In reality, does the USA offer LESS retail shopping variety than what one might believe at first?

We have a lot of stores in the USA, but in truth we seem to have a lot of the SAME retail outlets as the USA moves towards business consolidations and mergers on the retail front.

So, compared to European and Asian nations, does the USA lag in retail shopping variety in 2007?

I think you are correct. If you mean the choice of outlet is smaller than in Europe and Asia.

In Europe and Asia there a lot of families still in the retail business and are successful. Walmart is a good example. Ireland doesn't have a comparable retail store, nor do most countries, the UK has Tesco and France has Carrefour, but they neither follow Walmarts exact example or want to.

Independent retailers are alive and kicking. When the last Harry Potter went on sale the independent book shops kicked up a massive fuss since the likes of Asda (Walmart in the UK) and Tesco where selling them for next to cost price. Books like that ensure these shops survival and they ensure there is a wide range of books are available.

To prove this, in my home town of some 4,000, there is a Super Valu, Mace, Dunnes Stores, Tesco, Londis, Lidl and two family run independent supermarkets. The Mace, SuperValu, Londis are also family run franchises. There is three menswears, no chains stores, 15 womenswear, again no chain stores.

So yes Americans are being given less and less choice while Europeans are making sure chains don't dominate.

Umm. Have you been to a mall? Pretty much everything there.

I agree with the first poster. If you can't find it in the US, you're not looking.