Fuck Wal-Mart.

[mrmephistopheles]

So it's 4AM here and I can't sleep. On the TV (which I've been leaving on at night for some reason) is Frontline, a PBS newsmagazine program, similar to 60 Minutes or Dateline.
The topic is: Is Wal-Mart good for America?

I don't feel like recapping the entire program, but it boils down to a strenuous NO. I hadn't liked Wally world already, but seeing their business practices and ethics and how anti-American they can be has really put a sour taste in my mouth.

I think trade with China can be a good thing, but the trade deficit we have currently is staggering and not good for our economy. Companies like Wal-Mart are only making that deficit worse. Next time you go shopping there, know that at least 80% of Wal-Mart's suppliers are Chinese, and many of the American companies that supply Wal-Mart are being forced to create operations in China (or elsewhere in Asia) to keep their contracts with Wal-Mart, because Wal-Mart makes such extreme demands.

Bah. I'm going to try to sleep. I think if I do ever shop in Wal-Mart again, I'll at least try to buy American made products.

[Pank]

The thing is, thanks to unions, american labor (in non right-to-work) states, is considerably more than labor/shipping of overseas products. Walmart isn't out to fix the economy, they are out to turn a profit, like every business in america. Its capitalism. You can't blame them when they can import something for half the price they sell it for, instead of buying it locally for 2/3rds the price they sell it for.

Now, this doesnt mean that I support or condone Wal-Marts business practices, but they are just the result of low pricing, high availability and great marketing.

Either china needs to enforce more strict labor laws/standards, or unions need to be taken down a peg or two.

in a perfect world, the business would be run efficient enough to offset these costs, but its america, so we know that shit will never, ever happen.

[A Spec Products]

Wal Mart is the biggest gangster in the world. Supreme thuggery, on the real.

I respect Sam Walton on what he started and built, but its gotten quite outta hand, they just bully everyone in the goods chain, from the manufacturers to their competitors. Gotta support mom and pop shops! I always will pay a bit more to support small business, cause in the long run we're screwed otherwise.

If we Americans didn't demand such high wages and excessive quality of life we might actually still manufacture products in our own country. Its a catch 22, any way you cut it.

[dacalac]

I still view Walmart as the unholy union between the devil and martha stewart.

:madfawk: them all!

There is a Target over near my GF's house that is just losing all it's business to Walmart. That and every other competing store in the local area...it's just sad...

[rancid240]

Thats business. If they can do everything more efficiently then another business, then they win.

[RJF]

Wasn't Martha Stewart in bed with K-Mart before her little vacation at Camp Cupcake?

I agree some of the business practices are questionable, but you have to give them credit for working their way to the top.

Just remember, one day the mighty will fall.

[mjjstang]

maybe its not walmarts fault, maybe it is ours for not willing to work for dirt. Im sure many companies would be thrilled to open up shop and be able to slap on "Made in America" to their products, if we would work for nothing, they did nothing wrong, it is the other companies that decided not to stay competitive. at any rate I still hate walmart and still shop there for some things.

[wootwoot]

Martha Stewart was Super K or whatever they hell they call it now. I avoid Walmart as much as possible, but they have Mobile1 for 20 dollars for 5 quarts.... Thats basically the only time I ever go there and that is all I purchase. I also pay cash so those fuckers dont know I've been in their store, they keep tabs on that. I really do hate Walmart though

[EEdude]

I saw the video online at their home website. Sure Walmart is bad for America, but as Americans we love to buy things cheap; it's the American way. Unless you can change people's greed and urge for cheap products, you can't really blame Walmart for destroying all those family businesses/little mom and pop stores out there. The only people you can blame are people like us. I'm sure almost everyone on here has bought something from Walmart. I somethings regret not buying things at walmart. I bought an oil change container from Kragen for $10, and I saw better looking one at Walmart for $5. So what did I do? I returned that shit and bought it from Walmart. Do I feel bad? no, not at that moment. Do I feel bad now? ummm.. not really. If you haven't watched the video. Walmart is so on top of their game, they do inventory every day. Once a product is sold, on that same day they place an order for more shipment of that very same product. Thats how good they're. Walmart is so good, a lot of businesses want to do business with Walmart. But Walmart demands that they want to sell cheap, and if your business dont agree with it (no profit), Walmart will just decline doing business with you.

[Sil-Abc]

i remember writing an essay for econ on this topic. Companies have no other choice to accept their demands cuz walmart is so large. I remember reading about some pickle company going out of business cuz walmart demanded large amounts with no profit for them.

[ZK]

People will always want the lowest prices and so they will continue to try to make the prices lower and their margins higher. Its just capitalism at work. America is becoming the next Europe and soon will be overtaken by other places where there is less restrictions and less costly labor for business to develop.

China already is the 2nd largest consumer of oil in the world and has an economy that is booming. It is only a matter of time before it manufactures and sells everything in the world from toaster ovens to cars. Their college graduation rates surpass ours in the US and competition is high for all job positions. Doesn't mean the stuff they make is bad, it just means that its cheap for them to make it.

The only thing America can do is specialize in in the high end where costs and entry to market is extremely high.

So the only way you can change the trade deficit is to sell stuff that other countries actually want i.e. they can not produce it for themselves for a price they can afford.

[kandyflip445]

Wal-mart has Pocky now. And it's too good to not eat. *sigh*

[SochBAT]

POCKY! The King's Snack of Snacks. Something about thin breadsticks n chocolate.

Walmart sucks.

[420sx]

fuck wal-mart


dont go screaming this in a trailer park



oh, and its called capitalism. simply theres cheaper labor else where. why pay a lazy bum here for something low tech a chinese guy can make? ideally you want all the high tech jobs here. if some Joe looses his job on a sock factory he can shove his union complaint up his ass. should have went to school.

[Flybert]

I've only been in Walmart one time and I felt sick to my stomach while I was there. About 8 years ago, my american history teacher explained the shittiness of walmart to me and I will never ever go there to buy anything. Mom and pops shops all over the country have been taken out by walmart and it will continue as long as people support it.

[Andrew Bohan]

when target opened up near my local walmart, walmart lost my business to target. maybe target doesn't have as many things or lower prices, but it doesn't make me want to strangle people. walmart pisses me off so much just being in the store. target is way more chill.

[CaoBoY]

the only thing 'good' about walmart? all the ones here are 24 hours. No other shops like walmart around here are 24 hours, so past nine o clock, im at walmart if i need something.

[TurDz]

when target opened up near my local walmart, walmart lost my business to target. maybe target doesn't have as many things or lower prices, but it doesn't make me want to strangle people. walmart pisses me off so much just being in the store. target is way more chill.

hey, are you talking about the one in Union City? if so...I did the same EXACT thing you did...

I love Target.

[wootwoot]

SEE!!! Last night I had to go to Walmart at about 3am because I needed a damn oil filter wrench. Why cant everywhere just be 24hr how I want it to be?

[Wei240]

yeah, i hate walmart too, will opt not to go if there's a target around..

ever try finding parking at walmart, (not the wee hours of night), that's a good half hour of my life wasted...

costco has parking probs as well, but i actually like going there...

[Andrew Bohan]

hey, are you talking about the one in Union City? if so...I did the same EXACT thing you did...

I love Target.

yup, the union city one. fuck that place. random shit everywhere blocking the aisles, kids running around screaming, EVEN AT 3AM WTF?!?!? the most ghetto representatives, of all races, IQ of 32 or lower. i never EVER see those kind people in union city besides at walmart. and what's with 90% of the workers being filipina ladies in their 60s? oh and the worst is when there are 500 people in line, and 3 out of 24 checkstands are open.

[Yoshi]

hey! I got that show too, it's RM stream rip tho... but well worth the watch I thought... walmart is the next big cult!

[ZK]

Walmart and Target are not allowed to open stores in San Francisco. Although they'd make a killing if they could enter this market.

[Pank]

Walmart and Target are not allowed to open stores in San Francisco. Although they'd make a killing if they could enter this market.

why arent they?

[kazuo]

why arent they?

Because we San Franciscans are crazy and don't want huge bigbox retailers in our city, causing traffic jams (we have two freeways, both of which are on opposite sides of the city and dont run through the main parts of the city), putting mom & pop stores out of business and generally being shitty, to the city, to the envrionment and to the consumer and their employees.

We also don't have a Home Depot for the same reason (although I understand that will be changing soon), and whenever Starbucks tries to open a store in a non-commercial district (and even then), people come out of the woodwook to shut 'em down.

Yay for crazy Frisco people

[snatch13]

Target>Wal Mart... Around here the wal marts are just trashy, there is shit laying all over the place and no one cleans it up and keeps it neat... thats why i prefer target, even if they sometimes are more expensive...

[420sx]

hmmm walmarts in Texas are big and very clean. maybe its just a Cali thing, being trashy

[Phlip]

I guess I have been successfully brainwashed, I go where I will spend the least amount of money on the things that I need to bring into my house, and wal mart happens to be able to give me that pricing

[Var]

hmmm walmarts in Texas are big and very clean. maybe its just a Cali thing, being trashy


vodka + beer = alex

[RBS14]

After doing a research project for my econ term paper, as well as analyzing their business practices in class, I will never step foot in one again. Only went in one once, and I regret it. I'm with Chris, feel sick to my stomach in those shit houses.

However, if you want a business plan on how to create a monopoly, and run the most unethical business possible (aside from enron and worldcom), talk to the wal-mart execs.

Fuck.

[TurDz]

yup, the union city one. fuck that place. random shit everywhere blocking the aisles, kids running around screaming, EVEN AT 3AM WTF?!?!? the most ghetto representatives, of all races, IQ of 32 or lower. i never EVER see those kind people in union city besides at walmart. and what's with 90% of the workers being filipina ladies in their 60s? oh and the worst is when there are 500 people in line, and 3 out of 24 checkstands are open.


haha, seriously. I'm filipino and it's so funny to me to see all of these ladies there having a good ol' social time, hehe.

Target is so clean, I've never had to wait more than 2 minutes in line, and the people there are so much more "normal."

[wootwoot]

haha, seriously. I'm filipino and it's so funny to me to see all of these ladies there having a good ol' social time, hehe.

Target is so clean, I've never had to wait more than 2 minutes in line, and the people there are so much more "normal."

By normal do you mean not whitetrash and human?....

[420sx]

vodka + beer = alex

LOL... literally.... :p

[Phlip]

haha, seriously. I'm filipino and it's so funny to me to see all of these ladies there having a good ol' social time, hehe.

Target is so clean, I've never had to wait more than 2 minutes in line, and the people there are so much more "normal."
The shorter wait time is MOST LIKELY because Target (here at least) also does not sell groceries and STILL costs more than the Wal Mart that is ALWAYS 2 minutes away in my area, if it is even that far away...


... I worry more about the cash in my own pocket than the events that allow me to keep it there, excuse me for being an insensitive bastard.