Anti Wal Mart

I'm not being rude, ok? It's just that... WHY? I can't do anything about it.

hehehe Shirley, your post is at the top of the page and I see it everytime I look at this thread. It just came to me... "point-of-view-is," isn't that what they call "opinionated"??

You have a right, my dear! LOL

I think what we should do is get a bus and pick everyone up from PC and go shoppen at wally world....

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radio_flyer said:
I think what we should do is get a bus and pick everyone up from PC and go shoppen at wally world....

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........................ I am there!!!

darkeyes, I wasn't responding to your post. I often use the "Quick Reply" at the bottom of the page to reply, rather than hitting "Reply" and waiting for another page to download. It puts the person I'm replying to as the last person who posted. Sorry for any confusion.

I agree with Desirae, in that we should be aware of what companies and big businesses are doing. It's smart to be informed. Even if we can't (or won't) do anything about it, we really should have our eyes open.

LMo, I agree on South Park! Too bad they didn't repeat the Tom Cruise one. There are different claims as to why, and I'm disappointed it wasn't allowed to air. Apparently, it ticked off Tom or someone supposedly important. And of course, Isaac Hayes quit because of it, and wanted it kept off the DVD. I feel he's a hypocrite, but I thought Matt and Trey were immature to do what they did to the Chef character.

Yeah, I know...that last paragraph was

Anyway, trying to keep track of all the companies, and the companies' companies, and who they're hurting, and who's helping them do these things, and avoiding them and their products would just make me crazy. (Yes, I know I'm posting on a psych board! ) For those who can sort all that out, I admire you. But I just don't need the stress.

Sort of off topic.

I almost had to resort to going to Wal-Mart last night because I wasn't having any luck finding what I needed at the nearby stores, even though there is no way I'd want to wear a Wal-Mart swimsuit. I find the ones I like, style wise, made cheaply of cheap material. I ended up driving the extra 10 minutes to the other side of town and found an adorable suit for $20 on clearance at T.J Maxx. Heavy, high quality material, original tag price of $78. Plus it's a really cute style, looks like an off-the shoulder T-shirt and shows off my favorite body part - collar bone and shoulders. No straps to obscure the view.

Do you have any idea how much of a hypocrite I would have felt like had I had to resort to it?

I do have to admit that they sell my absolute favorite salsa in the produce section. I don't know who else sells it. Our store in town got a few containers of it because it was getting close to sell date and they got a good deal on it from the distributor. I even asked the produce manager if he was going to get any more in, and he said no.

I do realize that there is nothing much we can do to alter the way Wal Mart handles business, but I know that having knowledge over this situation gives us more power then not knowing at all. I'm glad I know their dirty little secrets, makes me think twice every time I'm there.

I am a Wal Mart shopper, and I do live off Wal Mart checks and benefits, I even have a discount card and get a discount on everything, but I dislike and disagree with a lot of their ethics and the way they corrupt our economy......but hell , I love shopping there.

I will state right off that if I offend anyone, well, keep in mind this is just my opinion...

I can't stand Wal-Mart. They're evil. I tell everyone I know to boycott the place although it's rare that it does any good. It's just too easy and cheap - like that ancient profession they so closely resemble.

To anyone that says they can't do anything about it, I disagree. You have to start somewhere. We have to stand up to them. Wal-Mart closed a store in Quebec when they unionized. One less store and all to the good if you ask me. If we all did our bit they could be out of business in no time.

The argument that Wal-Mart is just doing business is disengenuous. It ignores the social cost of allowing Wal-mart to continue its practices. The next time someone complains about jobs going to India, remember it is Wal-Mart that is to blame.

Further, that their practices have become common is also a circular argument since they are the reason it has become common. Their competition has no other choice but to adopt similar practices to stay in business and the whole situation just gets worse. I really wish people would quit making excuses for them.

Note that I am fully aware there are some who have been put into a position where they have virtually no choice but to shop at Wal-Mart. But how do you think that came to pass in the first place?

Do what you gotta do. If you have to/want to shop there, so be it. But I think you have to be blind not to see that by doing so, you only increase the likelihood more and more people will have no other option.

I'm proud to say a community group in this province managed to block the construction of a new Wal-Mart in their area. I wish I could say I lived there. I have to look at one of the great ugly things almost every time I take a bus and it makes me sick to my stomach.

Nobody was offended here.... YOU have the right to speak your mind - and no one was hurt by it.


LoVe,
Rhapsody -

well I am going to go on a limb.. Where I live Wal-Mart is one of the cheaper stores for me to buy things for my family. I can do all of my shopping at one store. I can get diapers for my new baby, and still get the food I need to fix for dinner. I can do my WIC shopping and my foodstamps all at one store.

I can also get my oil changed when you have two childern getting the small things done all at once makes a very big deal.

I also like the fact I can buy the DVD's I want and not have to go to a movie rental place to see if they have it cheaper..

Wal-Mart may be a big chain store, but hey, I like shopping there and so does my kids.. THey have cold food and hot food, and the prices in my area are just about right. (( except for the milk)))

From another person's post/reply: "The argument that Wal-Mart is just doing business is disengenuous. It ignores the social cost of allowing Wal-mart to continue its practices. The next time someone complains about jobs going to India, remember it is Wal-Mart that is to blame. "


Manufacturers are to blame, my dad and the rest lost their jobs here in the USA in the women's garment industry,worked for 40yrs in a sweat shop,his boss (the owner)started to send the stuff overseas,then computerization with laser started doing the cutting,and sewing of the pieces that make up an article of clothing.
Long story, many companies send their items overseas to be made there, and this is nothing new it's been going on for years, not just Wal-Mart.
Everything one buys has not been made in the country we live.
Our PC's,electronics,cell phones, I do not see the public wanting to boycott that stuff, heck I'm dodging cell phone abusers all the time, many cause accidents.
Almost every vehicle is manufactured in another country, yes, even some of our American cars. I had one, that when you opened the door, the inside said "made in Mexico", my husband's said "made in Canada", at that point I do not see it as "all American", back then we were in between cars and needed something quick, we went to the "used dealer's lot", they weren't fancy enough then, to be called "pre-owned".
Many of our major large appliances are from Canada, other from Mexico. Clothing, almost every country on the globe,clothing and shoes,etc. we are buying from.
There is hardly anything at all that is made in the USA.
Reality is we cannot boycott the world, if all industries were inspected many would be surprised the conditions are not much different than 40 years ago, and the pay for many is not making them rich.
It's a whole complex deal, and Wal Mart is not the only companies to blame.
If a store is close enough and has what I need, I do not care what name hangs over their doors.
It's that old thing,called "supply &amp; demand",most of us are taught in elementary school.
Not always a nice thing but that is how almost every business runs.
Just my 2 cents, with no intentions to offend anyone if I did.

I try and avoid large chain stores in general. MacDonalds, Starbucks, Target (sounds a little like *****art) and so on and so forth. Why? Because I don't really like the business ethos...

Typically people are paid terribly with not so great working conditions. Instead of having a shop that hires people with expertise they hire kids so they can pay them a lot less. Because the other (local) stores are typically forced to shut down. Because they typically make use of exploitative third world labour.

IMO it is more a government matter regarding what business should and should not be allowed to do regarding minimum wage, employee benefits, third world labour, and so on and so forth. But that would of course mean more restriction on the economy... That would of course mean that people would have to pay more for things... Though if the minimum wage went up people could afford to pay more... And if people weren't such consumers in the first place.... Anyway this could turn into a rant so I'll leave the issue now ;-)

Though I will say that I don't boycott foreign produce in general. I don't see anything wrong with imports / exports but exploitative labour... I have trouble with that...

There are markets in Melbourne where you can buy US and European designer brand shoes and handbags and so on and so forth for well below market value. Brand new shipped in 'off the back of a truck' so to speak from Malaysan employees. Someone comes over from Malaysia and the families are working in the factories back home for minimum wage... Some of the stuff finds its way over here and usually they are trying to make enough money to get the family out. Enough money so the 12 year olds don't have to work etc.

Sometimes there is stuff (on the news and so forth) about how buying designer products that way rips off the designers and so forth. Trouble I have with that is that someone is making a killing on designer brands (literally) whereas these guys are trying to make a living.

Who gets ripped off really but someone who paid $400 for that handbag? When they can afford to pay $400 for a handbag... I really don't have a lot of sympathy, I must say.

special K,
I agree with you greatly, plus I think this thread is pretty much exhausted, losing sight of being "supportive".
Like politics and religion, this subject of business,economy,global trade, and all the other threads that make up an uneven weave in the fabric, usually end up with hard feelings and even arguments.
Perhaps going on to a new thread, of something supportive will be more refreshing?
Just a thought,
DE


Please let me stress this reply of mine, was not intended to offend anyone, just my take on the situation(s)

Hey. Uh... I was trying to support the notion of avoiding *****art. Except we don't have a *****art. So I was saying that I think there are other things and sure I think there are good reasons to avoid those kinds of store.

I haven't read so much of the posts in the middle (long long thread). Maybe things were getting heated in there?

I wish it was okay to talk about this kind of thing a little more... Some people seem fairly keen to discuss things like this...

Special k,
I just wanted to prevent the begining of something that can develop into a "heated" thread.
But if this isn't headed in that sort of direction, that's cool, and continuing is no problem.
Other than that, I think there is nothing wrong if people can keep "friendly" to one another or respect other's different opinions and have a good "chat".
I guess I'm becoming over cautious, y'all can even disregard my previous post. I had no intention of asking for this thread to be locked or removed,plus I do not have the authority to do so.
Sooooooooooo, everyone chat on and keep peace.
Sincerely,
DE

I joined in after reading the first page and your last post. I didn't see that I was contributing toward making the discussion 'heated'. I was just expressing my thoughts on the issue and I considered myself to be supportive of the initial poster. (Except that we don't have *****art in particular so I was talking about stores that I took to be similar).

i belong to an anti-walmart group. our slogan is "Walmart, killing small towns, one main street at a time". xoxoxo pat

It is a hard topic... I remember when MacDonalds moved to a small town where I lived for a while. People were happy because before that there was only KFC. People thought 'variety'. But... Several fish and chip / chinese takeaway shops went under as a result. Ultimately... Less variety. And those people lost their small business.

I remember when there used to be lots of cafes... There are still lots, but most of them are Starbucks lol. Lots of people lost their small business. The coffee guy who makes jolly good latte's with thirty years experience and service with a smile... Only to be replaced by Starbucks with their part time employees who have only just learned how to make it and are told to hurry hurry hurry to get the people through the queue. Soul-less.

:-(

But there is a certain convenience and security that comes from similar store layouts and same products around the globe... Convenience to one location too. We had a fair few largish hardware stores. Went under due to the expansion of 'Bunnings Warehouse' (Australian corporation). They laid off all the staff with experience so they could hire kids for lower wage. What that means... Is consumers get cheaper prices but skilled people are out of work. And you can't get good advice on DIY from your local hardware store anymore.

:-(

I didn't say "you" were contributing towards making the discussion heated.
I meant it in a general sense.
This was not intended for you or any specific person, I stress no one is being singled out here, it was a general statement.
I apologize if you didn't understand that.
My concern with this thread was that arguments didn't surface, and so far the thread seems to be going alright.
As I could see my good intentions were misunderstood, so with that said, I'll step out of this thread.
Enjoy y'all
DE

(((((((((((((((((((darkeyes))))))))))))))))))))))

Your greatly appreciated here..

Thanks.

I must confess, I haven't read the whole thread, but only some of it..and it looks very interesting. There seems to be a lot of misconceptions and plenty of good ideas!

I agree, poor families should not be eating out on a regular basis...it is far cheaper and plenty nutritious to cook at home. (And as an added note, if you can't afford to leave a tip you can't afford to eat out!) I happen to eat at a real, local restaurant and as another said, I receive MORE food (home cooked type not fast junk food) and it's less money.

The lack of quality at most of the big departments stores like Wal mart, Target and Kmart wastes the poorer family's money when they think it's saving them money. I doubt anyone has clothes from there that is still in excellent condition 10 years after buying it. No, the poorer families (and others) who shop at these places have learned "throw away" and replace as being wise. It isn't.

A few years ago when I entered a Walmart I noticed that every single item for bed/bath was made in Pakistan!!! I have't been back since the USA declared huge import taxes on any product coming from a country that won't trade with Israel, which includes Pakistan.. .but I assume they switched to China.

I have a relative who loves Wally World.... and she blindly buys everything there thinking she's saving money. Since I don't shop there, I was able to see where many of the products she bought, actually cost MORE there than another store I knew.

Everyone needs to be an educated consumer, imo. Saving your money to purchase something of quality that will last for years and years is just another way to break out of being poor.

BTW Walmart is trying to put a store every few miles around here. They recently bought property very close to my home... even though the original requests for the store was denied, due to homeowners' outrage. They have big guns and lots of money... but the community will remain firm against it. It was the property where the firestation was supposed to be built...so there is no local firestation now... as Wally World owns the property.

What I noticed, is the Walmarts in the poorer areas are different than those in the more affluent areas. Two points I give you on this: The temperature of the store in the poor area is always nearly unbearable... this keeps poor people ("those who tend to linger around and steal stuff " they say) from staying in the store any longer than they have to... ALSO to use the handicapp go-buggy... in those poor area stores.. to use it, you have to SURRENDER your driver's license before you get a key. The buggys are decrepit.

In the affluent areas, the temperature of the stores is always pleasantly cool.. and to use the handicapp buggy... you merely sit on it and go, not even a key required. The buggys are nice and new and quiet

I could add things... I don't usually go about bashing particular places, but since this is what the thread is about, thought I'd add my experiences.

I doubt that economics is being taught to every high schooler any more...and I know money management is not being taught.

OH btw.. I DO bank with a "local" bank and I do online banking...and every bank in the USA has FDIC coverage to $100k (though that system has never been challenged.)

NOW, who wants to take on the OIL COMPANIES in a thread??? THEY are the ones running the world. Y'all TC ya hear???

I believe Darkeyes has helped to make my point with this, "....my dad and the rest lost their jobs here in the USA in the women's garment industry,worked for 40yrs in a sweat shop,his boss (the owner)started to send the stuff overseas,then computerization with laser started doing the cutting,and sewing of the pieces that make up an article of clothing. "

While I agree that companies have imported foreign goods for far longer than Walmart has existed, you need to understand they bear a huge proportion of the responsibility for the current rash of cheap imports from the likes of China. Walmart demands of its suppliers that they come in under a certain price before they will do business and undercut the competition with very low margins. In order to acheive this, the suppliers must use cheap imports and others then must follow suit to compete.

Before anyone says this is just free market capitalism, it bears mentioning that just because a practice makes profit doesn't make it right.

P.S. I've noticed a lot of posts beginning with something like, "I haven't read the entire thread, but," so I wish to again emphasize that I understand completely there are those whose financial situation demands they save every penny possible and so I sympathize with them going to Walmart if they deem it necessary. But we need to realize that every time someone shops at Walmart, they increase the number of people who will eventually have no other choice but to shop there due to there being no other place still in business where they can afford to shop.

Sky said:
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I agree, poor families should not be eating out on a regular basis...it is far cheaper and plenty nutritious to cook at home. (And as an added note, if you can't afford to leave a tip you can't afford to eat out!)

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Well, it can be cheaper and more nutritious. It depends what you buy and cook. You can cook bacon or sausage, eggs with ham and cheese, pancakes with butter and syrup, all for a big breakfast, and cook them in fatty oils. You can eat healthy out, if you know how to. However, that can be tricky; a lot of things on the "light" menu and that seem healthier, aren't always.

And I don't think tipping should be required or pushed. I feel workers should get paid well by their bosses. If I want to tip, there shouldn't be a standard expectation on when, who and how much. I'm not against tipping, but it should be my choice. I think it's ridiculous that some people have to rely on tips to survive. They're working hard, so they should get paid a real salary. Servers get paid a salary, but it's often much lower, because it's expected they'll get tips. I feel they're being paid to serve, and I'm paying for more than the food costs, so I'm paying for the privilege of having my food cooked for me and being served. It's not that I don't think the workers deserve more money; I just think the companies should be the ones to pay it.

And I'll stop now...I'm going off-topic. If people want to discuss tipping, I'll start another thread (or someone else can).

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I happen to eat at a real, local restaurant and as another said, I receive MORE food (home cooked type not fast junk food) and it's less money.

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You're right. My boyfriend doesn't like chain restaurants much. I like them, but most, if not all, serve good or average --but not great food--overall. Most of the places we eat, and the ones we favor, are non-chain restaurants. However, some that we really love (but don't eat at much at all, due to finances) are often more expensive, because they're ethnic restaurants. We like our food authentic. We also like it made fresh, not frozen and heated.

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Everyone needs to be an educated consumer, imo. Saving your money to purchase something of quality that will last for years and years is just another way to break out of being poor.

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That's some of the best advice I've heard all week!

We're getting a Walmart here that wasn't going to be put here. The city didn't want it in this particular shopping center, but nobody else wanted the property, so now the city's accepted an offer to have a Walmart there. I think it's going to be a Super-Walmart, actually. We already have a Walmart in our city.

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Two points I give you on this: The temperature of the store in the poor area is always nearly unbearable... this keeps poor people ("those who tend to linger around and steal stuff " they say) from staying in the store any longer than they have to

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I hadn't thought of that. I thought it was just stupidity on the part of the people who designed Walmart. But what you say makes perfect sense. Still, those who want to steal, will steal.

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I doubt that economics is being taught to every high schooler any more...and I know money management is not being taught.

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I didn't have economics when I was in high school, and that was 20 years ago. I mean, there was home economics, but that's not really the same thing. I think money management would be an excellent class for high school, or even before. Parents should teach it to their kids, but many parents don't have the skills, and some just don't care or don't even think about it. Many parents give their kids credit cards. I think it's better to teach your kids money management with cash, before upgrading to a credit card (which probably shouldn't be given to them before their teens).

darkeyes, I agree with the others...you're a fun person to have on these boards.

radio_flyer, I keep meaning to tell you, I love the owls (snow owls?) on your avatar!