'Tis the season for a major ramping up in competition among the big retailers. In this video, Motley Fool Consumer Goods Analyst Blake Bos tells us about several of the upcoming battles that Wal-Mart (WMT 0.42%) will face as the holiday season approaches, and how it faces increased competition from stores like Target (TGT 2.49%) and The Dollar Tree (DLTR -0.95%). This was made especially tough because Target's guidance for 4Q was so much more optimistic than Wal-Mart's. He also discusses how Sam's Club is facing increased competition from Costco (COST 1.05%), and how Whole Foods (WFM) delivers a premium experience to consumers that Wal-Mart just can't compete with at the moment. Finally, he talks about some of the factors affecting consumers this season that may impact retail as a whole.