Regarding Sad Day In America

C

CharlesW

The Rainmaker
Does anyone but me see Wal*Mart as being not good for the economy of the country?
My wife and I have both gotten to where we shop so much at Wal*Mart that I feel guilty about not patronizing the samll retailers in our area. One of these days, that small retailer won't be there and Wal*Mart will be our only choice.
Wal*Mart doesn't neccasrily "sell for less", they BUY for less. Talk to anyone that has done business with them and you will be amazed at how much they beat up on their suppliers.
We are going to do a little price checking over a period of time to see just how much we really do save at Wal*Mart. Many of the items are only pennies less. The overall savings on a shopping trip might not be as much as we have been led to believe.
Hey, if this steps on anybody's toes or offends anyone, it can be deleted easier than it was typed.:p
 
Charles, you're absolutely right!

Tho we don't have the Walmart, we do have a large number of large stores everywhere, in fact, someone is building the largest mall of Europe here, in Portugal, one of the poorest countries of Europe.

It's ridiculous the way big guys suck the medium to little businesses economy. I complain about it all the time.
 
Charles,
I will post a link later when I get home (after 4am), for an article about wal-mart. Also, did you know Wal-Mart is under investigation for sexual discrimation, they pay the female less than males, for this check business week from Feb or March of this year.

In my area, Wal-Mart is trying to open a few new Super Stores, but is meeting opposition from Town Residents and environmentalists. Hopefully the little man will win, but Wal-Mart has the money and time to wait it out.

The number of times I have been overcharged at Wal Mart, not buy much but if this happens to 1 out of 10, $.50 here and .50 there adds up. Or there always low prices, which start low and then creep higher.

One last thing, five of the ten richest people are Waltons, Sam Waltons(founder of Wal Mart) family. If Sam Walton were still alive he would be worth more than double Bill gates.

Eric
 
I tend to agree that huge retailers are bad for the economy when it puts the moms and pops under pressure to give their products away or else be put out of business. But if there is a substantial savings on a certain product then it is beneficial for the consumer who has every right "to look out for number one" and pay the lowest price possible.

It reminds me of a customer who came into our showroom a few months ago. He had been in about 4 times before and he loves our products but he is really rich and really cheap.

He wants to know about the PC 7424 and what pads to get and how to use it... I spend 20 minutes or so talking with him and showing him some tips.

He is about to make a purchase decision and asks me, "Is this something that I can find cheaper elsewhere?"

I said yes and even told him where he could find it cheaper but that my price is firm and he is welcome to shop around and find his best deal, but that I myself think service accounts for something and that we stand behind our products with excellent service.

He decides to buy..... but says he will still shop around and may return it.....

Grrrrrr! I should have just refused to sell to him at that point.... and made him buy elsewhere in the first place...

Guess who brought a PC back a week later for a refund? Of course I gave it to him but the transaction ended up costing us money. (Merchant fees on credit card transaction)

Lowes is a great deal for him...... he saved $30.00

In this case the economy was good for both the end user and the huge retailer while a mom and pop couldn't compete...... despite the personalized service the smaller company provided.
 
This story shows how somethings shouldn't be. We don't have that kind of policy here. You buy it, it's yours, tho you have a warranty if something goes wrong.

On my computer shop I had something ridiculous last year, a guy who bought a computer system on a large shop took it to my shop two days after cause it wasn't working right, it was slow and crashing. My employee told him he had a warranty on it where he bought it but still he insisted we should fix it. Two days and more than 4 hours of work with it, it was ready and he went there to get it. He asked 'how much' and when the bill was shown he said 'what?? that's under warranty!' but not there, on my store.

Got it?
 
Walmart is the 500 lb gorilla. I have been against their spread for many years. I have vast knowledge of their tactics and deception. I have evn picketed potential sites that they were trying to build. They devastate small towns with their predatory pricing until there is no one left...Then they raise prices to be more profitable because they are the only show in town. Main streets of some towns are boarded up because of their tactics.

Does everyone realize that Wal-Mart has become the largest company in the world? They past Exxon/Mobil last year. They employ over 1 million people in which only 40% qualify for health benefits. Wonder why health care premiums are skyrocketing, there is your answer. We pay for 60% of the worlds largest corporation in the worlds health benefits. Not to mention the countless millions of dollars of public assistance paid to the employees who make 7 dollars an hour after there business closed down due to their rapid expansion.

They have also diversified their business to include travel, drycleaning, gasoline stations, banking and stand alone grocery stores. They have also been buying majority shares of companies in Europe and Asia. Their growth strategy is that of an "evil empire". They plain and simple want to take over all aspects of retailing.

Just for fun, take a look at the top ten richest people in America. 4 of them are Waltons. I personally will not shop their ever. I will not allow my wife to shop their and I ask my friends not to shop their.

Sorry for such a long rant. It is just a subject that everyone should be made aware of.

John
 
Have you ever played Monopoly? You know, that part when one has monopoly and nobody else has money to pay the bills? That's when the game ends, isn't it? ;)
 
Saved $30 at Lowe's, I don't think so.

The guy that bought the PC made a trip to your store to buy the PC. He made a trip to Lowe's to Buy the PC. (From the sound of this person, he probably made more than one trip to Lowe's, but I'll give him the benefit of a doubt) He made another trip back to your store to return the PC. Now I don't know about the costs of driving a vehicle in Florida, but I do know you can't do a whole heck of a lot of driving in Iowa for $30. Obviously the guys time was worth nothing to him, so I won't even go into the amount of time he wasted. Whan you get to be my age, that time gets to be more important since there isn't near as much left.:p
 
Walmart

I live in an average size town and when Walmart wanted to open a store here the city put it to a vote and the people by a landslide voted NOT to let Walmart open a store here. Less than 5 years after that vote Walmart opened a store in this town!!!
Obviously some palms were greased. In less than 2 years after Walmart opened here every single one of the Mom & Pop operations that had flourished in this town forever was gone!!

Take a look around you. It's fast food everywhere, Home Depot, and Walmart. Main Street America is gone!! I know I'm in a very small minority, but I've never been in a Walmart, and I never will be.

Sorry for the cynical rant, but this one burns my butt.....
 
I know how that goes with Wal-Mart and the like. We used to have some great car parts stores around here, you could go in there and basically get ANYTHING, and they would have it in stock. Then the chains came in (O'reillys, Auto Zone, and Pep-Boys) and slaughterd them.

As for Wal-Mart, I prefer Target or Kohl's for my retail shopping. As for groceries, despite the Super Wal-Marts and their standalone grocery stores, we ahve a local chain thats still standing strong here. They have even downsized a few Wal-Mart grocery stores because of it!
 
I'm sort of on the fence here. I understand exactly what Charles is saying....heard it a million times. One day it's Wal-Mart, next day it's Home Depot, next day it's some other huge retailer. While I don't like to see the demise of local businesses the fact is that the market will determine who wins and who folds.

A few years ago Sears opened up one of their huge Sears Hardware stores in town. Right next door (not wo doors away but the very next store) is a local mom and pop hardware store that has been in business in town for over 20 years. Everyone had this guy singing his swan song. Well 5 years later he is still there giving personalized attention, offering quality products at a reasonable price. No apethetic, clueless salespeople, no having to search for an hour for what you need, no forklifts driving through the store just missing your 6 year old daughter. Just him and the wife assisting people with a smile and friendly handshake. He may not have 3 or 4 different brands of what you need but he'll have what you need to do your job....and that is good enough for me.

So yes, the Wally Worlds will cause untold numbers of local shops to call it quits. But you can't stop them from being incredibly good business people and you shouldn't, IMO, don't reward a store with your business if all they can offer is a product on the shelf at a lower cost. But knowingly paying substantially more than another business is capable of selling something (for a profit obviously) is also not a very smart move. One is just as wrong as the other. Most times the local shops will add value to their products with their knowledge, expertise and willingness to assist.

If I were to give the #1 thing about the Wal-Marts of the world that really bother me it is the goods the buy are being produced by people making 2 dollars a week working 16 hour days. When people found out they loved getting something for 5 bucks that used to cost them ten bucks that is when the shit hit the fan. It happened a long time ago and it hasn't stopped. We as Americans don't seem to value keeping Americans working. Guess what.....sooner or later when enough industries have flown oversees there won't be anyone left in the USA who can afford to buy any of it!!!!!

Ah geez, I'm on a rant now. See what you started?

Natty
 
walmart is no big deal here. Eveyone thinks they have "cheap crap" and are a budget store. I guess that doesn't fly too well when your in an aristocratic city. Madison is full of snobs. They'd rather pay twice the price just to claim they did. I go to wallmart when i can't find it anywhere else or no one else is open. They can be a grat place but i go there maybe four or five times a year.
 
Excellent point Natty! Not only are they getting people to produce products for 5 bucks a week, they are having kids do it! :mad: Seems if the trend keeps moving in this direction, all the jobs that will be left are service jobs. Well at least there will be detailing :cool:
 
Negative Wal Mart article Links:

How Wal-Mart is Remaking our World

The Great Wal-Mart Wars from San Fran Chronicle

More article here

Wal-mart has not just put the hurt on the ma & pa stores but on other major retailers. K-mart comes to mind.

I know people who currently and who have worked for wal-mart, one is a single mother, who is cashier, one is single female cashier, one is a male overnight stock person? Guess who makes the most money p/h?

I worked for company who contracted to Wal-mart and I had to sign a two page waiver, just to check on the employees who I supervised. If I did not sign the waiver I could not enter the store to check on employee.

I have worked in retail (no not Wal-Mart) before and would not do that again unless I really had to. Major Chain Retail is an interesting corporate culture, Business out front, back-stabbing to all out back. They care about nothing except for the bottomline and how to increase profit.


Eric
 
Well I had a link to an Anti Wamalart essay but its defunct now, oh well...
I can't stand Wal-Mart. Everyone here in the South has the gap toothed (if any toothed) phrase "If Wal-Mart ain't got it ya don't need it"
Sorry but my idea of saving a few cents or a dollar on a product isn't worth spending the extra 15 mins. looking for that product b/c the employee doesn't know crap about his job, nor does he care.
It just irks me to see that they'll hire anyone and not train them well or even expect them to care. I wonder if the managers even know where their employees are during their shift!
I worked in retail for 3 straight years and don't want to do it again unless I own the shop. All the disrespect comes down the chain and ends up on the lowest person, and its not their fault.
No one realizes how Wal-Mart is the ruination of America, right there with the drive through.
I'll gladly pay more for good service and knowledge any day.

*Off soap box*
 
Hey Koop,

Your from Madison? I used to date a girl that was from Madison. You are right it is a town full of snobish academics, but it is also a great party town. Tons of beautiful women and home to one of the greatest Skateboarders around (Dave Mayhew)

No, Wal-mart can't survive in a town like Madison. Too many rich folks with way too much money to spend.

But, it is a great town!

Matt
 
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