Why is Walmart bad?

[Anonymous]

Hello, real life here. I'd like to interrupt for a moment.

I had $100 budget (cash) to buy 2 daughters back-to-school clothes. Recently single mom, 50K govt job, tight budget. I got brand name shoes at a discount store, and some cute, trendy clothes at Target. I have been known to shop at Walmart, as well. I've found really cheap, high quality clothes at Goodwill and the Salvation Army.

I work hard, and hope someday to be free to shop wherever I want, not just where I can afford, but for now, shopping at "crappy stores" is how i get by.

Should I by one tire at the store that provides organic fair trade coffee in the waiting room and where all the employees have full medical, dental and tuition benefits, or four tires at Walmart for the same price?

Do any of you live in the real world????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello, real life here. I'd like to interrupt for a moment.

I had $100 budget (cash) to buy 2 daughters back-to-school clothes. Recently single mom, 50K govt job, tight budget. I got brand name shoes at a discount store, and some cute, trendy clothes at Target. I have been known to shop at Walmart, as well. I've found really cheap, high quality clothes at Goodwill and the Salvation Army.

I work hard, and hope someday to be free to shop wherever I want, not just where I can afford, but for now, shopping at "crappy stores" is how i get by.

Should I by one tire at the store that provides organic fair trade coffee in the waiting room and where all the employees have full medical, dental and tuition benefits, or four tires at Walmart for the same price?

Do any of you live in the real world????

This is such a good point. I don't shop at Wal-mart because frankly don't need to and there is not one that is convenient to me (I will go to Target ocassionally and prefer that store). But I assume that people who do shop there are doing so because it's affordable and they are worried about their own families, and how they will put food on the table.

I highly recommend Penn and Teller's Bullshit on Wal-mart. Pretty funny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In regards to Walmart and music, Walmart controlled much of the public's access to music in the more rural areas of the country until digital music buying became more prevalent. But I haven't forgiven them!

And for those who think it all about dollars, maybe you should think about people more, and less about your bullshit Econ 101 class that you keep regurgitating.

I actually worked for three years enforcing internet copyright protection for artists, so as a matter of fact I am very pro-artist. But that does not make me blindly pro-artist.

Walmart did not control access to music in rural areas. That is bullshit from someone who probably never lived in a rural area. I lived in the middle of Missouri for years and we had record stores. We had independents, we had chains like Peaches and others. And I know for a fact it was the same way in small towns Indiana and Kansas.

The labels are upset because Walmart priced their CD's so low that Walmart had major market share. That is NOT an issue of access. I was always free to choose where I bought, and I was always able to get the uncensored CDs.

Don't confuse the consumer with the label or the artist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello, real life here. I'd like to interrupt for a moment.

I had $100 budget (cash) to buy 2 daughters back-to-school clothes. Recently single mom, 50K govt job, tight budget. I got brand name shoes at a discount store, and some cute, trendy clothes at Target. I have been known to shop at Walmart, as well. I've found really cheap, high quality clothes at Goodwill and the Salvation Army.

I work hard, and hope someday to be free to shop wherever I want, not just where I can afford, but for now, shopping at "crappy stores" is how i get by.

Should I by one tire at the store that provides organic fair trade coffee in the waiting room and where all the employees have full medical, dental and tuition benefits, or four tires at Walmart for the same price?

Do any of you live in the real world????

I guess you're one of the lucky ones then, since your government job no doubt provides you with "full medical, dental" benefits, unlike the employees at the crappy stores.

You lost me at "brand name shoes."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The entire Walmart experience is depressing. I shopped at Home Depot and Office Depot on Labor Day. I looked across the street and the entire parking lot at Costco was empty. It seems that they gave their employees the "Labor Day Holiday" off from work.

Everything about Walmart is degrading.

Yeah, but weren't you shopping on Labor Day at two different stores? Wouldn't you have been pissed if they were closed?

Maybe not you, but I can just imagine the irate posts from SOMEONE on DCUM.

Americans are big into supply and demand. We don't want to wait an hour in line for Starbucks in the morning, so thank god there are four within walking distance of my office so I don't have to!

[Anonymous]

seems to me that those who buy products from these store and i mean all of these stores have a real need and those of you who have a problem with this are the same people who wear jewelry from stores that are buying "Blood Diamonds" and the like to inmpress thier friends. so when you can walk the walk and put your money where your mouth is. shut the #$#$ up!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello, real life here. I'd like to interrupt for a moment.

I had $100 budget (cash) to buy 2 daughters back-to-school clothes. Recently single mom, 50K govt job, tight budget. I got brand name shoes at a discount store, and some cute, trendy clothes at Target. I have been known to shop at Walmart, as well. I've found really cheap, high quality clothes at Goodwill and the Salvation Army.

I work hard, and hope someday to be free to shop wherever I want, not just where I can afford, but for now, shopping at "crappy stores" is how i get by.

Should I by one tire at the store that provides organic fair trade coffee in the waiting room and where all the employees have full medical, dental and tuition benefits, or four tires at Walmart for the same price?

Do any of you live in the real world????

I guess workers at Wal-Mart just aren't important enough to have "full medical, dental, and tuition benefits."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello, real life here. I'd like to interrupt for a moment.

I had $100 budget (cash) to buy 2 daughters back-to-school clothes. Recently single mom, 50K govt job, tight budget. I got brand name shoes at a discount store, and some cute, trendy clothes at Target. I have been known to shop at Walmart, as well. I've found really cheap, high quality clothes at Goodwill and the Salvation Army.

I work hard, and hope someday to be free to shop wherever I want, not just where I can afford, but for now, shopping at "crappy stores" is how i get by.

Should I by one tire at the store that provides organic fair trade coffee in the waiting room and where all the employees have full medical, dental and tuition benefits, or four tires at Walmart for the same price?

Do any of you live in the real world????

I guess workers at Wal-Mart just aren't important enough to have "full medical, dental, and tuition benefits."

Except that they have medical and dental. And they have a number of other insurance and financial benefits available. I do not know the full tuition benefits, but I know they have at least two scholarship programs for employees. One is based on financial need, and the other on academic merit.

Really, why does everyone keep insisting that Walmart does not have benefits when they plainly do? It's on their benefits page:
http://walmartstores.com/Careers/7750.aspx

[Anonymous]

Not to justify Walmart practices but lots of other big companies exploit workers either directly or indirectly, here in the US or overseas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello, real life here. I'd like to interrupt for a moment.

I had $100 budget (cash) to buy 2 daughters back-to-school clothes. Recently single mom, 50K govt job, tight budget. I got brand name shoes at a discount store, and some cute, trendy clothes at Target. I have been known to shop at Walmart, as well. I've found really cheap, high quality clothes at Goodwill and the Salvation Army.

I work hard, and hope someday to be free to shop wherever I want, not just where I can afford, but for now, shopping at "crappy stores" is how i get by.

Should I by one tire at the store that provides organic fair trade coffee in the waiting room and where all the employees have full medical, dental and tuition benefits, or four tires at Walmart for the same price?

Do any of you live in the real world????

I guess workers at Wal-Mart just aren't important enough to have "full medical, dental, and tuition benefits."

Except that they have medical and dental. And they have a number of other insurance and financial benefits available. I do not know the full tuition benefits, but I know they have at least two scholarship programs for employees. One is based on financial need, and the other on academic merit.

Really, why does everyone keep insisting that Walmart does not have benefits when they plainly do? It's on their benefits page:
http://walmartstores.com/Careers/7750.aspx

This page says that Walmart workers can "take advantage" of these benefits. What the hell do you think that means? Do you think that those benefits are provided by Walmart. No, the employees can "take advantage" of them. Which means THEY BUY THEM.

[Anonymous]

Actually, I'm not a huge Wal-mart fan but their healthcare offerings are quite good. It's not because they are so kind and looking out for their workers, but the result of a memo leaking years back that detailed how they could avoid covering more employers.

Because of the bad PR, they were pretty much forced to re-think their benefits and as a result, they are greatly improved. They know they under a microscope with this (don't see any other large company's benefits being discussed on DCUM for example) so they have better benefits than many large companies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello, real life here. I'd like to interrupt for a moment.

I had $100 budget (cash) to buy 2 daughters back-to-school clothes. Recently single mom, 50K govt job, tight budget. I got brand name shoes at a discount store, and some cute, trendy clothes at Target. I have been known to shop at Walmart, as well. I've found really cheap, high quality clothes at Goodwill and the Salvation Army.

I work hard, and hope someday to be free to shop wherever I want, not just where I can afford, but for now, shopping at "crappy stores" is how i get by.

Should I by one tire at the store that provides organic fair trade coffee in the waiting room and where all the employees have full medical, dental and tuition benefits, or four tires at Walmart for the same price?

Do any of you live in the real world????

I guess workers at Wal-Mart just aren't important enough to have "full medical, dental, and tuition benefits."

Except that they have medical and dental. And they have a number of other insurance and financial benefits available. I do not know the full tuition benefits, but I know they have at least two scholarship programs for employees. One is based on financial need, and the other on academic merit.

Really, why does everyone keep insisting that Walmart does not have benefits when they plainly do? It's on their benefits page:
http://walmartstores.com/Careers/7750.aspx

This page says that Walmart workers can "take advantage" of these benefits. What the hell do you think that means? Do you think that those benefits are provided by Walmart. No, the employees can "take advantage" of them. Which means THEY BUY THEM.

See this is what I mean. You are totally ignorant of the offering and you are willing to tell the world how it is.

It means that 95% of walmart employees have health care. That's what it means.

FYI the employee contribution can be as low as $5 per month to $9 per month depending on the deductible the employee chooses. Not only that, but they get a huge prescription drug benefit where they only pay $4 per fill. It's like their low cost drug program for the public, but with 4x the drugs available. And they get a healthcare expense credit.

How much does your employer take out of your paycheck? And how much do you pay for a prescription?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I'm not a huge Wal-mart fan but their healthcare offerings are quite good. It's not because they are so kind and looking out for their workers, but the result of a memo leaking years back that detailed how they could avoid covering more employers.

Because of the bad PR, they were pretty much forced to re-think their benefits and as a result, they are greatly improved. They know they under a microscope with this (don't see any other large company's benefits being discussed on DCUM for example) so they have better benefits than many large companies.

See, I thought the "Walmart provides no insurance/crappy insurance" thing had been resolved by some bad PR and that they had in fact turned it around.

I admit that I used to shop there quite heavily and it was not bc I needed to - I could have afforded to go to the grocery store and pharmacy stores right near my house and shop at department stores but I was attracted to the "low prices" and came home with tons of crap I really didn't need. I have since scaled back my lifestyle so went from going once a week to maybe once in 6 months.

[Anonymous]

"Walmart does not owe it workers anything. It gives them a paycheck. If they don't like it they can remain unemployed. Period. Walmart owes its SHAREHOLDERS the highest profit margins it can generate. I know a lot of you here would wish that the govt would take over Walmart and thus ask for less in terms of profit, rising stock price etc but that is not the case in the free market. "

That is probably one of the most out of touch statements I have ever heard in my life. I wonder, do you know how you sound and just don't care, or do you truely not realize?

As an aside, Walmart is hardly a unique example of corporate greed gone awry. I guess they're being singled out because they are the most successful at being exploitative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Walmart does not owe it workers anything. It gives them a paycheck. If they don't like it they can remain unemployed. Period. Walmart owes its SHAREHOLDERS the highest profit margins it can generate. I know a lot of you here would wish that the govt would take over Walmart and thus ask for less in terms of profit, rising stock price etc but that is not the case in the free market. "

That is probably one of the most out of touch statements I have ever heard in my life. I wonder, do you know how you sound and just don't care, or do you truely not realize?

As an aside, Walmart is hardly a unique example of corporate greed gone awry. I guess they're being singled out because they are the most successful at being exploitative.

PP is correct though. People APPLY to work for them. They want the job. My job doesn't offer any benefits. I've been there for over 10 years. I know I am free to leave at any time.