wal-mart

[warrior37 0]

chadd doesnt like my thought process but even i know wal-mart is bad, everything in that store is made in china and they hire illegal workers to clean the store, dont let workers unionize, pretty much treat everyone like shit so the Waltons get richer

[Chadd 916]

As mentioned, there are numerous actions that make them a less than ideal corperation. Forcing themselves into areas that actively oppose them, their significant number of sexual harassment violations, the damage done to the local economy, the numerous businesses that go out of business due to their market dominance, the manufacturers that they put out of business via their buying philosophy, etc...

There was even a case of the daughter of my wife's friend who was fired from a wal-mart photo lab for turning over child porn pics to the police. Her manager and store manager refused to call the police and told her not to do it, the regional manager backed them up on their decision.

[MNdgame 0]

The people at fortune magazine must be crazy then...

[Chadd 916]

The people at fortune magazine must be crazy then...

They're a very strong company financially, just not morally or ethically. Sam Walton once said that they would never build a store in an area that did not want them. Current management doesn't believe in that.

Building a store in the middle of Aztec ruins in Mexico is just wonderful.

I've seen a lot of changes in my old home town thanks to wal-mart. They kill specialty stores, the people who run them and the companies that service those specialty stores. There was a story in the paper here about wal-mart not long ago. There are something like 20 stores within 40 miles of here. They also mentioned 50 businesses in one county alone that went under primarily because of them.

What wal-mart would do to hockey:

Equipment would be cheaper as they would focus on having the lowest price. However, they wouldn't care about protection or durability or performance. Manufacturers would have to skimp on things to be able to meet the prices wal-mart would be willing to pay. Instead of paying $100 for a synergy, wal-mart would only pay $70. Easton would be forced to do things like using cheaper materials to be able to turn a profit. Eventually, they would have to water down their product to the point it wasn't considered high quality anymore. Then wal-mart would move on to the next brand and start all over again. A company with all of the assets that Easton has could recover, a smaller company would be out of business.

[MNdgame 0]

Do you know why they kill those speciality stores? Because they give people more money and benefits! Of course they kill specialty stores but they employ 500 more people who make more and get better benefits. Is it bad that they kill those stores? I mean they offer lower prices, attract other businesses to build near them, employ more people, and pay there associates better.

[MNdgame 0]

I think they make some communities better...

[Chadd 916]

Do you know why they kill those speciality stores? Because they give people more money and benefits! Of course they kill specialty stores but they employ 500 more people who make more and get better benefits. Is it bad that they kill those stores? I mean they offer lower prices, attract other businesses to build near them, employ more people, and pay there associates better.

They don't pay better in most cases and they employ 500 people because most of them are part time and work under 30 hours a week. The shops that build near them would be elsewhere, not new shops. Not to mention near the closest wal-mart the plaza has a pizza shop, a chinese restaurant, a dollar store, a used video game store, a cell phone shop and a learning center.

None of those are major enterprises.

[Chadd 916]

It I wasnt even talking financially about the fortune magazine thing. Fortune named Wal-Mart the third "most admired" company in the US and one of the 100 best companies to work for in the United states.

Considering the number of former employees that are currently suing wal-mart, I don't believe their conclusion. Not to mention the huge image problems they have in most areas.

[Chadd 916]

Very nicely written op-ed.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opin...32_floyd18.html

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=1...lumnist_woolner

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradentonhera...ity/8017866.htm

[Tricky4L 0]

Do you know why they kill those speciality stores?  Because they give people more money and benefits! Of course they kill specialty stores but they employ 500 more people who make more and get better benefits.  Is it bad that they kill those stores? I mean they offer lower prices, attract other businesses to build near them, employ more people, and pay there associates better.

They spend an avgerage of $1000 less than the national avg. per employee on employee benifits and pention... seems to me that a conglomo that prides themselves on being 1 with their employees, should be setting the bar in such areas. Now here is the kicker... on many "overage" employees/greeters, Walmart will take out life insurance pollicies on them! So making an extra buck by sucking local economies dry, refusing to face opposition to unionized workers, having a sub par stance on benifits, waiting for the greeters to kick the can, being the third largest contributer to Jerry's "Moral Majority" and countless unfair labour practice accounts..... Yea, tip top if ya ask me.

[Shorthanded67 0]

They don't pay better in most cases and they employ 500 people because most of them are part time and work under 30 hours a week.

Bingo Chadd, right on the money. And their full-time workers are generally not as trained as well either.

This is a sore subject for me. I've worked at union grocery stores for 9 years (basically my entire working life.) 3 years at a chain and now for the past 6 years at an independant (IGA). They pay me very well (and everyone) and it's a great place to work for. Our store is very small, about 12 aisles, set back in a neighborhood where our clientele is mostly senior citizens and I'd say middle class 30-40 year old families. There was a lockout/strike among the 3 main chain grocery stores in the St. Louis area back in 2003. We were the only union grocery store (same union as the chains, different contract) in a 50 mile radius. People literally swarmed to our store for the 30 days it lasted. Our business soared to 5-6 times more weekly sales than normal.

That being said there is rumors of a Wal-Mart going in about 3 miles down the street. That will basically kill us. Statistics roughly show that when a Wal-Mart moves in within 10-15 miles of an independant store, that store's sales literally drop 30-50% in the first year. Hey when gas is on the rise, I really can't blame the average income people for shopping at Wal-Mart to save some money. HOWEVER....as an independant store, we strive to take care of our customers, give them the individual attention they need, etc...go that extra mile (see how this is likened to the LHS/online store situation?). Unfortunately that is the only hope...

[PMurphy17 25]

Chadd,

your bang on!!

Having worked for with companies that deal with Wal-Mart, My opinion is similar but for much different reasons. I don't want to get into specific because Walmart isn't worth my time. But I say that Wal-mart has questionable business practices and ethics on both sides of the ocean.

They love to pilfer middle-tier brands by carrying their products until they figure out how to build them themselves then its out the door.

I will also admit that I still shop there, however I limit myself to premium branded products.

[utvolsfan007 0]

As an example of Wal-mart's ethics, they are choosing to close a Canadian store

that was going to be the first Wal-mart to unionize.

[Eazy_b97 1]

For a little more insight on this and other "part-time" jobs, try picking up Nickel and Dimed. It's a decent read, a few major flaws, but gives some insight and has a chapter on Wal-Mart specifically.

[devilsfan26 0]

One of the towns near where I live is suing a neighboring town for planning on building a Walmart.

[D3nZ 0]

I think they make some communities better...

They have a whole new set of commercials of pepople in communities talking what Wal Mart broughtto them in a good way. They opened a store here in november and the only thing that made people complain was that the traffic is now pretty bad because of all the people from other communities comming in town to shop to the store and in the malls, it's been all but bad in our community.

[kosydar 0]

We watched a Frontline or something similar about Wal Mart in Econ this year. It had some very differing pros and cons on Wal Mart. They do have some pretty shitty business practices, but they do employ and train a lot of workers who most other companies deem unemployable.

[QandA 0]

Delete this post!

[QandA 0]

I think they make some communities better...

They have a whole new set of commercials of pepople in communities talking what Wal Mart broughtto them in a good way. They opened a store here in november and the only thing that made people complain was that the traffic is now pretty bad because of all the people from other communities comming in town to shop to the store and in the malls, it's been all but bad in our community.

More people come to ours! And we're smarter we made the roads bigger before the Wal Mart. All my friends work there so I guess it has it's pro's and cons.

[MNdgame 0]

So you guys dont like Wal-mart because they create more traffic in your neighborhood? I think there are just as many pros as there are cons. I dont even see any cons besides their business practices and pressuring companies which is true.

They spend an avgerage of $1000 less than the national avg. per employee on employee benifits and pention..

Then why do so many want to work for them? They obviously choose to work for them. When they opened a new store in California they had 5000 people apply for 500 jobs, there is obviously something that makes these people want to work there because there is obviously no glamour in working at Wal-mart. They do offer benefits and pay better than K-mart or a grocery store or other stores that involve no training.

[MNdgame 0]

I think they make some communities better...

They have a whole new set of commercials of pepople in communities talking what Wal Mart broughtto them in a good way. They opened a store here in november and the only thing that made people complain was that the traffic is now pretty bad because of all the people from other communities comming in town to shop to the store and in the malls, it's been all but bad in our community.

Yeah and they employed 500 people in your area and provide low prices and force other stores to offer low prices if they want to compete, how is that bad?

[Chadd 916]

So you guys dont like Wal-mart because they create more traffic in your neighborhood? I think there are just as many pros as there are cons. I dont even see any cons besides their business practices and pressuring companies which is true.

They spend an avgerage of $1000 less than the national avg. per employee on employee benifits and pention..

Then why do so many want to work for them? They obviously choose to work for them. When they opened a new store in California they had 5000 people apply for 500 jobs, there is obviously something that makes these people want to work there because there is obviously no glamour in working at Wal-mart. They do offer benefits and pay better than K-mart or a grocery store or other stores that involve no training.

It goes to show how bad the labor market and economic conditions are in this country. Most of their new hires are on welfare or social security.

[MNdgame 0]

Yes, and Wal-mart is bad for giving these people jobs that could else where work nowhere? Wouldnt that mean that it is good for a community if it provides jobs for these people?

[Chadd 916]

Yes, and Wal-mart is bad for giving these people jobs that could else where work nowhere? Wouldnt that mean that it is good for a community if it provides jobs for these people?

And puts other, more skilled workers on the street.

[MNdgame 0]

Yes, and Wal-mart is bad for giving these people jobs that could else where work nowhere?  Wouldnt that mean that it is good for a community if it provides jobs for these people?

And puts other, more skilled workers on the street.

I dont think many skilled workers are applying for jobs at wal-mart...