Amazon (AMZN) - Get Report has taken the rap for, with good reason, upending several key industries including tech, retail and possibly even advertising next.

The entire retail sector, in particular, is struggling if not dying and the vast majority of declining companies in the industry are blaming their distress on the rise of Amazon.

Major retailers have shuttered massive amounts of stores including Sears Holdings (SHLD) and J.C. Penney (JCP) - Get Report while the list of bankrupt retailers continues to grow. The industry's latest major Chapter 11 filing came from discount shoe store chain Payless ShoeSource which submitted its bankruptcy petition on April 4.

From offering superior delivery methods to mulling the idea of launching furniture and appliances stores to secretly opening tiny electronics stores at 25 malls in 15 states, Amazon has had a ghastly effect on retail.

READ MORE: Walmart is Doing Something Incredible That Amazon Has No Quick Answer

In a recent interview with TheStreet, Karen Short, managing director of equity research at Barclays, said the retailers now suffering from the downturn in the industry did not take the threat of Amazon seriously and simply "sat back."

Except one.

Walmart (WMT) - Get Report , Short said, is the only retailer that saw Amazon coming and acted on it.

Today, Walmart may be the only retailer to compete in the same realm as Amazon, and possibly take it down a notch. Here's why.

Editor's Pick: Originally published April 20.