Why is Walmart bad?

[Anonymous]

Right, but we shouldn't encourage companies to do so, especially large ones that have the means to provide benefits. When you are the nation's largest retailer, people are going to notice if you screw your workforce. That's why there has been changes at Walmart. That said, I'm still not going to shop there. But that's me.

[Anonymous]

If the issue is employer subsidized insurance, then we should be supporting big companies. Nearly every company of 200+ employees offers it. Only half of businesses with 3-9 employees offers it.

That means that half of those "local" businesses that we glorify are probably not providing insurance to their workers. http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/rs295tot.pdf

[Anonymous]

I don't like WalMart because most of the ones I've been in are junky and have fat, shirtless mess walking around barefoot.

Probably the biggest reason I don't like WalMart is that they receive tax incentives to come into a town, they run the mom and pops out because they can offer a large variety of items at a discount, but then once they corner the market, they reduce their inventory and stop carrying all the brands. But Target does the same thing. You notice it when the stores start carrying groceries. Pretty soon, WalMart or Target is the only game in town.

[Anonymous]

http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't like WalMart because most of the ones I've been in are junky and have fat, shirtless mess walking around barefoot.

Probably the biggest reason I don't like WalMart is that they receive tax incentives to come into a town, they run the mom and pops out because they can offer a large variety of items at a discount, but then once they corner the market, they reduce their inventory and stop carrying all the brands. But Target does the same thing. You notice it when the stores start carrying groceries. Pretty soon, WalMart or Target is the only game in town.

They don't corner any market, and they don't reduce skus after time passes. This is misinformation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't like WalMart because most of the ones I've been in are junky and have fat, shirtless mess walking around barefoot.

Probably the biggest reason I don't like WalMart is that they receive tax incentives to come into a town, they run the mom and pops out because they can offer a large variety of items at a discount, but then once they corner the market, they reduce their inventory and stop carrying all the brands. But Target does the same thing. You notice it when the stores start carrying groceries. Pretty soon, WalMart or Target is the only game in town.

I don't think you really know what it's like when Wal-Mart moves into a small town. You just think you do. I grew up in a small town where all the mom and pop stores were closing because it wasn't profitable for them to be open. Everyone drove an hour or more to go shopping. A big pain in the ass in the snow belt. Then came Wa-Mmart. They built a beautiful store and people stopped leaving town to go shopping. Soon the majority of the people in our county were doing their shopping at Wal-Mart. Since they were in the area they would also stop in at the privately owned dress shops or ice cream parlors. Soon the mom and pop stores stopped closing their doors because they had traffic that they didn't have before. New stores started opening. 15 years later this is the biggest shopping plaza in the county.

There is one new factory that just opened and a second being built. Thousands of jobs have been created in the 15 years since that first Wal-Mart appeared. Damn them for bettering my home town.

[Anonymous]

Every single PP who complains about Wal-Mart being so terrible to employees, no insurance, whatever, shops there to get a bargain as well as shopping at Target. Do you really think if Wal-Mart has a particular toy, viedo game for 20% off what others are charging, they are going to pay the higher price. PPs are hypocrites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every single PP who complains about Wal-Mart being so terrible to employees, no insurance, whatever, shops there to get a bargain as well as shopping at Target. Do you really think if Wal-Mart has a particular toy, viedo game for 20% off what others are charging, they are going to pay the higher price. PPs are hypocrites.

Actually, I think a lot of them don't shop there because they can afford not to. Hence the single 50K a year mom reminding us of "real life." She had a good point.

I like to support local farmer's etc., but it is often more expensive for me to do that (shop at my local farmer's market). It's a luxury cause I can afford to support. We don't have a super high income (paltry compared to many on this board given the many "what is your HHI" posts I have read) but we make enough where we don't have to budget every food item, so I can pick up a few things at the farmer's market. If I had a stricter food budget, I wouldn't be able to justify supporting them.

A lot of people simply can't afford to take a stand against Wal-Mart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every single PP who complains about Wal-Mart being so terrible to employees, no insurance, whatever, shops there to get a bargain as well as shopping at Target. Do you really think if Wal-Mart has a particular toy, viedo game for 20% off what others are charging, they are going to pay the higher price. PPs are hypocrites.

Actually, I think a lot of them don't shop there because they can afford not to. Hence the single 50K a year mom reminding us of "real life." She had a good point.

I like to support local farmer's etc., but it is often more expensive for me to do that (shop at my local farmer's market). It's a luxury cause I can afford to support. We don't have a super high income (paltry compared to many on this board given the many "what is your HHI" posts I have read) but we make enough where we don't have to budget every food item, so I can pick up a few things at the farmer's market. If I had a stricter food budget, I wouldn't be able to justify supporting them.

A lot of people simply can't afford to take a stand against Wal-Mart.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every single PP who complains about Wal-Mart being so terrible to employees, no insurance, whatever, shops there to get a bargain as well as shopping at Target. Do you really think if Wal-Mart has a particular toy, viedo game for 20% off what others are charging, they are going to pay the higher price. PPs are hypocrites.

Actually, I think a lot of them don't shop there because they can afford not to. Hence the single 50K a year mom reminding us of "real life." She had a good point.

I like to support local farmer's etc., but it is often more expensive for me to do that (shop at my local farmer's market). It's a luxury cause I can afford to support. We don't have a super high income (paltry compared to many on this board given the many "what is your HHI" posts I have read) but we make enough where we don't have to budget every food item, so I can pick up a few things at the farmer's market. If I had a stricter food budget, I wouldn't be able to justify supporting them.

A lot of people simply can't afford to take a stand against Wal-Mart.

And you shouldn't have to. It's the job of the stores to sell you something at a competitive price, or sell you something better at a premium price. If they are doing neither, then they are not succeeding.

[Anonymous]

I think store management would say it is their job to make a profit so they can survive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't like WalMart because most of the ones I've been in are junky and have fat, shirtless mess walking around barefoot.

Probably the biggest reason I don't like WalMart is that they receive tax incentives to come into a town, they run the mom and pops out because they can offer a large variety of items at a discount, but then once they corner the market, they reduce their inventory and stop carrying all the brands. But Target does the same thing. You notice it when the stores start carrying groceries. Pretty soon, WalMart or Target is the only game in town.

I don't think you really know what it's like when Wal-Mart moves into a small town. You just think you do. I grew up in a small town where all the mom and pop stores were closing because it wasn't profitable for them to be open. Everyone drove an hour or more to go shopping. A big pain in the ass in the snow belt. Then came Wa-Mmart. They built a beautiful store and people stopped leaving town to go shopping. Soon the majority of the people in our county were doing their shopping at Wal-Mart. Since they were in the area they would also stop in at the privately owned dress shops or ice cream parlors. Soon the mom and pop stores stopped closing their doors because they had traffic that they didn't have before. New stores started opening. 15 years later this is the biggest shopping plaza in the county.

There is one new factory that just opened and a second being built. Thousands of jobs have been created in the 15 years since that first Wal-Mart appeared. Damn them for bettering my home town.

Where is this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

People "want" the job because they've got to put food on the table. Don't any of you folks know someone who is in need of work and doesn't have a trust fund to rely on until his/her dream job comes along?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't like WalMart because most of the ones I've been in are junky and have fat, shirtless mess walking around barefoot.

Probably the biggest reason I don't like WalMart is that they receive tax incentives to come into a town, they run the mom and pops out because they can offer a large variety of items at a discount, but then once they corner the market, they reduce their inventory and stop carrying all the brands. But Target does the same thing. You notice it when the stores start carrying groceries. Pretty soon, WalMart or Target is the only game in town.

I don't think you really know what it's like when Wal-Mart moves into a small town. You just think you do. I grew up in a small town where all the mom and pop stores were closing because it wasn't profitable for them to be open. Everyone drove an hour or more to go shopping. A big pain in the ass in the snow belt. Then came Wa-Mmart. They built a beautiful store and people stopped leaving town to go shopping. Soon the majority of the people in our county were doing their shopping at Wal-Mart. Since they were in the area they would also stop in at the privately owned dress shops or ice cream parlors. Soon the mom and pop stores stopped closing their doors because they had traffic that they didn't have before. New stores started opening. 15 years later this is the biggest shopping plaza in the county.

There is one new factory that just opened and a second being built. Thousands of jobs have been created in the 15 years since that first Wal-Mart appeared. Damn them for bettering my home town.

Where is this?

NY State

[Anonymous]

"People "want" the job because they've got to put food on the table. Don't any of you folks know someone who is in need of work and doesn't have a trust fund to rely on until his/her dream job comes along?"

I'm the poster you quoted and I'm not sure what makes you think I'm not one of those people that needs a job to put food on the table. If you knew what I did for a living you would understand that's exactly why I've been at my job for so long. I don't have any benefits but I have a few other perks that keep me very happy.

And I don't know a single person with a trust fund. Not sure where that came from.