• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Wal-Mart - Good or Bad?

astarath

Well-Known Member
lilithu said:
There's a very simple, possible explanation:
Walmart moves in.
Walmart buys up all of the item(s) from the local suppliers.
The other store now has to go further to stock the same item(s), increasing its expenses which it passes on to the customers.


never came to mind excellent point
 

Ðanisty

Well-Known Member
PetShopBoy88 said:
Yep. Like I mentioned, it's the same stuff as you can buy in other stores unless you're buying something with a small consumer base and inelastic demand.
I'm sorry, but the products I'm talking about have a wide consumer base. Kitchen knives, bath towels, etc. are the things that most people go to Wal-Mart for when they could have gone to another store. If they just wanted groceries, they could go to a grocery store, but Wal-Mart carries these goods specifically to draw in customers and then they sell poor quality. People go back in a few months to buy more and more. If they were selling quality products, they would last longer. I'm not talking about anything obscure here...common household goods.

PetShopBoy88 said:
That's funny. But it's still important to note, Dickies, Levis, Lee, Hanes, and Wrangler are all huge names in terms of clothes. High quality clothes aren't being sold there (or almost anywhere) because demand for quality is lower than demand for image. It has nothing to do with Wal-Mart, because most stores, and most clothing stores, sell image instead of quality.
Actually, it's not funny at all. People who can't afford to buy name brand clothes get suckered into buying Wal-Mart clothes and in the long run pay more because they fall apart. What I'm talking about has nothing to do with image. At least, I don't know any women who want to way Kathy Lee Gifford clothes. :rolleyes: The Dickies, Levis, Lee, Wrangler....those are all in the men's department only.
 

YmirGF

Bodhisattva in Recovery
Ðanisty said:
I'm sorry, but the products I'm talking about have a wide consumer base. Kitchen knives, bath towels, etc. are the things that most people go to Wal-Mart for when they could have gone to another store. If they just wanted groceries, they could go to a grocery store, but Wal-Mart carries these goods specifically to draw in customers and then they sell poor quality. People go back in a few months to buy more and more. If they were selling quality products, they would last longer. I'm not talking about anything obscure here...common household goods.

Actually, it's not funny at all. People who can't afford to buy name brand clothes get suckered into buying Wal-Mart clothes and in the long run pay more because they fall apart. What I'm talking about has nothing to do with image. At least, I don't know any women who want to way Kathy Lee Gifford clothes. :rolleyes: The Dickies, Levis, Lee, Wrangler....those are all in the men's department only.

Great point Danisty. One thing I learned very well in my last job was a concept call TCO or The Cost of Ownership. Our sales people would spend a fair amount of time educating our customers WHY the lower price would end up costing them more in the long run.

In regards to the purchasing power of the retail giants.

It is difficult for the average consumer to understand why there are price differences in small stores as opposed to super-stores. For example, in an independant computer store I work for some time ago, that went out of buisness, we would have people bring in Ad's from Dell computers. Our prices were easily 40-50% higher. We weren't gouging the customer either. The fact is, when you buy less than 10 of an item the price structure can be wildly different from the price of buying a 1000 of the same item. Small stores cannot compete, period.

One thing I used to tell people who were looking to purchase a computer was that they were welcome to buy from Dell but just bear in mind that in a few years you may not have a choice of where you buy your next computer. The choice will be WHICH Dell, to buy... not which brand. Look around at how many computer companies have bitten the dust in recent years. Transpose this scenario to Wal-mart. They literally eat the competition alive. Eventually, you have nowhere else TO shop OR work.
 

astarath

Well-Known Member
YmirGF said:
Great point Danisty. One thing I learned very well in my last job was a concept call TCO or The Cost of Ownership. Our sales people would spend a fair amount of time educating our customers WHY the lower price would end up costing them more in the long run.

In regards to the purchasing power of the retail giants.

It is difficult for the average consumer to understand why there are price differences in small stores as opposed to super-stores. For example, in an independant computer store I work for some time ago, that went out of buisness, we would have people bring in Ad's from Dell computers. Our prices were easily 40-50% higher. We weren't gouging the customer either. The fact is, when you buy less than 10 of an item the price structure can be wildly different from the price of buying a 1000 of the same item. Small stores cannot compete, period.

One thing I used to tell people who were looking to purchase a computer was that they were welcome to buy from Dell but just bear in mind that in a few years you may not have a choice of where you buy your next computer. The choice will be WHICH Dell, to buy... not which brand. Look around at how many computer companies have bitten the dust in recent years. Transpose this scenario to Wal-mart. They literally eat the competition alive. Eventually, you have nowhere else TO shop OR work.

Ahhhh Captilism...truly a tool of Satan:fork:
 

Hope

Princesinha
I greatly dislike Wal-Mart. Let's see....dirty, smelly, long lines, poor quality items...just to name a few reasons I avoid shopping there as much as possible. Not to mention how they totally mar their natural surroundings with their ugly, monstrous buildings, with acres of pavement around them. Ugh.

I was, understandably, upset to find Wal-mart has even had the audacity to spread its monopoly to Brazil. I thought I could escape them in Brazil....but, alas, I was mistaken, and greatly saddened by this. But, much to my chagrin, I was forced to darken the doors of this particular Wal-mart in Brazil, simply because their ATM was the only one in the city that gave me money. I do have to admit, though, that the Brazilian Wal-mart was much nicer and cleaner than any I've been to in the US. Surprise, surprise. But I also found out that a Brazilian grocery chain called Bom Preco is owned by Wal-mart. So they've got their claws everywhere it seems. :redx:
 

PetShopBoy88

Active Member
Ðanisty said:
I'm sorry, but the products I'm talking about have a wide consumer base. Kitchen knives, bath towels, etc. are the things that most people go to Wal-Mart for when they could have gone to another store.
Well, then I don't understand where our disagreement is.

If they just wanted groceries, they could go to a grocery store, but Wal-Mart carries these goods specifically to draw in customers and then they sell poor quality.
They sell name brands. If the name brand are crap, they're crap no matter which store you buy them from.

Actually, it's not funny at all.
Ironic might have been a better choice of word. Funny is so subjective. I find the ironic generally to be funny, though ironic would have gotten what I was trying to say across more clearly.

People who can't afford to buy name brand clothes get suckered into buying Wal-Mart clothes and in the long run pay more because they fall apart.
As I mentioned, Wal-Mart sells name brands.

What I'm talking about has nothing to do with image.
Yes it does. All products are sold on image. That's why people will buy one brand over the other. That's why I bought a gibson guitar instead of a Fender. They both have six strings, after all; they're both high quality guitars; they both have exceptionally good pickups. But I prefer the image associated with Gibson guitars better than Fender guitars. The same is true for any product, but especially for clothes. Clothing designers spend billions of dollars marketing image through commercials, fashion shows, and endorsments. I would wager that it's more than any other single market currently.

The Dickies, Levis, Lee, Wrangler....those are all in the men's department only.
I beg to differ.

Click
and here
and again
and another

These links are all for generally well-known brands in clothing that you can buy (for more) at other stores. Again, I will mention that if Wal-Mart is selling crap, other stores are too.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
I really like the theory that walmart drives other businesses out.
In Kendallville, IN they built a brand new walmart supercenter.
The other stores then raised their prices.
Care to explain that?
Walmart sells things cheap. Other businesses lose customers. It forces them to raise prices to still stand a chance at having an income. It's also why it's inevitable that Walmart drives smaller businesses out. They don't raise thier prices, they lose money because of lost costumers. The raise thier prices, they might be able to still break even.
I absolutly hate Walmart. They drive other businesses out, they do not sell un-edited CDs (yet they sell R-rated movies and M-rated games), they never have what I'm looking for (yet according to one sales associate, "We're Walmart. We have anything you would ever want. An obvious load of bs.), and have poor customer service. They don't even care about their employees either. One of my friend's is the Sam's Club gas station attendant, and they don't even notice if he's thier or not until payroll is printed.
 

Ðanisty

Well-Known Member
PetShopBoy88 said:
Click
and here
and again
and another

These links are all for generally well-known brands in clothing that you can buy (for more) at other stores. Again, I will mention that if Wal-Mart is selling crap, other stores are too.
Not at any Wal-Mart I've seen. Except Faded Glory and I've never seen that brand anywhere else.
 

PetShopBoy88

Active Member
Ðanisty said:
Not at any Wal-Mart I've seen. Except Faded Glory and I've never seen that brand anywhere else.
Well, then, you have bad wal-marts. :p But it's still a brand Wal-Mart carries.
 

Ðanisty

Well-Known Member
You are misunderstanding me. Faded Glory is the only of those brands that you listed that our Wal-Marts carry. I've never seen Faded Glory at any store other than Wal-Mart.
 

PetShopBoy88

Active Member
Ðanisty said:
You are misunderstanding me. Faded Glory is the only of those brands that you listed that our Wal-Marts carry. I've never seen Faded Glory at any store other than Wal-Mart.
I understood. I'll retract Faded Glory (I don't really know much about brands, but that one sounded familiar) but I don't understand why you think I misunderstood. You must have a bad or small Wal-Mart if it doesn't carry all of the brands it carries at bigger stores, to rephrase.
 

Comet

Harvey Wallbanger
Wal-Mart is the best.... I'd live there if it weren't for all the people that go there!!!!!

Wal-Mart GOOD!
 

BFD_Zayl

Well-Known Member
i personally love wally world, best place to get guns and ammo for factory price, aside from Dunhams
 

PetShopBoy88

Active Member
Ðanisty said:
Well, they're Super Wal-Marts. Consider maybe that you just have a really good Wal-Mart.
Yeah, maybe.


The following is not directed at Danisty. It's just a continuation of some stuff I've been saying and thinking about this issue.



If Wal-Mart isn't selling high quality products, if their products are crap, then how are they pushing other people out of the market? There is no demand for high quality products. That's the only way that would be so. Stores that sell high quality products are (supposedly) being forced to leave the market because of Wal-Mart, but all this shows is that market for high quality goods was artificial - it was simply a short-lived monopoly which forced people to buy higher priced goods in a quality they didn't really want. If they stop buying the higher priced yet higher quality goods and turn to Wal-Mart (thus forcing the other stores to leave the market) it just proves that the demand isn't for quality but for quantity. If the demand is for one thing, why should we get mad when a store actually gives consumers what they want? Why should we demand that stores who AREN'T giving consumers what they want should still be allowed to hang on?
 

PetShopBoy88

Active Member
BFD_Zayl said:
i personally love wally world, best place to get guns and ammo for factory price, aside from Dunhams
Heck yes. That's where I bought my rifle and always buy my ammo. :bow: GREAT deal.
 

Guitar's Cry

Disciple of Pan
PetShopBoy88 said:
If Wal-Mart isn't selling high quality products, if their products are crap, then how are they pushing other people out of the market? There is no demand for high quality products. That's the only way that would be so. Stores that sell high quality products are (supposedly) being forced to leave the market because of Wal-Mart, but all this shows is that market for high quality goods was artificial - it was simply a short-lived monopoly which forced people to buy higher priced goods in a quality they didn't really want. If they stop buying the higher priced yet higher quality goods and turn to Wal-Mart (thus forcing the other stores to leave the market) it just proves that the demand isn't for quality but for quantity. If the demand is for one thing, why should we get mad when a store actually gives consumers what they want? Why should we demand that stores who AREN'T giving consumers what they want should still be allowed to hang on?

Quantity being better than quality is illogical. It not only means that the consumer has to spend more in the end, it is also an irresponsible use of resources.

I completely understand the whole living off a budget thing. But going out and buying new shoes every two months is ridiculous.

Besides, people have become slaves to marketing. Those yellow smiley faces that use to be a symbol for peace and love are now weapons of corporate greed.
 

Ðanisty

Well-Known Member
PetShopBoy88 said:
If Wal-Mart isn't selling high quality products, if their products are crap, then how are they pushing other people out of the market? There is no demand for high quality products. That's the only way that would be so. Stores that sell high quality products are (supposedly) being forced to leave the market because of Wal-Mart, but all this shows is that market for high quality goods was artificial - it was simply a short-lived monopoly which forced people to buy higher priced goods in a quality they didn't really want. If they stop buying the higher priced yet higher quality goods and turn to Wal-Mart (thus forcing the other stores to leave the market) it just proves that the demand isn't for quality but for quantity. If the demand is for one thing, why should we get mad when a store actually gives consumers what they want? Why should we demand that stores who AREN'T giving consumers what they want should still be allowed to hang on?
The demand is there. People are just getting scammed.
 

lilithu

The Devil's Advocate
PetShopBoy88 said:
If they stop buying the higher priced yet higher quality goods and turn to Wal-Mart (thus forcing the other stores to leave the market) it just proves that the demand isn't for quality but for quantity. If the demand is for one thing, why should we get mad when a store actually gives consumers what they want? Why should we demand that stores who AREN'T giving consumers what they want should still be allowed to hang on?
Spoken like a true consumer.

Capitalism works on the continuous competition to produce things faster and cheaper, and to create a market for things even if there isn't really a need for it. It's all about making money. In that respect, Walmart is simply better at it than most other companies.

But the result is the suffering of people. The suffering of the Walmart employees who work with no health insurance. And the suffering of the workers overseas who each year must produce even more for less pay.

It's not about hating Walmart. It's about caring for the people who suffer as a result of Walmart's business practices. If they could pay their employees a living wage and still give you that bag of a dozen tube socks for $2.99, I'd have no problem with that. But they can't. People are suffering both in the U.S. and overseas. And to claim that they have a choice is myopic.


But what almost no one outside the world of Wal-Mart and its 21,000 suppliers knows is the high cost of those low prices. Wal-Mart has the power to squeeze profit-killing concessions from vendors. To survive in the face of its pricing demands, makers of everything from bras to bicycles to blue jeans have had to lay off employees and close U.S. plants in favor of outsourcing products from overseas.

Of course, U.S. companies have been moving jobs offshore for decades, long before Wal-Mart was a retailing power. But there is no question that the chain is helping accelerate the loss of American jobs to low-wage countries such as China. Wal-Mart, which in the late 1980s and early 1990s trumpeted its claim to "Buy American," has doubled its imports from China in the past five years alone, buying some $12 billion in merchandise in 2002. That's nearly 10% of all Chinese exports to the United States.
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html



Many people have heard of the way that Wal-Mart steamrolls its way into every possible town, destroying local supermarkets and countless small businesses. We have also heard about Wal-Mart's long track record of worker abuse, from forced overtime to sex discrimination to illegal child labor to relentless union busting. Wal-Mart also notoriously fails to provide health insurance to over half of its employees, who are then left to rely on themselves or taxpayers, who provide for a portion of their healthcare needs through government Medicaid.

Less well known is the fact that Wal-Mart maintains its low price level by allowing substandard labor conditions at the overseas factories producing most of its goods. The company continually demands lower prices from its suppliers, who, in turn, make more outrageous and abusive demands on their workers in order to meet Wal-Mart's requirements. In September 2005, the International Labor Rights Fund filed a lawsuit on behalf of Wal-Mart supplier sweatshop workers in China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nicaragua and Swaziland. The workers were denied minimum wages, forced to work overtime without compensation, and were denied legally mandated health care. Other worker rights violations that have been found in foreign factories that produce goods for Wal-Mart include locked bathrooms, starvation wages, pregnancy tests, denial of access to health care, and workers being fired and blacklisted if they try to defend their rights.
http://www.globalexchange.org/getInvolved/actnow/walmartfax.html


 
Top