The Walmartization Of America

[autofixer]

The subject of "The Walmartization" of America often comes up on these threads. Here is a link to a recent poll concerning shopping experiences: http://pf.channel.aol.com/moneytoday

 

[KCFlyer]

The subject of "The Walmartization" of America often comes up on these threads. Here is a link to a recent poll concerning shopping experiences: http://pf.channel.aol.com/moneytoday

[post="176070"][/post]​

Sounds interesting, but it requires an AOL logon to read it.

 

[autofixer]

Sorry. Walmart ranked #2 in poll on customer satisfaction with their associates. I suppose the market will bare what it will.

 

[vc10]

If there's one lesson out of all of this, it's EDUCATE THE **** OUT OF YOUR KIDS. Make them study until their eyeballs bleed (well, maybe not that much, but you get the idea). Throw the TV out the window, make them study math, science, the classics, etc.

We're long since past the point where a high school education would suffice to get a decent job. Now, even a middling college isn't going to cut it. If they go to a state college, they need to take a "hard" subject. Set a high standard of educational excellence in your household. Don't permit mediocre performance. Or your kids too may be WalMart greeters.

They'll thank you for it later.

Sorry. Walmart ranked #2 in poll on customer satisfaction with their associates. I suppose the market will bare what it will.

[post="176073"][/post]​

 

[bofie]

To me, the bad in Walmart is that Sam Walton targeted small towns, built outside the city limit near the interstate (where taxes are low) and wrecked hundreds of small town shopping districts through predatory pricing and unfair advantages. Their stuff is a bit cheaper, but they pay their workers squat and small towns are empty.

On balance, I think Walmart is a net loss.

 

[lindy]

To me, the bad in Walmart is that Sam Walton targeted small towns, built outside the city limit near the interstate (where taxes are low) and wrecked hundreds of small town shopping districts through predatory pricing and unfair advantages. Their stuff is a bit cheaper, but they pay their workers squat and small towns are empty.

Wal-Mart has convinced the masses that they have the lowest prices.
The fact that their pay is low and benefits are poor does not matter to the
average shopper. People will continue to shop at the Wal-Marts without concern
for the plight of the cashier or the personnel who stock the shelves.

This is the theme running through the airline industry today. People want the lowest price and the most direct route. They do not care how much the pilots, the
F/A's, the mechanics, or the ramp service personnel make. It is of no concern to them. Just get me on a an airplane, make sure it leaves on-time, serve me a Coke or get me water when I demand it, and don't make me wait for my luggage.

Lindy

 

[elmerfishpaw]

About the only good I can see in Wal Mart is when you get (arguably) lower prices (Target is fairly cheap too and has a more pleasant shopping experience) for everyday stuff, then you can save up for stuff it doesn't sell. Low prices at Target (I don't really go to Wal Mart..and yes, I use parenthesis much too much) helped me save for a cameral lens that only a downtown retailer had. I guess if you specialise in stuff Wal Mart doesn't
sell, like a unique lens for example, you can do OK.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

To me, the bad in Walmart is that Sam Walton targeted small towns, built outside the city limit near the interstate (where taxes are low) and wrecked hundreds of small town shopping districts through predatory pricing and unfair advantages. Their stuff is a bit cheaper, but they pay their workers squat and small towns are empty.

On balance, I think Walmart is a net loss.

[post="176084"][/post]​

Several studies have documented how much having a Walmart costs taxpayers in public assistance because so many of their employees qualify because the low pay and benefits. I understand that some Walmart stores include information on attaining public assistance with new hire orientation materials.

 

[KCFlyer]

Several studies have documented how much having a Walmart costs taxpayers in public assistance because so many of their employees qualify because the low pay and benefits. I understand that some Walmart stores include information on attaining public assistance with new hire orientation materials.

[post="176093"][/post]​

Bingo. The little town near mine (MIssion, Kansas) recently voted down a proposed Walmart super center. I used to know the late mayor of that little town. He worked hard to make it what it is. The "downtown" area has many many "mom and pop" businesses. Walmart wanted to tear down an existing mall and put in a supercenter. Mission told them "fine...anything over 50,000 square feet has to be on two levels". That nixed the plan...multistory Walmarts just don't cut it.

Oh...the pundits came out and talked about job creation and sales tax increases. What the pundits didn't say was the the jobs are about 28 hours a week (full time according to Walmart) paying minimum wage. Employees have to work there 2 years before they are eligible for medical insurance, and even then, they end up paying 80% of the premium. On top of that, should a Walmart employee or the wife of a Walmart employ become pregnant, their insurance covers nothing for prenatal care. And...as you say...they turn to the Public Health department for care. So...low pay, bad benefits and while sales taxes are increased, those taxes are needed to provide the health care for Walmart employees that Walmart won't cover. I avoid Walmart at all costs, unless I have an overwhelming need to buy a t-shirt made with sweat shop labor in China or the Phillipines.

 

[Dea Certe]

Maybe they are happy because they were down so long, Wal Mart looks up to them. The employment of last resort.

I think if any employee any where is paid so little working full-time they qualify for government assistance, tax payers should be irate!

There's a great book called "Nickeled and Dimed". I can't recall the author's name, but she went 'under cover" to some of low-paying jobs. The last chapter, and her worst experience was at Wal Mart. I highly recommend giving it a read.

Dea

 

[Dea Certe]

One more thing, it seems to me more people with good educations are unable to find work today. It's not just the great unwashed, illiterate masses. Check out Reader's Digest. There was a good article on Eastman-Kodak and its leaving Rochester, NY.

Scary stuff and scary times we live in!

Dea

 

[luvn737s]

On a larger scale, the success of Wal Mart at the expense of both it's workers and competitors reflects the "Hooray for me, screw you" that has become our modern creed. Those who rave about Wal Mart for low prices are not the ones who jobs (in manufacturing, retail or distribution) have been destroyed by it. Wal Mart used to tout the amount of merchandise that was Made in the USA in it's stores. Now they have abandoned that and chosen to buy from only the lowest cost supplier. The customer who used to work in the textile mill now can't shop at Wal Mart (unless they are spending their welfare check). So we live a little better and it seems to come without a cost. But the cost does come and it is paid by someone. The airline business will soon succumb to this as well, and cheap airfares will seem to fall like pennies from heaven. But as we know someone is paying the cost. 🙁

 

[jimntx]

First off, let me say that I have shopped at Wal-Mart for about 3 things that were actually lower in cost and equal quality than elsewhere--dental floss is one of the 3 items; so, you know I'm not talking about spending or saving major bucks.

Over a year ago, someone on this board was raving that if the public knew what the airlines were doing to all of us, they would rise up and protest. I used Wal-Mart as the shining example of how much people do NOT care about the workers in a business they like to patronize. (As a matter of fact, the "raver" later sent me a pm and admitted that he shopped at Wal-Mart and had never given a thought to what kind of pay or benefits were given employees.)

The last straw for me was when I read about Wal-Mart's dead peasant insurance policies. The Waltons got caught in a little insurance shenanigans that the government charged them some (for them) negligible fines. They were taking out insurance policies on employees with themselves (or the company, I don't remember now) as beneficiaries; so, if the employee died, they collected a nice chunk of change tax-free. This is legal only if the employee knows about it and gives written consent. Needless to say the employees did not have a clue. Irony is that Wal-Mart's "benefit plan" did not offer a life insurance policy that the employee could buy for their family's benefit.

If you shop carefully, you will find that Wal-mart is not always the cheapest. And, they use misleading merchandising techniques. I was in one of their stores one day about a year ago. There was a display (with huge signs) of those huge 12 and 24 roll plastic-wrapped toilet paper bundles "On Sale". The 12-packs were $5.88 or 49 cents a roll. The 24-packs were $12.99 or 54 cents a roll. I live alone in a 1 bedroom condo. I have no place to store a case of anything. I walked back to the aisle where the toilet paper was sold. 4-packs of the exact same toilet paper were regular price for 96 cents or 24 cents a roll! <_<

 

[mga707]

If you shop carefully, you will find that Wal-mart is not always the cheapest. And, they use misleading merchandising techniques. I was in one of their stores one day about a year ago. There was a display (with huge signs) of those huge 12 and 24 roll plastic-wrapped toilet paper bundles "On Sale". The 12-packs were $5.88 or 49 cents a roll. The 24-packs were $12.99 or 54 cents a roll. I live alone in a 1 bedroom condo. I have no place to store a case of anything. I walked back to the aisle where the toilet paper was sold. 4-packs of the exact same toilet paper were regular price for 96 cents or 24 cents a roll! <_<

[post="176105"][/post]​

I know it's well after the fact, and impossible to check, but I'd be willing to bet that the sale-priced 12-/24-roll packs were the 'double' rolls (with twice the number of sheets per roll), while the regular-priced four-roll pack was not.
That's the only way this scenario makes any sense, as in my vast TP-buying experience the bigger packs are always a better buy, even if not on sale.

I didn't even think they still sold TP in four-roll packages! I've got over 40 'double' rolls in my closet right now (3 12-roll packs plus a few!)
B)

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

I wonder how a "cracker jack" personal Injury lawyer, who, on his way home, was in WM to pick up some food items, would fare, if he slipped on some wet produce on the floor, cracking the back of his noggin.( "WITH WITNESS's") ??????


NH/BB's