so nothing gets missed, and nothing falls on your plate.

Book a free strategy call—we’ll help you map out your next move and see if it makes sense to work together.