Hypermarket

A hypermarket or superstore is a big-box store combining a supermarket and a department store.^[1] The result is an expansive retail facility carrying a wide range of products under one roof, including full grocery lines and general merchandise. In theory, hypermarkets allow customers to satisfy all their routine shopping needs in one trip. The term hypermarket (French: hypermarché) was coined in 1968 by French trade expert Jacques Pictet.^[2]

Hypermarkets, like other big-box stores, typically have business models focusing on high-volume, low-margin sales. Typically covering an area of 5,000 to 15,000 square metres (54,000 to 161,000 sq ft), they generally have more than 200,000 different brands of merchandise available at any one time.^{[citation needed]} Because of their large footprints, many hypermarkets choose suburban or out-of-town locations that are easily accessible by automobile.