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Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 4:21:44 PM
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Johnny_
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From: California
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Wal-Mart is the only retailer that is thriving during these tough economic times. Wal-Mart is the world's largest retailer and continues to take market share from other retailers. Approximately 40% of the American People are now shopping at Wal-Mart for all their necessities which brings me to this question. Do you think this is a good thing or a bad thing for America? I personally have no problems with Wal-Mart expanding and taking market share from its competitors. This is a free country based on capitalism and I don't see why Wal-Mart should be singled out just because they are thriving.
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 4:25:39 PM
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uncabeeil
Posts: 5548
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Joisey. Got a problem wit dat?
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quote:
I don't see why Wal-Mart should be singled out just because they are thriving. They're singled out because they treat their employees like cattle (most hourly employees aren't even offered the option of benefits), they move in and purposely undercut local businesses in order to drive them into bankruptcy, they pressure their vendors into deals that are only profitable for WalMart, and they've completely forgotten that the original purpose of WalMart was to give Americans a place to buy things made in America.
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I don't recall all of the details
But I know life is better when shared. -Jon Troast
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 4:27:29 PM
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StephK
Posts: 2238
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From: Southwest Louisiana
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Discount stores always do better in tough economic times. Around here there are dollar type stores everywhere. The Dollar Tree is in the strip mall next to every Super Walmart in this area. Also a lot of people don't like the crowds and the shear size of the stores and shop the smaller stores. In fact all of the Super Walmart's have thriving retail centers built up around them in my area.
_____________________________
Stephanie
The heart of the wise inclines to the right but the heart of the fool to the left.
Even as he walks along the road, the fool lacks sense and shows everyone how stupid he is. ~ Ecc. 10:2-3
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 4:32:54 PM
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kernsfamily
Posts: 1434
Joined: 4/26/2006
From: Dallas (originally Detroit)
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Wal-Mart is ALSO singled out, usually, because they have been VERY successful in what they do. (and, many people out there don't like "success")
They are typically singled out...and criticized for doing what every other "big box" retail chain store does (relatively low wages, not the greatest working conditions, etc..etc...), but, since they are "the biggest", they get alot of the "spotlight" on them
Walmart is usually singled out due to the unsuccessful efforts of the unions to have the ability to confiscate a portion of each worker's paycheck....that inability to unionize, has brought on an unprecendented, and usually very misleading, negative campaign against the company....which persists to this day.
So, if Wal-Mart is the "bright spot" in the retail sector, then they are....and should be singled out. Iam sure that the thousands of people who work for Wal-Mart, either in the stores or for headquarter operations in NW Arkansas are very pleased that the company is doing well (even with a 3.38% profit margin, which is HALF of what Target's is)...as well as the thousands in that region who work for suppliers, and the other "peripheral" jobs in that region.
Wal-Mart's long-standing "negative image", with regards to it's "downscale" image doesn't help the company (People will shop at Target, and pay more for EXACTLY the same item, but won't be "caught dead" at Wal-Mart...even though they are nearly identical)....but, it's certainly been trying to work on that.
_____________________________
Proud dad of 3 great girls....Erin, Emilie and Elise
Blessed to have all of them in a "totally awesome" public elementary school!
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 4:39:38 PM
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Rockwall
Posts: 465
Joined: 8/18/2008
From: Texas
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Johnny_
Wal-Mart is the only retailer that is thriving during these tough economic times. Wal-Mart is the world's largest retailer and continues to take market share from other retailers. Approximately 40% of the American People are now shopping at Wal-Mart for all their necessities which brings me to this question. Do you think this is a good thing or a bad thing for America?
I thnk because of these tough economic times, many people can only afford to shop at Wally-World. They were part of the blame for Circuit City filing for bankruptcy recently. A few years ago 80% of Wal-mart's products were imported from China, but I don't know what the percentage is today.
Americans trying to stretch their dollar and make it go further has helped fuel Wally World, but at what price? The loss of production and jobs going to China and the loss of competing business around them. When was the last time you picked up a product at Wal-mart and saw "Made in America"? I don't recall seeing that for many years.
Do I still shop there? Yes...
_____________________________
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 4:47:14 PM
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kernsfamily
Posts: 1434
Joined: 4/26/2006
From: Dallas (originally Detroit)
Status: offline
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quote:
In fact all of the Super Walmart's have thriving retail centers built up around them in my area.
Good Point.
In Mountain Home, Arkansas, where my in-laws live, and we spend alot of time in the summer, they just buillt a GIGANTIC supercenter on the East side of town a few years ago. Has it run everyone out of business? Hardly.
There's now MORE retail in that general area than ever before. Due to the increased traffic generated by Wal-Mart, there is an independently owned coffee shop (the town doesn't have the demographics to support a starbucks), a few "mom & pop" restaurants...a locally owned sporting goods store....and many, many other business are THRIVING....because of the increased traffic from the new Wal-Mart.
My favorite store in town is Mark's Fine Clothing. It rivals any men's department at any department store. Top quality stuff...not "inexpensive" by any means....and, they are thriving as well.
quote:
the original purpose of WalMart was to give Americans a place to buy things made in America.
not true. Wal-Mart's purpose was to provide customers with LOW PRICED products. LOW PRICES ALWAYS. Sure, they touted their "made in usa" stuff years ago, but, those products were "made in Usa" ONLY if the pricing structure met Wal-Mart's requirements...never meant to insinuate that they were "USA-only", just "USA" when it made business-sense to do so......and, they could not get a similar item elsewhere for a lower price. As time went on, sourcing from overseas became easier, and more feasible to do.
quote:
hey're singled out because they treat their employees like cattle (most hourly employees aren't even offered the option of benefits)
at my metropolitan wal-mart, here in the dallas area...if employees are treated so horribly, WHY do many of them have 5, 10 20+ years of service at the store? There are THOUSANDS of other retailers to CHOOSE to work for.
Fact is....that's the reality of working for ANY "big box" national retailer....for those who CHOOSE to work for them....it's JUST NOT "wal-mart"....
_____________________________
Proud dad of 3 great girls....Erin, Emilie and Elise
Blessed to have all of them in a "totally awesome" public elementary school!
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 4:48:16 PM
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PaleHawkWoman
Posts: 645
Joined: 7/14/2005
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Are we talking about the same Walmart that ignores safety standards, tell an employee to do something that could get them hurt, and then fires the employee so it doesn't have to comply with workman's comp? The Walmart down the road here was cited for failure(actually it was refusal) to call for emergency help when employees or customers got hurt on the premises. Not only that, but it failed to keep the lights in the parking lot maintained and a woman was raped. Walmart then not only fought the woman's suit to pay for her medical fees and damages to cover rape counseling, but actually blamed her for being attacked.
In the Northeast, Walmart was forced to start providing some employee health coverage, paying for overtime(many employees are forced to work off the clock and are not compensated for their time in violation of federal labor laws), and paying a fair wage as the vast majority of its employees end up on the welfare system.
Cheap prices on goods ain't everything, you know.
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 4:49:32 PM
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kernsfamily
Posts: 1434
Joined: 4/26/2006
From: Dallas (originally Detroit)
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quote:
A few years ago 80% of Wal-mart's products were imported from China, but I don't know what the percentage is today.
Please provide factual evidence of this.
I will show you MY evidence that this is NOT true.
Annual U.S. Sales at Wal-Mart: Roughly $260 Billion
Value of goods imported from China by Wal-Mart: Around $18 Billion or so...(give or take a billion)
Profit Margin: 3.5% or there abouts....
Do the math.
_____________________________
Proud dad of 3 great girls....Erin, Emilie and Elise
Blessed to have all of them in a "totally awesome" public elementary school!
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 4:50:16 PM
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rcjames
Posts: 5771
Joined: 7/15/2005
From: Oklahoma
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Why do I shop at Wal-mart; because thier prices for the same item are lower than anywhere else and the 30 day no questions ask return policy just destroys the competition.
Do I shop other places; yes. I shop at a couple of hardware stores and pay higher prices because of the knowledge of the employees concerning items that I have no knowledge of.
thanks
RC
_____________________________
Just a country Preacher's humble opinion
Read the first chapter of my latest book here;
http://www.deliveranceofsara.com
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 4:51:09 PM
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kernsfamily
Posts: 1434
Joined: 4/26/2006
From: Dallas (originally Detroit)
Status: offline
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quote:
and paying a fair wage as the vast majority of its employees end up on the welfare system.
that's the reality of working at most ANY "big box" retailer.....
why does Wal-mart always get the blame for something that has been around since even before they became the national powerhouse that they are????
_____________________________
Proud dad of 3 great girls....Erin, Emilie and Elise
Blessed to have all of them in a "totally awesome" public elementary school!
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 4:56:03 PM
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PaleHawkWoman
Posts: 645
Joined: 7/14/2005
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Probably because their strategy is to eliminate ANY competition so that there's no other place to work?
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 4:59:26 PM
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kernsfamily
Posts: 1434
Joined: 4/26/2006
From: Dallas (originally Detroit)
Status: offline
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quote:
When was the last time you picked up a product at Wal-mart and saw "Made in America"? I don't recall seeing that for many years.
how often do you find it on goods at Target, Home Depot, Office Max?
Or even Nordstom, for that matter? A $45 pair of Ked's tennis shoes that my wife buys there for the kids....guess what? Made in China.
_____________________________
Proud dad of 3 great girls....Erin, Emilie and Elise
Blessed to have all of them in a "totally awesome" public elementary school!
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 5:02:55 PM
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kernsfamily
Posts: 1434
Joined: 4/26/2006
From: Dallas (originally Detroit)
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: PaleHawkWoman
Probably because their strategy is to eliminate ANY competition so that there's no other place to work?
As mentioned in a previous, and, likely ignored, post, I live in the Dallas area. We are surrounded by THOUSANDS of retailers. You name it, we have it.
If Wal-Mart is SO BAD..and so horrible...then why do people CHOOSE to work there? when most every store is ALWAYS hiring?
Mr. George, our greeter has 20+ years at Wal-Mart.....Ms. Lenore, our cashier, has well over 10 years there....many, many others have been there for a long time.
Look around most ANY wal-mart...and you'll find a sea of other thriving stores....all benefiting from the traffic generated by that Wal-Mart.
_____________________________
Proud dad of 3 great girls....Erin, Emilie and Elise
Blessed to have all of them in a "totally awesome" public elementary school!
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 5:13:44 PM
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HighPlainsDrifter
Posts: 1304
Joined: 9/22/2005
From: The Great Sioux Empire
Status: offline
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We shop Wal-Mart regularly. Paying more than you need to is Un-American.
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Give a hoot, eat yer Lute, Der's no risk in Lutefisk.
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 5:18:34 PM
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stellaluna
Posts: 4407
Joined: 4/11/2005
Status: online
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I worked at Walmart for awhile and I liked it. I was eligible for benefits at 35 hours a week. And the employee discount is fab!
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 5:28:48 PM
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writerchick
Posts: 220
Joined: 10/3/2008
Status: online
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Rockwall
quote:
ORIGINAL: Johnny_
Wal-Mart is the only retailer that is thriving during these tough economic times. Wal-Mart is the world's largest retailer and continues to take market share from other retailers. Approximately 40% of the American People are now shopping at Wal-Mart for all their necessities which brings me to this question. Do you think this is a good thing or a bad thing for America?
I thnk because of these tough economic times, many people can only afford to shop at Wally-World. They were part of the blame for Circuit City filing for bankruptcy recently. A few years ago 80% of Wal-mart's products were imported from China, but I don't know what the percentage is today.
Americans trying to stretch their dollar and make it go further has helped fuel Wally World, but at what price? The loss of production and jobs going to China and the loss of competing business around them. When was the last time you picked up a product at Wal-mart and saw "Made in America"? I don't recall seeing that for many years.
Do I still shop there? Yes...
Wow. I never thought I'd see the day when I actually agree with you on something.
The price of shopping at WalMart is far too high in my opinion. Yeah, I get that it's the "capitalism way" to put your competitors out of business, but what happens to all of those workers? Even WalMart can only afford to employ so many people.
Do I still shop there? No.
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 5:32:44 PM
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writerchick
Posts: 220
Joined: 10/3/2008
Status: online
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quote:
ORIGINAL: kernsfamily
quote:
ORIGINAL: PaleHawkWoman
Probably because their strategy is to eliminate ANY competition so that there's no other place to work?
As mentioned in a previous, and, likely ignored, post, I live in the Dallas area. We are surrounded by THOUSANDS of retailers. You name it, we have it.
If Wal-Mart is SO BAD..and so horrible...then why do people CHOOSE to work there? when most every store is ALWAYS hiring?
Mr. George, our greeter has 20+ years at Wal-Mart.....Ms. Lenore, our cashier, has well over 10 years there....many, many others have been there for a long time.
Look around most ANY wal-mart...and you'll find a sea of other thriving stores....all benefiting from the traffic generated by that Wal-Mart.
But you don't know the circumstances these people are living with. Perhaps Mr. George just got out of prison and WalMart is the only place who'll hire him. Or maybe Ms. Lenore has family obligations that's keeping her tied to this job.
It's a pretty big fallacy to assume everyone is working in the place they are solely because they choose to.
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 5:43:50 PM
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PaleHawkWoman
Posts: 645
Joined: 7/14/2005
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: kernsfamily
quote:
ORIGINAL: PaleHawkWoman
Probably because their strategy is to eliminate ANY competition so that there's no other place to work?
As mentioned in a previous, and, likely ignored, post, I live in the Dallas area. We are surrounded by THOUSANDS of retailers. You name it, we have it.
If Wal-Mart is SO BAD..and so horrible...then why do people CHOOSE to work there? when most every store is ALWAYS hiring?
Mr. George, our greeter has 20+ years at Wal-Mart.....Ms. Lenore, our cashier, has well over 10 years there....many, many others have been there for a long time.
Look around most ANY wal-mart...and you'll find a sea of other thriving stores....all benefiting from the traffic generated by that Wal-Mart.
A long time ago I actually applied to work at a Walmart and was given a test to determine my abilities. I was told that I was too "intellectual" to work there because on the 1-10 with 1 being strongest disagree and 10 being strongest agree a rarely answered either but instead actually thought out the situations described and rated my responses according to my perceptions. The interviewer said "We need people who will do what they are told and not think about it. You think too much about things and that would cause problems."
When I asked for clarification, the response was "Smart people do not make good employees."
Okay...
So I shop elsewhere. I figure if I'm too smart to work there I must be too smart to shop there as well.
Plus when I worked for the welfare office I got to hear LOTS of stuff about Walmart from its employees, and Walmart was THE worst employer to try to get verifications for hire/termination and income history from for us to complete benefits determinations.
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 5:44:23 PM
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kernsfamily
Posts: 1434
Joined: 4/26/2006
From: Dallas (originally Detroit)
Status: offline
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quote:
It's a pretty big fallacy to assume everyone is working in the place they are solely because they choose to.
Are we NOT in America anymore? Where people can freely WORK where they CHOOSE? I worked at Kmart in Detroit...for about 2 weeks...then, due to "poor working conditions" and the rest, I CHOSE to work elsewhere. If others stayed and worked, that was THEIR CHOICE.
Or, can some people just not face the facts that SOME PEOPLE happily choose to work in a place.....regardless of that business' reputation....which is the result of the relentless negativity campaign funded by labor unions.
_____________________________
Proud dad of 3 great girls....Erin, Emilie and Elise
Blessed to have all of them in a "totally awesome" public elementary school!
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 5:50:15 PM
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kernsfamily
Posts: 1434
Joined: 4/26/2006
From: Dallas (originally Detroit)
Status: offline
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quote:
So I shop elsewhere. I figure if I'm too smart to work there I must be too smart to shop there as well.
Plus when I worked for the welfare office I got to hear LOTS of stuff about Walmart from its employees, and Walmart was THE worst employer to try to get verifications for hire/termination and income history from for us to complete benefits determinations.
EACH and EVERY Wal-Mart store depends on the employment of HUNDREDS of people at their store.
I have at least 5 (probably more) Wal-Marts within a very short drive of my home.
If all those people were so "abused" and "mis treated".....these stores would close up due to the lack of ability to find enough people to work in the stores.....(meanwhile, thousands of other retailers are also hiring, as well....in "competition" with Wal-Mart for employees)
What happens whenever a NEW walmart opens up around here (in a fairly affluent metro area)? They are drowning in job applications.......to get a job at a place that so horribly "abuses" their employees????
are ALL of those employees there working against their will???
< Message edited by kernsfamily -- 11/12/2008 6:07:00 PM >
_____________________________
Proud dad of 3 great girls....Erin, Emilie and Elise
Blessed to have all of them in a "totally awesome" public elementary school!
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 6:14:28 PM
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StephK
Posts: 2238
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Southwest Louisiana
Status: offline
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If your area is hit by a major natural disaster you better hope there is a Walmart nearby because they are more capable to get supplies to you than FEMA. After Katrina and Rita I changed my tune regarding Walmart.
_____________________________
Stephanie
The heart of the wise inclines to the right but the heart of the fool to the left.
Even as he walks along the road, the fool lacks sense and shows everyone how stupid he is. ~ Ecc. 10:2-3
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 6:40:48 PM
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writerchick
Posts: 220
Joined: 10/3/2008
Status: online
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quote:
ORIGINAL: kernsfamily
quote:
It's a pretty big fallacy to assume everyone is working in the place they are solely because they choose to.
Are we NOT in America anymore? Where people can freely WORK where they CHOOSE? I worked at Kmart in Detroit...for about 2 weeks...then, due to "poor working conditions" and the rest, I CHOSE to work elsewhere. If others stayed and worked, that was THEIR CHOICE.
Or, can some people just not face the facts that SOME PEOPLE happily choose to work in a place.....regardless of that business' reputation....which is the result of the relentless negativity campaign funded by labor unions.
According to your logic, I could simply "choose" to work on Pushing Daisies instead of going through the route of writing a spec script, getting an agent, and convincing the producers I'm good in the room.
America or not, life is not that simple. My landlord still wants his $1413 a month for the one bedroom I live in. I still have to put gas in my car. I still have other bills to pay. I don't have the luxury of "choosing" to wait until Mr. Fuller calls. If that's true for me, then logically these kinds of factors drive other people's decisions on their choice of employment as well.
The way our system is set up, it is embarrassingly easy to get stuck in a job that at least allows you to survive. When in survival mode it's twice as difficult to make any kind of change for the better because you're caught in such a balancing act in which the slightest misstep could have dire consequences.
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 6:54:33 PM
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zoebob
Posts: 8860
Joined: 4/13/2005
From: land of limbo
Status: online
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Walmart isn't even the cheapest place to shop around here...not for groceries at least. THe other stores offer better coupon deals and sales than Walmart.
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L-R: DD1, Ellies DS2, DD2, Ellies DS1
L-R: Ellies DD1, Ellies DD2, DS, Ellies DS3
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 7:21:31 PM
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HighPlainsDrifter
Posts: 1304
Joined: 9/22/2005
From: The Great Sioux Empire
Status: offline
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quote:
A long time ago I actually applied to work at a Walmart and was given a test to determine my abilities. I was told that I was too "intellectual" to work there because on the 1-10 with 1 being strongest disagree and 10 being strongest agree a rarely answered either but instead actually thought out the situations described and rated my responses according to my perceptions. The interviewer said "We need people who will do what they are told and not think about it. You think too much about things and that would cause problems."
When I asked for clarification, the response was "Smart people do not make good employees."
If I'm a business manager and I have repetitive, basic work that needs to get done, even though it involves nearly zero intellectual stimulation, why would I hire someone not suited for it, that would be bored and apathetic within a couple of days of doing it?
It's not sinful to think that the world needs ditch-diggers, and that ditch-diggers need jobs. Everyone needs to eat.
_____________________________
Give a hoot, eat yer Lute, Der's no risk in Lutefisk.
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RE: Wal-Mart is taking over - 11/12/2008 8:48:41 PM
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PaleHawkWoman
Posts: 645
Joined: 7/14/2005
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: HighPlainsDrifter
quote:
A long time ago I actually applied to work at a Walmart and was given a test to determine my abilities. I was told that I was too "intellectual" to work there because on the 1-10 with 1 being strongest disagree and 10 being strongest agree a rarely answered either but instead actually thought out the situations described and rated my responses according to my perceptions. The interviewer said "We need people who will do what they are told and not think about it. You think too much about things and that would cause problems."
When I asked for clarification, the response was "Smart people do not make good employees."
If I'm a business manager and I have repetitive, basic work that needs to get done, even though it involves nearly zero intellectual stimulation, why would I hire someone not suited for it, that would be bored and apathetic within a couple of days of doing it?
It's not sinful to think that the world needs ditch-diggers, and that ditch-diggers need jobs. Everyone needs to eat.
Most of the ditch-diggers I know are absolutely NOT uneducated, illiterate, or lacking in average intelligence. Since they use heavy equipment, they have to be on the ball at all times. A good many of the Walmart employees I have dealt with are under-educated and seem to operate more in autopilot and impulse than higher cognitive reasoning. The exceptions are those who are retired, college students, or employed elsewhere and supplimenting their retirement or other income by working at Wally-World.
A friend of mine is a teacher and works at Walmart to supplement her teacher's salary (she has 2 daughters in college). She hates it but has little choice, especially with the current economic climate. She takes note of the way that female employees are often passed over for raises and promotions despite the fact that they often excell over their male peers, and there are NO female managers there. Female employees are more likely to be shorted on scheduled hours and the reason given by management is that male employees need more hours to support their families; most of the female employees are single moms while most of the male employees are single. Go figure. But its a well-known fact that employees who DARE to file a complaint about any violations of federal/state laws are not just terminated, they are harrassed and threatened, and Wal-mart will actually sue them for the apparent purpose of ruining them completely and keeping them bankrupted for the rest of their lives. There's a site that actually details these cases- I think it's called Wal-martWatch. This information has also been covered on 20/20, 60 Minutes, and Frontline so its not just speculation.
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