Arik
Member
I had a feeling that's who you were talking aboutWhy Arik,,, Did you Boscov today?
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Is Walmart Bad For America?
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revolver59
Member
It's not bad for America, but I will bet you it's better for China!!!
wheelgun28
Member
The thing with Walmart is that they are the poster child for "The Race to the Bottom". While most of that mind set is over the legacy lives on.
If you did get to see the movie The Real Cost of Walmart, it shows how they force vendors to lower prices (I do think the movie was a hit piece of propaganda).
However the argument can be made who is really to blame here?
Are we (the public) Walmart minions and blindly buy things or do we just need to save every cent on every item we buy. I posed a question to someone one day, if two seemingly identical items were for sale and one was twenty percent (fifteen, ten, two?) higher but made in the USA and the other cheaper on was made someplace on the other side of the planet what would you buy?
Sadly most folks will buy the cheaper, maybe me too...
So is Walmart forcing us to buy cheap goods or are we forcing Walmart to sell cheap goods?
The other argument made is that the USA manufactures more things than it ever has. We have moved on from low skill jobs such as garment manufacturing or bulk machine operating jobs. We have higher skill jobs and better wages. With manufacturing pay scale kinda flat for decades the USA can be very competitive in certain areas. Is this argument true, well, I'll leave that to someone else to prove or not.
Lastly, why do we need to buy so much stuff? My grandparents had less disposable junk around the house and more money in the bank. (I am no different I could toss out half the stuff in the house and never miss it) Consumerism is a hobby today and the credit companies love it it seems. Folks go in debt to buy things they don't really need. Such goes life I suppose
If you did get to see the movie The Real Cost of Walmart, it shows how they force vendors to lower prices (I do think the movie was a hit piece of propaganda).
However the argument can be made who is really to blame here?
Are we (the public) Walmart minions and blindly buy things or do we just need to save every cent on every item we buy. I posed a question to someone one day, if two seemingly identical items were for sale and one was twenty percent (fifteen, ten, two?) higher but made in the USA and the other cheaper on was made someplace on the other side of the planet what would you buy?
Sadly most folks will buy the cheaper, maybe me too...
So is Walmart forcing us to buy cheap goods or are we forcing Walmart to sell cheap goods?
The other argument made is that the USA manufactures more things than it ever has. We have moved on from low skill jobs such as garment manufacturing or bulk machine operating jobs. We have higher skill jobs and better wages. With manufacturing pay scale kinda flat for decades the USA can be very competitive in certain areas. Is this argument true, well, I'll leave that to someone else to prove or not.
Lastly, why do we need to buy so much stuff? My grandparents had less disposable junk around the house and more money in the bank. (I am no different I could toss out half the stuff in the house and never miss it) Consumerism is a hobby today and the credit companies love it it seems. Folks go in debt to buy things they don't really need. Such goes life I suppose
Arik
Member
Like I said....It's a viscous cycle. As employees we want top dollar but as consumers we want to stretch every cent. A company cant pay me what I'd like to make and still sell to me at the price I want to pay!
It's true we don't need as much as we have but it's also what makes life easier and more comfortable and convenient.
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The trouble with Walmart is that the majority of employees are part timers with no benes.30-35 hrs a week is the norm.Loads of them qualify for food stamps.Most can't afford health insurance either,so they go without or depend on Medicaid.Anyone who pays taxes is subsidizing the company's bottom line
The town I work in used to be directly centered between Walmart Super Centers. One ten miles north and the other ten miles south. We still had two regional chain grocery stores, local appliance shops, boutiques, hardware store, a Farm & Fleet type store and more. Then Walmart built a smaller scale super center two miles outside town
Within five years all the town had left was the hardware store, a struggling pharmacy and a bunch of consignment stores. Last year a new Tractor Supply opened in town, however it isn't doing well.
The smaller Walmart is set up as a trap for those who either can't or won't drive to the other nearby communities with larger stores and competition. The Walmart here does not sell much of their store brand "Great Value" line. The name brand items are priced a few percent higher too. A bottle of Heinz Ketchup which sells for $2.49 at the WM's ten miles away costs $2.69 here. Green beans? Well at the other stores the GV brand is $.55 per can and Green Giant is $.99. Here no GV and Green Giant is $1.09. The $9.99 women's T's are $11.99 at this store and dog food that is $14.99 a bag north and south is $17.99 here.
If you can't or won't travel 10 miles in either direction to shop those Walmarts, or their competition, then you will PAY to shop here.
Within five years all the town had left was the hardware store, a struggling pharmacy and a bunch of consignment stores. Last year a new Tractor Supply opened in town, however it isn't doing well.
The smaller Walmart is set up as a trap for those who either can't or won't drive to the other nearby communities with larger stores and competition. The Walmart here does not sell much of their store brand "Great Value" line. The name brand items are priced a few percent higher too. A bottle of Heinz Ketchup which sells for $2.49 at the WM's ten miles away costs $2.69 here. Green beans? Well at the other stores the GV brand is $.55 per can and Green Giant is $.99. Here no GV and Green Giant is $1.09. The $9.99 women's T's are $11.99 at this store and dog food that is $14.99 a bag north and south is $17.99 here.
If you can't or won't travel 10 miles in either direction to shop those Walmarts, or their competition, then you will PAY to shop here.
DWalt
Member
I can hardly believe some of the comments I am reading here.
Wal-Mart is no worse for the country than any other large retailer of any kind. Take your pick. No one is forced to buy anything from any of them. No one is forced to work at any of them. You might just as well say that the Internet is bad for the country. Look at how bad for the country Amazon is, or even eBay. It's too bad Wal-Mart can't pay all their employees a $50/hour minimum wage. But then what retailer can? It's too bad that many smaller retailers have been put out of business, but it wasn't Wal-Mart that caused that. Back in the days before Wal-Mart even existed as a national chain, when discount stores first arrived in the 1950s and 1960s, the exact same accusations were being made against Woolworth (Woolco), K-Mart, and a host of other discount chains, most of which are no longer in business and have been long forgotten. Does anyone remember Heck's, Hart's, and E. J. Korvettes? Wal-Mart is simply more efficient in giving their customers what they want at prices they are willing to pay, and is one of the few retailers remaining which is not in deep trouble today due to internet-based competition, which goes far beyond just Amazon.
Wal-Mart is no worse for the country than any other large retailer of any kind. Take your pick. No one is forced to buy anything from any of them. No one is forced to work at any of them. You might just as well say that the Internet is bad for the country. Look at how bad for the country Amazon is, or even eBay. It's too bad Wal-Mart can't pay all their employees a $50/hour minimum wage. But then what retailer can? It's too bad that many smaller retailers have been put out of business, but it wasn't Wal-Mart that caused that. Back in the days before Wal-Mart even existed as a national chain, when discount stores first arrived in the 1950s and 1960s, the exact same accusations were being made against Woolworth (Woolco), K-Mart, and a host of other discount chains, most of which are no longer in business and have been long forgotten. Does anyone remember Heck's, Hart's, and E. J. Korvettes? Wal-Mart is simply more efficient in giving their customers what they want at prices they are willing to pay, and is one of the few retailers remaining which is not in deep trouble today due to internet-based competition, which goes far beyond just Amazon.
mrchuck
Member
Our small town has a very nice Wal-Mart and this is the 1st place we go to.
Groceries, motor oil, Prescriptions, etc.
We are blessed to have such a store.
The other grocery stores are approx 7 miles away, and also shop there once in a while.
No store around us has everything we old farts need or want.
Groceries, motor oil, Prescriptions, etc.
We are blessed to have such a store.
The other grocery stores are approx 7 miles away, and also shop there once in a while.
No store around us has everything we old farts need or want.
I hate to answer for someone else, but I'm pretty sure he is talking about Al Boscov, who was a real class act!
Disabled1
US Veteran
I shop there EVERY chance I get.
For instance, I buy my oil and filters there exclusively. (6) qts. of Pennzoil conventional oil and a Motorcraft oil filter costs me $23 and change. If you go to ANY parts store to buy the same items, it will cost a minimum of $15 more. Why would I want to go pay $15 more? Just to say,"I bought it at an American store!" BS! That same auto parts store sells just as much Chinese **** as does WM!
Have to go along with the above sentiments. Lots of people talk a good game about how other people should buy American made but quickly retreat to China products in their own purchases.
Take a look at any flashlight thread here... how many post pics of their Malkoff purchases vs China made?
A man with excellent taste in Flashlights!
I bought my first Malkoff M60's (for my SureFire's) in 2008, nothing but the best!
Would it be safe for me to assume that you are also a member at CPF?
Whether it's Wal-Mart, Costco, Kroger, Sam's, or Meijer, the procedure is the same:
Enter store and grab cart.
Place items I want in said cart.
Pay for items and leave.
The skill level or intellect of employees or appearance and dress of shoppers has no bearing on the above.
As to the OP's original query as to the "business model" of Wal-Mart, I have a working understanding of it. I may not feel great about some of their practices but that's the business norm of today.
As pointed out by others here, Amazon or the next retail power will rewrite the present model.
As also stated by others, the world will always be looking for that better mousetrap.
Enter store and grab cart.
Place items I want in said cart.
Pay for items and leave.
The skill level or intellect of employees or appearance and dress of shoppers has no bearing on the above.
As to the OP's original query as to the "business model" of Wal-Mart, I have a working understanding of it. I may not feel great about some of their practices but that's the business norm of today.
As pointed out by others here, Amazon or the next retail power will rewrite the present model.
As also stated by others, the world will always be looking for that better mousetrap.
Got a link for that? Or did you just make it up?
The toilet paper, cheeze, corn chips, soy sauce, fertilizer, rice, wipes, cereal et cetera I bought there this week all say "Made in USA." Is Kraft lying to me?
Please name an item sold at Walmart made by workers overseas working in sweat shops making less than $5.00 a week and work in deplorable conditions.
HKB
US Veteran
Yup, I hate Walmart. I have been boycotting them for over ten years. First, they like many of the large corporations have put many small businesses on the street. Secondly, much of their products are made outside the US, just adding to more employment problems. Thirdly, they have no respect for our history and will not hesitate to build on historical property.
I will drive out of my way and pay more for a product than give my business to Walmart.
DWalt
Member
"Yup, I hate Walmart. I have been boycotting them for over ten years. "First, they like many of the large corporations have put many small businesses on the street. Secondly, much of their products are made outside the US, just adding to more employment problems. Thirdly, they have no respect for our history and will not hesitate to build on historical property. "
And none of the other chains do those same things? And how many jobs and small businesses does Amazon cost? And no one else sells merchandise made overseas? Where have you been? And legitimate designated historic properties are well protected by both Federal and state laws (and often local laws). So why hasn't Wal-Mart been arrested for building on those designated historic properties?
And none of the other chains do those same things? And how many jobs and small businesses does Amazon cost? And no one else sells merchandise made overseas? Where have you been? And legitimate designated historic properties are well protected by both Federal and state laws (and often local laws). So why hasn't Wal-Mart been arrested for building on those designated historic properties?
If you're gonna resort to logic and reason then I'm outta here.
HKB
US Veteran
Many are not protected, and the Walmart slim balls that you support get the property rezoned for the parking lots. Tell me about it. BTW, I don't buy from Amazon, where did you get that from?
HKB
US Veteran
Apparently, you don't follow the news much.
Calling snubby, fire up da machine. 
HKB
US Veteran
Not quite the same thing.....
A better mousetrap catches more mice with a minimum of impact and backlash. How we do our shopping has had serious repercussions. Some of which are loss of many skilled jobs and loss of product quality. It's not completely the 'Big Box' stores, we are to blame for letting them take over.
Now the better mousetrap is a zillion Dollar stores all over. If what you want is at a dollar store, that's great. Our shopping on the internet has caused stores only to stock items that fly off the shelves. Instead of walking in and buying it, they'll order it for you or you can order it yourself on the internet.
A better mousetrap catches more mice with a minimum of impact and backlash. How we do our shopping has had serious repercussions. Some of which are loss of many skilled jobs and loss of product quality. It's not completely the 'Big Box' stores, we are to blame for letting them take over.
Now the better mousetrap is a zillion Dollar stores all over. If what you want is at a dollar store, that's great. Our shopping on the internet has caused stores only to stock items that fly off the shelves. Instead of walking in and buying it, they'll order it for you or you can order it yourself on the internet.
Running for the cheaper products???
A lot of people on this forum seem to prefer quality and are willing to pay for it.
A lot of people on this forum seem to prefer quality and are willing to pay for it.
I was in there the other day...
They had shelves lined floor to top with shotgun ammo. They have a minimum selection of pistol ammo because they don't want to be seen as gunmongers.
I think K Mart started the deal for us. They never had customer service, just cheap goods.
I went to Walmart to buy a baseball because my son was starting to play. I looked all around the sporting goods and finally asked a salesperson who snapped, "IT'S NOT BASEBALL SEASON". It wasn't too long ago when you could buy a baseball everywhere, any time of the years.
They had shelves lined floor to top with shotgun ammo. They have a minimum selection of pistol ammo because they don't want to be seen as gunmongers.
I think K Mart started the deal for us. They never had customer service, just cheap goods.
I went to Walmart to buy a baseball because my son was starting to play. I looked all around the sporting goods and finally asked a salesperson who snapped, "IT'S NOT BASEBALL SEASON". It wasn't too long ago when you could buy a baseball everywhere, any time of the years.
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Geronimo Jim
Member
I love Wal-Mart. A great American success story.
What Capitalism is all about. This anti Wal Mart
was started by the unions because they have been
unable to organize them. Picked up by the
liberals.
What Capitalism is all about. This anti Wal Mart
was started by the unions because they have been
unable to organize them. Picked up by the
liberals.
HKB
US Veteran
LOL.... not much. Try Google then insert "Walmart", "Chancellorsville", and "Gettysburg" for starters.
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