Wal-Mart steps up their bullying

[Grouse]

Originally Posted by SpoiledMan

The key to some of the price difference is the lack of packaging and distribution costs. The rest is well... Not *everybody* has an iPod that is capable of viewing movies. When it comes down to it there truly isn't that large a number of people for Wal-Mart to be worried about.

add to that the built in digital rights management, download times, download costs, poor video sound and quality on anything but an Ipod.It would be one thing if you could download the full 4.7 gigs of dvd data and use it how ever you want.

But you can't. With a dvd i can watch on my tv, car, desktop, and laptop. my parents dvd player, my wifes parents. ect ect. With the ipod download you are limited to your Ipod.

Hence the reduced cost.

[Totoland Mach]

Originally Posted by SamIam

Geez, I guess I don't see the issue with selling generic prescriptions for $4. Drug costs are a burden especially for people on fixed incomes (read: My Parents).

I don't shop at Walmart, just don't like the store. However, I guess I just don't see this as a bad thing. How is saving elderly consumers money a bad thing?

I think what Wally World is doing in the pharmacy end is probably a good thing. I'm a "senior citizen" and my prescription drugs approach $200 per month WITH health insurance! I look at a retailer that's going to do this service and think: gee, if they can save me $160 a month, look at the detailing products I can afford. I know that's being a little flippant, but Wally World see's the same vision. Save the consumer on drugs and they probably will spend it in the store on other items. Will they hurt the small pharmacy? They might, but there have been news articles where the neighborhood pharmacy has added 1,000% markup to certain prescriptions, so they aren't exactly the shining example.

I've dealt with their corporate previously on barcode products and they are a giant to a vendor. Their purchasing power is beyond belief, yet they are not that hard to work with. Like any business, they are looking for solutions and want to purchase the solution or design their own.

As far as corporate salaries are concerned, Wally is no different from Bill Gates, Ford Motor Co, GM, Google, you name it. Do they treat their employee's bad...no doubt there are instances with a company this size. But, the employee can just see employment elsewhere if they are unhappy.

Oh well, enough ranting (the sun is finally peeking out in KC, and I've got a car to do).

See You Fine Autopians Later!

Totoland Mach

[bluzman]

I hate WW with apassion. I used to be an account manage for a major soft drink company. They were by far the hardest company to make happy. They would threaten to throw us out if we didnt do something they wanted. Of course my company would do anything no matter how unreasonable.

[Danase]

Originally Posted by SamIam

Geez, I guess I don't see the issue with selling generic prescriptions for $4. Drug costs are a burden especially for people on fixed incomes (read: My Parents).

I don't shop at Walmart, just don't like the store. However, I guess I just don't see this as a bad thing. How is saving elderly consumers money a bad thing?

Well, the problem is in order to sell so cheap you might see less quality drugs on the market. There was an article on how this will or could really hurt the consumer but I can not find it now. I am sure CNN has it.

[Scottwax]

Originally Posted by tdekany

My problem is how they treat the employees. Worse than bad. Encouraging them to collect unemployment, since one can't live off of what most sales clerks make.

If you are trying to raise a family on what a sale's clerk makes, no matter what the company is, you probably should rethink the direction your life is taking. Seriously, for people making $8 an hour (typical starting wage in the Dallas area), having kids is the last thing you should be doing. If a Wal-Mart is fully staffed, it is offering adequate compensation for the work performed. That is also capitalism.

The CEO made 27 Million last year. F! WM

How much did Brad Pitt make last year vs what the usher at the theater showing his movie makes? It isn't just CEO's who make huge amounts of money.

I am no big Wal-Mart defender, I rarely shop at them because they just aren't as clean as a Target is. Employees aren't as friendly either. However, the bash Wal-Mart bandwagon is getting out of hand. Everyone claims to hate them but apparently a lot of people still like Wal-Mart enough to shop or work at them.

[Grouse]

lol Thank you scott, that is what is was thinking.

[kpounds]

Just to let folks know, K-Mart also has a drug program in place called the Formulary Program where you can get about 100 different generic drugs for $15 for a 3 month supply. If you go to any Kmart pharmacy, there should be a sign there about it and they'll give you a list of the drugs covered under the program. My Mom uses it quite a bit to save money on her prescriptions.

[SpoiledMan]

Originally Posted by Scottwax

If a Wal-Mart is fully staffed, it is offering adequate compensation for the work performed. That is also capitalism.

No, they have simply found people in a bad enough situation that they *have* to take what they can. Not all are entrepreneurs.

How much did Brad Pitt make last year vs what the usher at the theater showing his movie makes? It isn't just CEO's who make huge amounts of money.

Brad Pitt doesn't own the theater OR employ the worker. Wal-mart has complete control over the pay of their workers and benefits.

I am no big Wal-Mart defender, I rarely shop at them because they just aren't as clean as a Target is. Employees aren't as friendly either. However, the bash Wal-Mart bandwagon is getting out of hand. Everyone claims to hate them but apparently a lot of people still like Wal-Mart enough to shop or work at them.

The bashing *isn't* out of hand as they seem to be the worst at taking care of their employees. They get caught doing things that they have to know are illegal with all the HR people that they employ. They're doing what they feel like trying to get away with and that's simply a shame. In the L.A. area, people show up in droves to try and stop any attempt that they make to open up a store and that starts at the land buying!

[CarWeenie]

Substitute, "Walmart" with "American", and you will get an idea of what the rest of the world feels about us (or at least their media/talking heads). Do you believe that impression is totally fair/valid, partly fair/valid, not very fair/valid, totally not fair/valid? By the way, I am not for or against Walmart. I am just rather curious that how a retailer can generate so much hatred.

I do agree with Scott (but substitute "rarely" with "never"). I rather prefer Target to Walmart (cleaner, friendly staff, and sane checkout lines)

[Scottwax]

Originally Posted by SpoiledMan

No, they have simply found people in a bad enough situation that they *have* to take what they can. Not all are entrepreneurs.

You can't really believe all Wal-Mart employees only work there because they are in a bad enough situation.

My ex-wife worked at Wal-Mart for a while, she didn't really like working there, although she was making around $8.50 an hour. Her mom, on the other hand, retired from Digital a few years back and moved down to Kentucky where my ex currently lives. She works at Wal-Mart and loves it. She isn't trying to raise a family, obviously, but the income she makes keeps her from dipping into her savings and pension from Digital.

Brad Pitt doesn't own the theater OR employ the worker. Wal-mart has complete control over the pay of their workers and benefits.

Market forces have more to do with what companies pay and offer in benefits than anything else. Minimum wage is $5.15 an hour but if you look around in the Dallas area, most starting pay is in the $6.50 to $7.00 an hour range because the competition in the market makes paying the minimum wage a death sentence for company staffing.

I dare say though, that the CEO of Wal-Mart and most other companies does more for the economy than any Hollywood actor making $20 million per film.

The bashing *isn't* out of hand as they seem to be the worst at taking care of their employees. They get caught doing things that they have to know are illegal with all the HR people that they employ. They're doing what they feel like trying to get away with and that's simply a shame. In the L.A. area, people show up in droves to try and stop any attempt that they make to open up a store and that starts at the land buying!

I doubt any company could stand up to the same scrutiny that Wal-Mart does and come out any cleaner. There are always going to be bad managers, HR people, etc in every company. Not every company is under a constant microscope like Wal-Mart is though.

Of course a lot of people don't want a Wal-Mart in their neighborhood. They probably wouldn't want a Target, Sears or K-Mart either. It has more to do with the traffic increase and a huge store in their neighborhood than anything else.

[paradigm]

i'm with scottwax regarding the employees. if they are not happy w/ the work or the pay...then do something about it (improve yourself) or don't whine about it. if you are not qualified for a higher paying job, do what EVERYONE ELSE DOES and get more education to become qualified. financial aid is available for so much schooling it is ridiculous...especially for non-traditional (adult) student and low-income households.

if WW is paying $8.50/hr to a clerk...that is plenty for what they do and the qualifications they need to do the job (stay awake, breathe, etc). hell, i know NURSES that barely make more than that in clinics and they are dealing with people's LIVES...not ringing up chewing gum and mopping floors. the concept that they "deserve more" is crazy. if everyone was paid what they THINK they deserve, the country would fall apart and no company could afford to have staff.

[Corey Bit Spank]

ha. Many nurses are underpaid. Many pharmacists are overpaid. Oh America...

I sometimes shop at Walmart to spite those stupid people that pass out the anti-Walmart literature at school.