wally world

I don't shop there. Maybe it's time for a poll.

The Los Angeles Times ran an interesting series of articles about Wal-Mart a couple years ago.

 

Despite what I've read about Walmart's interaction overseas and how it effects small business here int he States, there are a few positive notes too.

Over in China, Maylasia, Korea, and other countries, there are people who have jobs and are bringing home money that would probably never have had the chance before.

Here in the States, there are millions of people who have jobs that would have either not had one before, or who are working because they were displaced as a smaller organization.

And because of these practices, there are many, many Americans, who live paycheck to paycheck, who are able to have more purchasing power than ever before, to buy more for the dollar, etc.

Supply & Demand, ....you know the story. Economics is a tough mistress.

My family has no problem with saving a buck and buying items at Walmart that would cost more somewhere else.

 

:lol:

Yup, I'm soooo not surprised... lot's of "go", little "show"...

I, for one, do NOT shop at Walmart. Although I will say that I have been in that store maybe twice in the last 3 years out of some circumstance...

 

If it matters, just google walmart or read "How Walmart Is Destroying America", or watch the movie "Walmart, the High Cost of Low Prices". Staggering how this company operates and treats employees, and not in a good way.

I for one NEVER shop there. Knowing all the above, plus the lawsuits and environmental damage these big box stores do...

Doing the right thing always costs more up front, but in the long haul/bigger picture it makes sense. Just like the Prius.

My suggestion? Try a bit harder in finding independent stores that have the things u need. I've ALWAYS found everything I need at stores other than Walmart. Smaller stores owned and operated by local people, with profits NOT going to some out of state corporation.

Ignorance is bliss here, but ignoring the Walmart implications on your local neighborhoods is wrong.

 

I don't shop there. But for the working poor it's a vicious circle: they make their dollar go a bit farther, but in doing so they depress wages at home and abroad, thus maintaining an economic climate in which their own wages are held low.

Buying cheap imported goods undercuts higher-wage domestic industry, so the very people whose low wages induce them to shop at Walmart prevent the creation of better-paying jobs for themselves.

To the individual it seems as though his own shopping, being just one person, cannot make a difference, but if everyone refused to shop there, overall wages, including his own, would rise.

In a way it's a lot like voting: one person's vote does not make a difference, but if you can get enough people to join you, you can make a difference. Walmart has succeeded in getting the poor to work against each other, and in so doing has created a commercial empire.

 

Its a company prviding strong value to consumers. We buy our groceries from there. We drink alot of milk. I would rather pay $2.29 a gallon rather than $3.96 a gallon at Harris Teeter.

Everyone wants to pick on them. I'd say give them a break.

 

On the other hand, though, I don't like shopping at small independent places either. For the most part. There's a higher likelyhood they're theives, and paying more for something as ambiguous as "service" is not my cup of tea.

 

Sorry, but if u knew what is really happening at Wally world, that $2.29 is NOT a good deal. Just do the research. It's not worth it. I know saving a dollar fifty six seems like a savings, but I've learned the 'value' of that savings is NOT what it seems. My 2 cents.

Walmart is an ugly, ugly front to oppressiive business tactics and cut-throat capitalism. They just do not care that they have driven Levi-Strauss out of business here in the US. One small story of the sad business ethic they subscribe to. Buy American? Not in Walmart. To get cheap goods , they've forced many a good American company to move operations overseas. I, for one, don't like that and am willing to pay the true cost of goods to stop that trend.

But I'm a liberal hypocrite. I own a Prius. I chose to buy from a foreign company, since no American company had anything even close to a Prius: conserve gas, lower emissions, fun to drive. I even (gasp) paid more for this car than allow a cheaper car try to satisfy me...

 

"On the other hand, though, I don't like shopping at small independent places either. For the most part. There's a higher likelyhood they're theives, and paying more for something as ambiguous as "service" is not my cup of tea."

Yeah, there's ALL kinds of news stories and lawsuits going on about small business owner thieves.

 

That's not a rational point, as who needs to sue a small business for being thieves, when it's far easier, and cheaper, to just go somewhere else (i.e. hit up the local Wal-Mart... ).

I have a spectacular example from just this weekend:

I decided to give the local hardware shop a try for a tool I needed. Well, they had it, for $5 more than the local branch of a huge auto parts chain, who happen to provide just as good, if not better, service.

It's a free market economy, those who get steam-rolled will always complain about how "unfair" everything is.

 

I like spending my money in a place where I know that the workers are well treated and happy, the product is of high quality and I feel like I count as an individual consumer. That does not happen at Wally World. I HATE to even go in there and have pretty much told my 90 y/o mom, who loves the place, that I will not shop for her there.

It is difficult to be able to research everything you buy and avoid all "ethical" issues in buying an article but I try to be somewhat aware of company practices.

 

"It's a free market economy, those who get steam-rolled will always complain about how "unfair" everything is."

Do the research. It's not equal. Walmart gets money to plop down their store, streets, sewer. etc. from the city governments, in the hope that they will get payback. The small business owner gets jack. It's true. It's happening. If u shop Walmart u are encouraging the demise of a local business environment.

My questions have always been: If there is no problem with Walmart, why the fuss of thousands of communities (yes, thousands) fighting them to NOT be in their backyard? How can they be so "good" and yet have all this controversy? Is it made up? Not real? Check the crime stats for a Walmart parking lot. Not good. The laundry list of negative justs screams, hey Wth.

 

Seems to me the city goverment, elected by the people, might be more of an issue in this respect.

Ever hear of "economies of scale"? I wonder what percentage these "thousands of communities" are against the overall number of Walmarts?

What I'm saying is that you need to put things on a more "apples to apples" comparison basis. With respect to crime stats for their parking lots, are they really that much higher in proportion to smaller chains, or even small business owners?

Hey, I don't like Walmart anymore than you do, but at the same time, I'm not going to have a smile on my face as the local guy bends me over and rapes me.

 

"Ever hear of "economies of scale"? I wonder what percentage these "thousands of communities" are against the overall number of Walmarts?"

Not sure I catch your meaning here...many communties are floundering. Why? Becuase Walmart came into town, or just on the outskirts of town, drivng business away from local merchants, plain and simple.

"What I'm saying is that you need to put things on a more "apples to apples" comparison basis. With respect to crime stats for their parking lots, are they really that much higher in proportion to smaller chains, or even small business owners?"

Yes.

"Hey, I don't like Walmart anymore than you do, but at the same time, I'm not going to have a smile on my face as the local guy bends me over and rapes me."

And what about the worker that actually made that tool. That's the problem here: no one even cares or WANTS to know what foreign working conditions are like to bring you that $8.43 polo shirt or whatever. It's about human rights, decent living. All we as Americans seem to do is ask more of the world to bring us the cheapest goods, NO MATTER the toll it takes on these poorer nations or the environment for that matter. We all live here, breathe here.

I am, by no means, immune to this. I'd like cheap stuff too. But I've come to realize there is a price to pay for cheaper goods. I've been enlightened and cannot un-learn/ignore the Walmart reports. I no longer can be as ignorant as I once was. I've come to understand the ugliness American capitalism has subjected other countries to, just so I (we) can enjoy a far better life.

I'll even throw the religious card down. WWJD if he knew of the oppression the US hands out, so a disproportionately better life can be had by keeping others down?

It so shouldn't have to be the way it is...

Equality/fair trade is not a Walmart in every town.

I certainly haven't alot of answers here, I just question the sustainability of ALL our human endeavors.

 

I wonder how many PCers recycle? Perhaps it is time for another poll?! To me that may seem inconsistent, but let's remember, people buy the Prius for various reasons, some just because it is a cool car. As PC grows (and the number of Prius owners grow) we shouldn't expect everyone to have the same values (been over to FHOP lately?).

BTW, I am no fan of Wal-Mart either and avoid it as much as I can.

 

I fear the bubble is bursting now. With all the goods you buy from Walmart (or other places, really) made in China, we are effectively driving the Chinese market, forcing them to use the cheapest (but not cleanest) means possible to create power, etc.

I've friends that travelled to China recently, adopted a baby girl (girls are not 'wanted' there. Again, it's about human rights/decency). They saw the worst air you can imagine and many vehicles just spewing crud. Add many more coal-fired power plants to feed the industry of cheap labor and ...well...it just seems we are going down a path of least resistance (cheaper), but of no return (no future).

Again, just so we can have a cheap polo shirt or rug. Not to mention the zillions of plastic crap items available now.

Demand for oil is worldwide. Buy from Walmart, don't expect gas prices to fall, as the demand for the oil to produce said Walmart items in China goes up and up. Well, unless we invade...uh, nevermind, it's been said before...

 

i don't like wal mart either. i only shop there when absolutely necessary (ie, it's 2am and we're in the middle of some insomniac project and require more supplies and no other store is open)

i have 2 target stores that are located much more conveniently to my home, going to wal mart requires dealing with much nastier traffic, crowds, etc that i don't really like to do. i'm not a "people person" and dealing with that is more than i care to handle.

 

That only matters if the local guy stocks his shelves with non-sweatshop made goods. The tool in particular, was made in Taiwan at BOTH stores, only the local guy slapped an extra $5 on it.

Although to be a devil's advocate for Walmart, for the sake of the argument, I'm not entirely sure it's Walmart's fault for working conditions, in let's say, China.