Cynthetiq

I was reading The Persuaders another Frontline show caught my eye which is the show, Is Wal-Mart Good For America?

The show if you can catch the show I recommend it. I find Frontline to be the most unbiased of all shows as it's not sponsored and it's subsidized by grants and government aid.

I've not seen it yet, but I personally find that Wal-Mart is a good company. The provide low prices and quality products. They may have some over zealous managers trying to keep costs down ala the overtime debacle of last year, but all in all, I find they employ people including more disabled than visible within any other company.

I will see if the show actually changes my point of view by bringing new information to the fold.

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wilbjammin

I enjoyed the show, I've been discussing globalization in my Civics class and I brought this in today.

I think Wal-Mart's domination of manufactures through their "pull" tactics of knowing just how much it costs manufacturers to make their goods has done a lot of damage to the manufacturing base of the United States by forcing many corporations to leave the US and start-up factories in China. Wal-Mart is a huge reason that our trade deficit has exploded with China, it is causing people to lose high paying jobs, and it has created huge downward pressures on wages and benefits in our country.

In spite of that, I think Wal-Mart is the result of a structural global problem that has been endorsed and enforced by the WTO. If it wasn't Wal-Mart, it would have been someone else. Unless there is something done structurally, the exodus of manufacturing jobs to other countries with lower wage standards and worker rights will continue. I personally think that the goal of being self-sufficient is one that we should once again work towards, but not in an isolationist scope. There are ways to work out these issues in the world without a race to the bottom, and I find it very frustrating that there is no will from those with the power to change things to do so.

I'd suggest that you view "Life + Debt" that discusses how globalism has affected Jamaica as a case study to see how this global system has created real barriers towards self-sufficiency in "3rd world" countries that have been forced into borrowing from the IMF and World Bank.

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Mobo123

Walmart is a destructive monster. They are such a huge force in the marketplace. My friend, who manufacturers toys, tells me that Walmart sets their price for them, take it or leave it. But the irony of it all is that we still shop there because the prices are so much lower.

Blackthorn

I was on an assignment at a large consumer products manufacturer (aka: Puke & Gag, Procter & God) in Cincinnati where the project was to redesign their order, shipping, and billing system. At the time this was about a $25 billion company. One day some folks from "Fayette-nam" as they liked to refer to it came calling. Actually the Fayette-nammers requested that the reps from this company come and visit them. Upon arrival they were greeted with a laundry list of changes that they were to be required to make to their ordering and pricing policies, their shipping terms including pallet/container sizes, what rail systems could be used and a whole host of other changes. Well...needless to say these demands were met with well yeah...that's fine we'll get back to you. Under their breath these reps were laughing saying HA HA HA...riiiiight. Like some piss-ants from Fayette-Nam are going to push us around like that. Baaaaaaaaah!!!

Fast forward...they get home and think well maybe we should see just how much business we do with these Fayette-Nammers. A few cobol programs later and viola!!! It becomes apparent that Wal-Mart is actually responsible for 20% of this $25 billion company's sales Needless to say a flotilla of people from this company were dispatched to placate and accomodate the requests of Wal-Mart. In fact...it didn't take long before a customer service center was opened in Fayette-Nam to deal JUST WITH WAL-MART! 20% of $25 billion you see is a lot of soap, diapers, and Folgers coffee crystals.

Wal-Mart uses market forces to exact a pound of flesh in order to keep prices low. You pay them. I pay them. I will continue to pay them. Their prices are lower. Until someone else comes along who can compete by matching or beating their prices Wal-Mart is here to stay. Unfortunately U.S. manufacturers who cannot compete with low cost labor pools abroad will continue to disappear as Wal-Mart and other retailers buy products from these markets to sell to you at the lowest possible price. It's a market force. You can try and regulate it through trade sanctions and import tarrifs but this will lead to other countries doing exactly the same thing to us.

It's ironic that the trade agreements struck with the likes of China during the Clinton Administration (that I for one thought would benefit U.S. manufacturers) has had a mostly detrimental effect by simply opening markets to lower cost labor pools. It will balance out over time but make no mistake boys and girls...the U.S. economy is changing and in order to compete/survive you need to be educated, and be willing to adapt to doing more with less. Innovate, invest, and learn to do things better, faster, and cheaper or get run over.

Wal-Mart....I will continue to shop there and I suspect you will too. Unless for some odd reason you enjoy paying higher prices. If that's the case you probably also voted for higher taxes but that's a story for another thread!

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gariig

I'd just quote the rest of this thread, because everything that has been said I think you will hear reiterated. The short and sweet is Wal-Mart == The Devil. I still shop with the devil though

guthmund

Couldn't have said it any better.

Wal*Mart is a necessary evil. You can't like their practices, but you have no choice but to enjoy the low prices.

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Lockjaw

There's a Saturday Night Live Skit in that some place.

**Open** Wal-Mart employees holding rifles and wearing blue armbands with a stylized W-M on it wearing dark shades mill about
Employee 1:**In robotic authoritarian voice**Welcome back to Wal-mart.
Customer 1: Thanks...
**walking down the aisles**
Customer 2: Ever wonder why prices are slow low here?
**sirens go off and a shock troop of elite Wal-mart "greaters" arrive and confront the customers Wal-mart Employee 2 strides up wearking a dark grey uniform with a black boots and a monocle**
Employee 2:Vy aren't you shopping customers?
Customer 1: We were...she was just wondering about the prices...like why they are so low?
Employee 2ON'T QUESTION THE PRICES!
Customer 2:Excuse us?
Employee 2: JUST SHOP!
Customer 1: Let's get out of here...
**Employee 1 cuts off their exit**
Employee 1: May I see your receipt?
Customer 1: We didn't buy anything.
Customer 2: Yeah you guys are weird.
Employee 2: **laughs** Ha ha...you can not leave! You MUST enjoy our low prices. Enjoy them now and forever more!
MUHAHAHHAHHA!

merkerguitars

I'm suprised people haven't really talked more about the employees, yes the hire alot of disabled and other people that it would be tough for them to find jobs and I have to admit that I'm pretty proud of wal-mart doing that. They actually don't start their employees off at that bad of a starting wage, for example I believe the starting pay for cashier type work for someone of young age was around $7.75 in Stillwater MN, and then a Kohls opened up in the same town, they called the manager of the Wal-Mart and asked what their starting pay was..and they where like "oh we'll start them off at $5.15 (minnesota minimum wage). So they aren't exactly evil on the pay scale. The only thing I am really suprised that they don't offer a better employee discount (it's only 10% off) I was running around with a price scanner one day and I couldn't believe how much clothes are marked up and 10% isn't much but it's better than nothing I guess. But if you compared the discount to Best Buys (typically 5% over cost) and face it that it doesn't take much for anybody to be a Best Buy employee that gets that discount and for you that say look they can get all the cool electronics like laptops and other computers and games a 10% discount is sometimes better than 5% over cost. All in all economically wise they aren't that bad the drive the market and hell they have worked to do so when others have had the chance......

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guthmund

My neighbor was just hired as a cashier a few weeks ago. They started her out at $5.15 and haven't scheduled her for more than 20 hours in the time she's been there. Whether that's because she's new, I couldn't say.

I can say this.

They told me two years ago that my starting wage would be $5.15. They wouldn't guarantee how many hours I'd work and told me it was their perrogative to move me round the store as they seen fit.

My former roommate worked at the Harrison, AR store for nearly three years. When he quit to come work with me, he was making....yep, you guessed it $5.15. They moved him around from department to department and one winter was reassigned (or whatever they call it) to collecting carts.

That's what I can say about Wal*Mart on the whole. Of course, everyone has their individual stories and since we're sharing....

I have been held in a Wal*Mart twice by their security. Once for shoplifting. I was with two other friends after work, which was about 1:00 in the morning. I veered off to browse electronics. After buying a videogame, security "escorted" me to the service desk up front where they already had my "accomplices." They claimed to have it on tape that my friend stuffed several cans of Spaghetti-o's down his pants. Yes, you read that right. City cops came and cleared up the whole situation and were kind enough to walk us out.

The second time it was for an offensive t-shirt. Different group of guys with me this time, buying groceries late at night. The manager on duty received a complaint about my friend's t-shirt. It had the word F#@K on it (with the symbols and edited) he was detained, we politely waited for the city police, 30 minutes later I told them we'd been polite enough and good-bye. They balked at handing me and my friend back our driver's licenses, (what they needed with them, I'll never know) but gave them back and we caught the city police as we were walking outside.

Two different stores. Two different incidents. Is it indicative of the whole? Probably not, but there it is.

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PulpMind

I havn't shopped at Wal-Mart in over 4 years. Anyone who shops at WalMart or a similar store is either ignorant or weak. If you're ignorant, fine. If you're weak.. do some reasearch, and BUY LOCALLY. You'd be amazed that *shock* walmart isn't really that much cheaper if you go through the right avenues to make your purchases.
.
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PS - stop wasting all your money on doritos, dvd's, and other Amerikan consumerist crap, and you might find that you really can afford to not shop at an Amerikan consumerist crap hole.

Lockjaw

Yes sir Commrade!
I'll be sure to stop buying DVDs,video games, and other items of entertainment as soon as you burn your books disconnect your internet connection, and smash your radio.

Although it's not really that accurate to say you can find things cheap all the time at smaller markets. I.e. smaller mom and pop stores. Especially considering Wal-mart price matches. I don't do a ton of shopping there either but not everybody has the time and money to go out bargin hunting. If you have the extra time and money to not shop there fine but don't get all elitist on people that do.

yabobo

Big business gets bigger by sending jobs overseas. Millions of Americans
are unable to chnge jobs with the times due to education levels, most of us have
families to support and don't have the resourses to re-educate themselves. We also may have physical limitations now that we are much older.
Just saying I know by shopping at wal-mart we are supporting those jobs that have been lost and sent overseas by the money hungry top 10% income level earners.
As the saying goes White man just keepin the black man down. So is now corporate America keeping all men poor. Rich get richer and the poor get poorer. We do what we do to survive,we shop where we can afford it. In doing so we keep jobs out of Americans hands. Income levels today are nearly the same as 1973 when you factor in inflation.

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ARTelevision

I understand Wal-Mart places a high value on low price. That's in my interest as a consumer. It is a major reason for their popularity. In my own experience and my own research, I see nothing to concern me about the number one retailer in America. As far as I'm concerned it is good for business, good for customers, and good for the community.

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THGL

This is a lengthy read but well worth it. You'll dislike Wal-Mart a little more after reading it.

I try very hard not to shop at Wal-Mart (I buy my contact lenses there and that's about it). I'd rather spend a couple of extra dollars and shop at other stores I like.

warrrreagl

Wal-Mart made a killing by finding a niche that no one else filled; rural department stores. I understand all the arguments about Wal-Mart driving mom-and-pop stores out of business, but they usually have little impact on QUALITY mom-and-pop stores. My folks ran a clothing store for 30 years in Tuskegee, Alabama, and Wal-Mart had absolutely no impact on their balance sheet. My folks offered high quality clothes and incredibly great service to their customers, and Wal-Mart was no competition to them.

However, there are a lot of mom-and-pop stores that are closed on Saturday and Sunday and let high school kids run the cash registers, and places like that are doomed to die up against Wal-Mart.

I agree with ART in that I look for value when I shop. Sometimes, if cheapest is okay, then I head to Wal-Mart. And other times, if high quality is what I need, then I go elsewhere. I don't feel any kind of "allegience" to any store. I shop wherever I want.

If I were suddenly consumed by a burning need to make a political statement, I would choose an arena other than Wal-Mart.

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Glava

I just started as a seasonal cashier a Kmart and I make $6.25 an hour. There's a Walmart being built nearby, and when it's finished, I'll see if it would make sense for me to apply there.

noblejr

Some friends and I stopped shopping at Wal-Mart a few months ago. We were so tired of the bad service and low quality produts that we all decided to never shop Wal-Mart again. This was a result of consistant experiences from 4 stores, not just one store with bad service.

legolas

pretty much my feeling. i more or less know walmart is bad but i still shop there.

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Cynthetiq

If you bothered to click the link that I submitted in my initial post, you'd see that the program I referred to makes the exact same claims.

But let me ask you... you are willing to spend extra at other stores... why just your contacts? why not an all out boycott? If I don't like a store I'm not going to give them one single red cent, not even to a sale item or loss leader product.

I did watch the show finally last night.

I must say it didn't change my opinion of Wal-Mart. They are shrewd doing business, and they have revolutionized the logistical process of bringing goods that consumers want to market when the consumer wants it at the highest quality for the lowest price. That's what business is all about, that's what American captialism is all about.

I did not see any expose on Chinese sweatshop factories, while they may exist to some degree for the most part, I saw bustling cities where rice fields used to stand.

I will continue to shop at any place that provides me the lowest prices for goods that I'm looking for... If I think that wal-mart is giving me all the goods at the lowest prices, I'd be fooling myself. All stores have low loss leaders next to the high margin items. It's been that way for as long as I can remember.

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Vortex22

The Wal-Mart nearest my house is a disgusting dump that is constantly overcrowded with screaming kids. They even routinely speak in Spanish over the intercom there. Not to be a racist or anything, but it pisses me off when they are constantly yacking in another language and don't even bother to say the same thing in English... WTF, this is the US. We speak English here. Shopping at any other store is a huge step up.

omega2K4

You do realize that we (the USA) have no official language, right?

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ARTelevision

I watched the show and I read the linked story.
My opinion of the world's number one retailer remains the same. It is expressed well by Cynthetiq:

"I must say it didn't change my opinion of Wal-Mart. They are shrewd doing business, and they have revolutionized the logistical process of bringing goods that consumers want to market when the consumer wants it at the highest quality for the lowest price. That's what business is all about, that's what American captialism is all about."

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Blackthorn

On top of everything else a buddy of mine swears by going to the hair care product aisle at Wal-Mart to meet women. No kidding...he claims that by asking women about different products (which one is better, which one do you like, why...he opens the door to phone number acquisition)... I've never scored a number in Wal-Mart so I can't comment on how well this works but I give the guy credit for being creative.

I say the hair care products aisle at Wal-Mart is good for America!!

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ARTelevision

The classism and racism that has surfaced in this thread gives one pause. There are some rational points to be made on both sides of this discussion. There are also some views that do not speak well for those who hold them.

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kutulu

Great, they hire disabled people. It's all image driven and shallow. They hire them and put them on display in the front like some sort of freakshow. "Look at us, we're a good company because we hired this retarded kid"

guthmund:

Can't you sue them for false imprisonment for that bs? They can ask you to leave if you have an offensive shirt, that's fine. But holding you with security is illegal unless they have reason to believe you did something illegal.

merkerguitars

LOL!! yeah they really do that for sympathy and freakshow reason /sarcasm Well the people that are usually greeters are old people and I've seen some mentally challenged ones. Yeah some people just can stock shelves or operate a cash register. So what do you do with and old person or mentally challenged person, that can't lift anything and/or do what most normal people can do you put them as a greeter, its a job they can do and they are productive.

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guthmund

Nope. It was voluntary. We went with them willingly to wait for the police, so, they were never really "holding" us at all. If they had tried to force us to wait, it would've been a different story, but we extended the courtesy. A courtesy I recinded after 30 minutes. They balked at giving us our licenses back, but, in the end, they knew they couldn't really hold us.

As for the spagetthi-o's....Turns out I could have left at any time. One of the cops who escorted us out had stopped by the store from time to time and we got along fairly well. He told me that they constantly have someone on their way out there to clear shit up. They called it the "Bullshit, Always" line. He also told me that Wal*Mart policy as he understood it isn't to hold you at all, but rather get photographic evidence and turn that over to the police. This was a reasonably small town (13,000) and the security detail was comprised mostly of rent-a-cop wannabes who got a kick out of this stuff. I could've left at any time. I just didn't know.

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KungFuGuy

I hate walmart and really try to shop anywhere else. There prices aren't that much better and the quality isn't as good. That's for when i'm back home. THe only plus about shopping at walmart that cant really be had elsewhere is that you can go there and get almost everything you need in one store.

In NYC there's no walmarts around (yet) which i think is a good. I think an opening of a walmart store in NYC would profound effects on the city.

Cynthetiq

RIGHT! which they get wages... and they pay taxes instead of living on Welfare and Disability... 2 pluses in my book.

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JumpinJesus

Same here in Chicago. I think I'm a good, safe 15 miles or more from the nearest Wal*Mart. The difference is, for people in cities, they often have more shopping options which tends to make stores like Wal*Mart obsolete.

It's in more rural areas where there aren't typically that many choices where Wal*Mart seems to thrive the most.

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Cynthetiq

Manhattan got it's first Home Depot earlier this year... I don't see why a WalMart can't find it's way into Queens or Brooklyn.

The nearest Wal-Mart in NYC is Wal-Mart Store #3520 in Secaucus, NJ 07094 just 3.0 Miles from Times Square.

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rfra3645

wallmart....


Well i have never been in 1 until about 7 yrs ago... and then it all started...

Since i can’t even think how much i spend there...

1000 a month easy...

I have an opinion here and ill voice it now...

I didn’t read the link or watch the show mentioned above...

These are my thoughts...

Wallmart forces (or tells what they will pay for stuff) impact smaller business occasionally large corporations...

If any business doesn’t want to make the sale don’t.
I don’t understand how someone can say yes ill sell to you but im not gonna be happy about it... don’t sell it to them... some people say well that’s obvious they "need" to make the sale. Yes they do if i had a toy store and made some toys and Wallmart even showed a little interest i would suck who ever off to get make that sale... hers my "duh” if you don’t want to or cant expand to put your 15$ toy on 7000 shelves and have numbers has to be close to the millions of inventory or stock or whatever.. Don’t make the sale. How can Wallmart think about offering a product that they can’t keep in stock because the maker doesn’t have a big enuf organization to keep up with demand? Im sure Wallmart has a number of what there inventory has to be for x amount of days or until they discontinue selling it..."my toy" had better be able to keep up. I need to be able to produce it. As i produce more my costs better drop as i buy more of the material im using. My productivity better increase as my employees learn the process... if i only make .75$ profit on a 13$ toy but sell 1000000 of them that’s still a decent piece of change. If Wallmart knows how much it costs me either because i told them while "courting them" or they have thee own sneakery they should be able to say ill give you .63$ instead of the .75$ why wouldn’t they. Someone in this thread said it right on...wallmart controls a huge piece of the global economy. They obviously know it. In order for them to continue selling the cheapest stuff they need to buy it competitively. I do when i build something its really like well "duh"

Ok employees. Not set hours not set benefits. Lower wage... impact local economies individual’s

Well this in my opinion is verry close to the rest of the lower pay class. If you work at mcds for 10 years and are still only making 9$ an hour it’s your own fault. Same as Wallmart. I see them as the largest corp. in America and expanding by who knows how much. If your there for 2 years and still only making 6$ an hour i blame you... you say well i don’t want to expand my knowledge wither it be learning a different area of the store or more responsibility fine in fact that’s great ill pay you $6 an hour for ever.. And either you’ll quit or you stay... i do not see any other company having a much different plan than this. Really after typing this out i see wall mart ahead of the curve by giving every employee the best shot at promotion they can have, learn the whole store ASAP and it works good for all. If they need someone to do something (yes i know that’s like work) they can ask anyone. And if you do learn excel and show interest in your job the 15 hrs a week your working you probably will see that turn onto 30.

Ok let’s talk about Wallmart forcing jobs out of the country. Impact local, possibly national,


Someone here said people are loosing high paying jobs as companies outsource jobs. Let’s look at that a little bit... i can’t see high paying jobs being outsourced some but not enuf to cause mass unemployment. Im talking about lets say 15$ an hour on up. Mort likely gonna be management id dare say lower than that is line workers. This may be different if there are unions but i highly doubt thee are to many unionized places ever making Wallmart stuff. It just doesn’t make sense according to the Wallmart plan. How could they use union help and still create cheap products in the ammt they need. It’s not feasible unions as a whole cant make a high number of products cheap. They are too greedy. I need more money less work and more overtime where i sit in the break room avoiding work. (for any card holders out there that do not fit this profile i assure you are a small percentage less than well 15%) so lets say im back in my toy factory making the forced .63$ profit and employees think well im not getting enuf money i need more so they tell me ( their boss) we want a raise if you don’t give it to us we will slow down our work or become unionized. i say im sorry i cant give it to you i only get .63$ a piece i cant afford anymore. So my work force drops there productivity. i can as a boss either let it happen and watch my business fail, i could fire them all )before they become union) and hire street workers invest the money to train them and hope they don’t do the same thing, i would not but could do nothing and watch them join or create a local. Ok so its 3 things as a boss i can do... as a business guy selling to Wallmart i can either say look i need more money my people want more. (Wallmart laughs) says ha you have a contract we will not let you get out of try too if you want. Oh by the way we are the biggest corp. in America and can afford way more lawyers than you. Wallmart protects itself. It is entitled to. "Duh" they are a business too. They could also say hey i know a guy in a Sudan that has an unlimited workforce that’ll work happily for (conversation sake. this may be higher or lower) .63$ an hour. Calls him make a deal do it. By the way you have a contract. If you default we get your business. So as a boss now i take it back to my employees. Hey fellas and women i got a plan for you... keep your job make the same money you signed up for everyone stays happy. Or c-ya im going to Sudan where they work for what i currently make and i all of sudden make what all of you make. 12$ profit instead of .63$ hum yeah i wonder what ill do, oh never mind screw you guys im out. Too bad you "had to have that raise” i don’t see a whole lot wrong with this picture. Some but i would not say evil. Just capitalism at its best isnt that what America does best.

One more topic.

Mom n pop stores. Effect out of business. Impact small town’s local gov’s possible national effect if there was enuf of them.


Problem Wallmart comes to main st America and all of sudden ma n pop shops are dropping of main st and becoming empty buildings. Yes this is a problem but how can you realy blame Wallmart. If the ma n pop shops wanted to compete they had all the chance in the world. They couldn’t or wouldn’t so they lost. Yet again another "Duh” if you don’t compete you lose. Yes Wallmart is huge and yes they get their stuff cheaper than probably any ma n pop could think of. But really if the ma n pop was really a nig contributor to the local economy what do they have to lose? A few customers. Not if they offer a good economic product. I would never go into a store and buy anything just because i knew the person that ran/owned it. If they don’t have a good deal i don’t want it. Do you? I don’t think Wallmart can be help responsible for putting the final even few nails in a coffin that’s most likely been in the ground for quite sometime. If these little shops had such a good thing going on or really wanted to stay around i think they could... true the local economy must be able to support several stores but i don’t see Wallmart in less than 5000 (pop) towns, and i really don’t see a huge local economy in those towns. Truth i say they are better for the locals. Look at tax revenues. Alone. At least triple i wouldn’t be suppressed to hear 5x's the amount from all the local business revues combined.

Ok this turned big but if you read this in its whole i want to hear what you have to say.

If you know of actual facts i would be interested in seeing the link to them.

I don’t think 3 -20 towns across the us constitutes a national takeover from Uncle Wally

I want to hear what yall think about Wallmart being a ma n pop shop to begin with.

I wrote this all from my head and 1 final spell check. So

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if you cant read my post i dont want to hear about it move on. thanks

Lockjaw

Ok one quick question to the folks that say they won't shop at Wal-mart based upon quality...
What are you buying exactly? The clothes? The shoes? What?
Last time I checked the soap I bought at Wally world was the same as the soap I bought at Target. And the batteries lasted about as long as the batteries I bought at Radio Shack and the video games played just fine like the ones at Best Buy. Am I missing something?

StephenSa

I dunno, I don't like that so many manufacturing jobs have gone overseas and I do believe that Wal-Mart is part of that problem but I'm not sure what I can do about it. My wife refuses to shop at Wal-Mart because she thinks its evil. I don't shop there because I tried it a few times and it was always crowded. They've also replaced a lot of the checkers with those scan your own purchases automated machines. I don't wanna scan my own stuff and I'm willing to pay more so I just go to Target. It's closer and they still have actual people so that works for me. I will admit Wal-Marts prices are lower. Some things though aren't a good as elsewhere. THe meat is cheaper there but the cuts aren't as nice as at my local grocery store. Anyway, I don't shop there but I'm not on any crusade, I just find it to be a pain in the ass.

skinnymofo

ill shop at walmart when they stop refusing to sell uncensored cds/dvds
having to have another edit version is bullshit, and i realize other places do this as well but walmart is the prime source for this.
Free speech ya bastards. if a young kid wants a cd with swearing he can take it up with his parents
kids in kindergarten have been saying swear words for years now its not the musics fault
i hate walmart-

thingstodo

I agree with the portion of comment that relate to WM forcing prices on the manufacturers. They are so big you need to play with them, so many just reduce the quality. Levi's is a good example.

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Stompy

Walmart is fine. I never really shop there. I don't do much shopping period.. maybe Home Depot and stuff like that for my house..

They offer lower prices, so the must be evil, eh? That's the same type of mentality that people have when they hate corporations just for the fact they make money. Doesn't make too much sense.

See, a store isn't successful when it offers HIGHER prices. If you have products that people want and you offer them at lower prices, that's the way businesses work.

People who shop at walmart aren't "ignorant" or "weak". If I want to buy a weed whacker and they have it $20 cheaper than other places, why in the hell would I go elsewhere? Because they're "local"? Hah. Right. You can do that, I'll save my money

People say this for pretty much every other big chain: Best Buy, Circuit City, Gamestop,etc... "They're driving businesses out!" So? How are these businesses better than the big chains? Name one reason other than "they're local". Most of the time their items are just as expensive, if not MORE expensive.

They don't have nearly a fraction of the income of these bigger places, so they're quick to give you shit about something like returns or exchanges.

They refuse to do price matching. There's a local hardware store that had a heger I wanted, but it was WAY more than the same exact one at walmart. I'd prefer to buy it at that store because it's 2 minutes away from my house.. and driving to walmart (or Lowes/Home Depot) means I gotta drive through traffic.. but hey, if you don't wanna honor the price match, I'll go elsewhere!

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joeshoe

We may enjoy their low prices, and they do have low prices, but overall, I don't think they are good for America. They provide temporary benefits for the consumer at the expense of greater economic factors, such as the flow of money to employees that is necessary for the economy to run smoothly.

Cryptic

I actually enjoy Walmart.
I have not once been attacked by a guy dressed in a Santa suit there.
It's big, it has low prices and they're decent.

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JSwiss

Any place that you can buy groceries, video games, gas and shotguns all under one roof can't be bad in my book.