Walmart

Business & Economy Forum

Does anyone else think that Walmart is taking over the world? They have practically put all of the small businesses in my area out of business. Our local Kmart is getting ready to close and I've heard that our local Target isn't doing so well either. People either love or hate Walmart. What do you think?

I have a lot of concerns about what Wal-Mart is doing, and have been posting jokes about it in a couple of places in the forum.

One is here in the Flamer's Ward under "I hate snow" which of course is a joke if you've been following that thread about me going to Australia:

The key work, Kooka, is MONOPOLY! I hate shopping at Wal Mart but I really don't have a choice

Heather, you DON'T like Walmart? I think that they are pretty competitive on prices, and...the supercenters kicka$s because I can get everything done! I used to like Fred Myers, but Walmart has much lower prices on a lot of things I like...like DVD's...they have the cheapest prices I have encountered. And I have three of the stores within 15 minutes of my house.

I hate Target!!!

I loooove Target.

How ya'll gonna go and Looooovve Target, but hate Walmart? What's not at Walmart that is at Target? Or is it that Walmart is taking away shopping options and running competitors out?

That's exactly it Tear

I like Walmart. THey donate a ton to charity, they take moral stands on the type of products they sell (ie porn, music, etc.), and their prices are way low. I don't understand that people don't like them because they are more successful than target or K-mart. Where i live walmart and kmart are within a mile of each other, but everybody still shops at walmart. Blame the consumers for that, not the stores.
I think some people also hate walmart because it sells guns. Personally, i'd rather have people buying guns at walmart than some local gun store or a gun show. Walmart doesn't rely on gun profits, so it isn't gonna sell to anyone illegally, and the transaction will have a record.

Yeah they can buy a gun at Walmart and use it to shoot somebody. But they can't go to Walmart to buy a CD that talks about shooting somebody. If they are so concerned with protecting the right the bare arms, what about the freedom of speech. Censorship is wrong too.

Um...too political for me...I'm not touching that!

Sorry! So anywho, back on topic.

I like Walmart! Is that back on?

Source: http://www.corporateswine.net/walmart.html
Notes: If you visit the link above, there are sublinks which I did not copy over. Very interesting article that I thought heather would appreciate.

Wal-Mart is planning a statewide takeover of California. As if its regular sized megastores aren’t big enough, Walmart’s newest reign of terror are their twice-as-large Supercenters. The second largest employer in the nation next to the Department of Defense, Wal-Mart has 1494 regular stores in the US alone. In addition to this, 1386 of these Supersized consumption centers exist in 43 states – but none in California. Yet. Walmart headquarters is planning to expand its empire into California this year, choosing 40 locations in their expansion plans.

Not your Neighborhood store...

There is a popular myth that opening new Wal-Mart stores creates hundreds of new jobs in the community, but studies have shown that the megastores wipe out so many small businesses that on average for every two jobs created by Wal-Mart, three jobs are lost. In a 1994 report, the Congressional Research Service warned Congress that communities need to evaluate the significance of any job gains at big-box stores against any loss of jobs due to reduced business at competing retailers. The report also pointed out that these so-called new jobs "provide significantly lower wages then jobs in many industries, and are often only part-time positions, seasonal opportunities, or subject to extensive turnover."

The Real Story is that when Wal-Mart moves into the neighborhood, it devours local businesses and lowers community living standards. Walmart also contributes to the massive loss of American manufacturing jobs to the global south, where Kathy Lee and her cohorts are permitted to operate slave-like operations in sweatshops free of regulation. Two 1998 studies that examined clothing on Wal-Mart racks showed that more than 80% of the the apparel items were made overseas, often in countries where child labor is prevalent.

One difficulty that many Americans see Wal-Mart as friendly folks from Arkansas bringing the community the cheapest prices in town. But don’t be fooled, this Megaconglomerate took in $244 billion in revenue in 2003, and recently surpassed ExxonMobil as the largest and richest corporation in the world with annual profits of a record $8 billion last year. Being America’s second largest employer, you’d think a company with this much surplus could afford to provide its employees with a living wage, health care, and job security, but you’d sure be wrong. Where do the profits go? Into the hands of the Waltons, of course, the ruling family of the Wal-Mart empire.

Of the 10 richest people in the world, five are Waltons. S. Robson Walton is ranked by London’s "Rich List 2001" as the wealthiest human on the planet, having sacked up more than $65 billion (£45.3 billion) in personal wealth and topping Bill Gates as No. 1.

Wal-Mart’s founder Sam Walton wasn’t born into riches, and hundreds of variations his success story float around the internet about how he turned a million dollars in debt into 8 billion dollars in surplus. But while they tell you how he did it, they never really say how he did it. Walton lived the “Great American Dream”. He pulled himself up by those stubborn bootstraps and started selling. Then he learned if you sell enough you become rich. Destroy your competition and you become super-rich. Keep your employees underpaid, limit their schedules to part-time to avoid paying benefits, get your merchandise made overseas where labor standards are non-existent, and you become the richest man in America.

Walton died in 1992, but his empire has lived on, and grown exponentially.

Hey, it's just like a human conquerer! The strongest shall survive-type scenario, right? I mean, that's not right to wipe out jobs, homes, and businesses...but at the same time...they are dominating the market! When I open up my own business, I plan on doing everything in my power to make it successful, and boohoo if I put someone out of business because the clientele likes my operation better!

I mean, I don't want to sound coldhearted, (so please don't think that of me!), but at the same time...it's the human condition to better yourself! And if it comes down to feeding my family and improving their life or hurting someone else's business...I will feel no guilt in my decision!

Did that sound cold?

I agree with you tearup, if walmart is evil for trying to be more successful than the other guy, then every business in the world is evil. The one and only thing that sets walmart apart is that they are more successful than the other guy. Period. People who despise Walmart because of its success and it's attempts to further succeed really baffle me.
As for Walmarts being detrimental to communities, then communities should take a stand and say, "if walmart comes here, we will boycott it." That should scare away any potential store. The bottom line though is that walmart is the most successful business in the history of the world because people shop there. Once again, i think that consumers should shoulder the blame. If people are expecting a successful business to purposefully limit its own success, then they are holding that business to a pretty unrealistic and unfair standard.

Yep!!! Don't like it...don't go there! It has to have the business capacity to run the other guys out...but if people didn't go there...the other businesses would stay open...and Walmart would close it's doors!

I disagree with both of you. It is good to have the best products and services, however; at what cost? If by being the best means you bring in "slave labor" and pay dirt cheap prices while your "slaves" suffer, is that success? It's more like a tyrant capitalizing on human suffering.

So tell me, aside from their success rates, would you change your thoughts if you knew they were using slave labor and sweat shops to get ahead in business?

Please don't tell me people can go work some place else. Even in America, the land of the "free", our own people are starving and will take whatever job they can get just to survive. Unfortunately, they end up in the hands of Wal-Mart who exploit people's poverty state to their gain. That's a pathetic way of doing business!

I'll refrain from calling you both cold hearted until you answer my question. Is it wrong to become successful at the expense of human rights and dignity?

Um...look at the time!!!!

Huh?

Foolin'! I didn't want to get too controversial! But, no!!! I do not believe that slave labor is right! By any means necessary does not include that! Granted...they are employing some drastic measures to insure their success...but...(and not to minimize the severity of it) what conglomerate-type business doesn't rely on ruthless measures!

Ummm... i have a lot of friends who work at walmart kukaburra, i don't think they'd consider themselves slaves. A good friend of mine, an older man, works there as a greeter. Tell me what other company in the world hires old and handicapped workers just to say hi when people walk in the door?
At one point i applied to Walmart to stock shelves and unload trucks at night, but i didn't get the job, i'm pretty sure if i had i wouldn't be a slave today.
As far as i know Wal-mart workers are paid minimum wage or above, which is considered a fair wage by the government. Slaves? I don't think so.
I appreciate you holding out on calling me cold hearted, although i don't know where you get that power from.
As for Walmart taking advantage of "starving" americans who "will take whatever job they can get just to survive," ... i've gotta ask you, where do you live kookaburra? It sounds like North Korea or something. Most people i know below the poverty line are overweight, America is probably the only country in the world where you will find obese poor people. This emotive language is pretty deceptive, instead of talking about "starving" americans just tell me how the way walmart does business is different from the way everyone else does and hence why they are an evil corporation.

jrkv, I'm not talking about American slaves. I'm talking about the sweat shops overseas that were broadcast on national TV to expose what's being done.

You must have a rare Wal-mart in your town, as here all the employees do is complain about the poor conditions. It's not like you see on the commercials where everyone is smiling.

I was not aware of sweat shops overseas, if that's the case then there is no excuse for that. (to be honest i didn't even know wal mart was overseas)
I'm not going to begrudge any corporation that tries to be more successful by means that are legal and ethical, but if Wal-mart is using sweatshops, then they need to be held accountable.

hey, all three Walmarts by my area have Non-English speaking people greeting at the doors!!!! What is up with that? A) I can't understand them. B) Is Walmart just doing that as an act to say that they are fair and non-judgemental?

Hola!

Does that mean..."do you wish to make a purchase?" Or, "would you like me to ram your ankle with this shopping cart I am trying to offer you?"

It means, may I put your umbrella in a bag, or would you rather slip on the wet floor and sue the bejesus out of the store?

It means; "Hello, I'm pretending to not know how to speak English so I don't have to do much work, talk to many people, or be held responsible for work ethics, but you can bet I understand every word you say!"

Before anyone says that was a cold statement, I'll explain. I have run into co-workers who pretend they can't speak English, but you catch them later speaking near perfect English and they understand full well what they are doing.

I also find it interesting that when a foreigner is speaking to another foreigner in their native language, and they want an English speaking co-worker to hear a part of the story, that part is spoken in english, and then they go back to their language. It's pretty cruel to say the English portion which is usually a slam to the English speaking co-worker, which is why they wanted to make sure it was said in English to begin with.

Personally, I think it should be required that if you are in a country and employed by that country... learn the language so there are no miscommunications.

That's the whole sad thing about this though, Kooka, America doesn't have an official language.

Why knock competitive competition? That's why our country is so great. The large dept store chains could compete with walmart but they won't because they use loss leaders to suck in unwary consumers. What's wrong with paying less ? Large product killers have been putting small business people out of business for years. Home Depot-Bed Bath and Beyond-Kroger's. etc. In this country anyone can become rich if the right idea clicks. How can you knock a firm that has been so successful? People sue Walmart for some pie-in-the sky reason because the want a piece of the pie." If you can't stand the heat get oput of the kitchen"........................

Hey...this guy was standing at the door greeting people...is this wrong???

Becker, you are only 43 right...this guy sure as hell ain't exactly 20 years old or something! hahaha so you didn't like that picture I gather?

YOU ARE NOT!!! although...that is funny though.....

1) Tear, you are certifiable. LMAO

[my2cents]

I don't want to get into the political side of it, or American jobs lost to overseas sweat shops, but I know lots of people who think shopping at Wally World is just great.
Me ? Every time I have walked into a Wal-Mart the store has been a mess and I can't find a damn thing. There are re-stock carts all over the place, shelves and racks of things all mixed up, no sales help that is helpful, and some stores have been dirty. There is such a hodge-podge of things because they WANT you to spend hours in the store hunting all over and in the meantime they figure you'll pick up and buy other stuff. I hate it and Target's not much better.

Sam's Warehouse Clubs which are owned by Wal-Mart USED to be great, now they are just a big ripoff. People assume they are getting wholesale prices by purchasing quantity and they are not even getting a good deal.

[/my2cents]

OBAF!!! You are right in that aspect! They keep it so screwy so that you will buy all those "impulse" items that you just can't live without! But I say...give their greeters at least TWO BAGS to wear!!!

So why can you find good buys at Wal-Mart? An important factor in keeping prices down is the Unfair exploitation of Chinese workers under atrocious working conditions
You want to say, "ah, they should be thankful they get anything at all, and learn to put up with the abuse", or just turn your head and look the other way? I, for one, believe in something called UNIVERSAL human rights and HUMAN DIGNITY at the workplace. Do the Chinese that produce goods for Wal-Mart get to work under conditions that respect their HEALTH, let alone their dignity? I certainly don´t think so. Check out the link and decide for yourselves.

That was a pretty solid arguement Chainnech...plus...they don't give their greeters enough bags to wear!!! Foolin...what you said was a good point!!!

I do not think WALMART has the exclusitivity of importing goods from China for resale. There's also the option of not going to Walmart.

NOT GOING TO WALMART!!! BUT...NOPE...I'M GOING!!!!

A shopping we will go...hey...why is that man wearing a bag as clothes...a shopping we will go...

Walmart??? let me think on this one... I Like there Prices, BUT: There clothing is some of the shoddyest (don't know if thats spelt right)made things I have ever incountered... I have bought 3 baithing suits from there, They ALL fell apart at the seams, 4 pairs of pants, all the hems came loose. 2 shirts that the stitching came out on the sides & arms...
I don't know if i'm the only one, or if its just my luck....

You aren't the only one Ducky. I despise Wal-mart clothes. I can't even say "you get what you pay for" because their clothes aren't the cheapest price. I'm not sure why they fall apart all the time, but I don't buy them anymore.

Hey..I never said I really liked Walmart's clothes...I DON"T...I mainly like the DVD's are the best prices...the rest is eh....

Walmart carries some decent clothes, but not a lot. I've gotten silk tanks there and sweaters, but not much else. I love shopping there. But I can never leave without spending $50 - $100. I just go crazy there!

T J Max or K-Mart seem to have better deals on clothing than Walmart. I agree Walmart clothing looks like it was sewn together by retarded monkeys.

Or maybe people working for such a low wage that they don't really care if it falls to pieces??? NAH!!!!!

I only buy entertainment goods there...

Very good prices.

Wal-Mart sucks. It takes away the personal touch that I love about shopping. Their employee work ethic sucks. They treat you like crap and under pay you. They buy in extremely large volumes thus allowing the low prices they advertise. Wal-Mart is trash and they are monopolizing, which leaves us less options when it comes to bargain shopping.

Walmart gets a :

I have worked for those bastards before while in college and frankly, I couldn't find another employer fast enough.

I could live without them.

I worked for them for about a month, they all smell


(Hope I didn't offend anyone :P)

The only thing I buy there are GROCERIES and they should stay that way. I, agree, Wal-Mart clothes suck. But you get good deals on everything else, which is ade by other companies.... specially the cosmetics, great prices though it's cheaper at Walgreens. their PS2 games are very limited... Toysrus is MUCH better.... clothes. heck, I only buy from the signature (on sale mostly though) if not there, I go scavenging at Ross's or Marshalls' spend nearly $200 there. with much at stock... great prices! .....

OFF-TOPIC! This is about Wal Mart.... grr.

ok, good on the food, bad on the clothes... aye, agreed.

Their groceries suck too. They are always "sold out" of the brand name stuff so you have to buy their brand. The last time I was there they were "sold out" of Dr. Pepper, but they had a whole shelf of Dr. Thunder. Hmmm...seems a bit fishy to me. How can you sell out of Dr. Pepper?

Wal-Mart is just an oversized understaffed place. I really don't like it there it may be because I go there a lot but not on my own free will

They just get only CHEAP stuff. ..... It is fishy...

I like to buy things at a place that presents its wares with low prices.

I can't be angry at Walmart.

Fast food places pay the lowest wages they can and stay legal.

I dislike INTERNET shopping because returning the goods is a pain.

I will order from the "Net' if what I want is not available locally.

Walmart accepts returns without any hassle.

And "Net" ordering may be unsafe when using a credit card.

I know this thread is long dead, but I just found it. I despise Walmart and the only time I will step foot in one is to drag my friends out.

My mom went nuts on a Wal Mart cashier once. This lady was a doo-moss, to say the least.

I don't go there, either. Too many people, little jerk kids running around bouncing off the walls.

Wal Mart is spreading like a virus. These new Super Wal Marts are nuts. I don't trust a place where you can buy a tire, watermelon and underwear.

-HECK!

I live in Scotland and just last year Walmart came in and took over a big chain that used to be very nice. Now the products are so bland and mass produced that all the originality has gone out. The merchandise looks just like any cheaply made merchandise at any Walmart in the US. It takes all the fun out of being in another place. I hate Walmart.

Costco does pay a lot more that Wal Mart, and they're union.

-HECK!