Anti Wal Mart

Okay okay, I'll admit, I love shopping at Wal Mart, I love the low prices, and I love how I can get a pair of shoes, oil for my car, some charcoal, and a bunch of food all at the same store. But there are dirty little secrets about Wal Mart that makes me sick on how it works and runs.

Okay we all know Wal Mart was originally owned by Sam Walton, and the original Wal Mart lives in Bentonville, Arkansas.

I know a lot about Wal Mart from the inside out perspective. I've researched Wal Mart, by reading articles, watched the Frontline special, I read United States of Wal Mart, and How Wal Mart is destroying America and the world. My husband is a supervisor at Wal Mart, and is also aware of what goes on behind closed doors there at Wally World.

Many people in small towns, especially small towns here in West Virginia, was happy towards the idea of Wal Mart bringing in business, bringing more money to the economy, and providing more jobs. Well, I'm sorry to disappoint those who may have thought that, but those are all fabricated idea we originally considered through large companies that move into our state and town.....but Wal Mart is much different.

1. Wal Mart does bring in the people from a 50 mile radius, but it also destroyed 68% of the other businesses around it with in a 50 mile radius.

2. Wal Mart does bring millions of dollars into a town, but the second the money is handed to a Wal Mart cashier, the money is sent to a local bank, then shipped to Bentonville Arkansas. So ultimately Wal Mart is stripping the local economy.

3. Yes, Wal Mart provides 100's of jobs in each store, but for the employees of all local merchandise stores, hardware stores, grocery stores, and even small businesses such as floral shops, barbers, and bakeries, are all looking for a new job. That can greatly impact area's like my own where the work force is already suffering.

Wal Mart is taking over. When Wal Mart purchases land, 100's of acres, they re sale the land to a bank to avoid paying taxes on the land. We fellow taxpayers have also contributed billions of tax dollars relocating roads, and building new intersection, interstate exits, and basic road care, to all accommodate Wal Mart and it's attempt to dislocate traffic towards their store.

The employees (believe me I know, I live off Wal Mart checks), are paid at poverty's levels. They are encouraged to seek government benefits such as food stamps, medicaid, and financial aid for daycare. I remember at the interview the manager asking me if I received any state benefits. I think they personally prefer to higher somebody at part time who already receives state benefits so they can avoid insurance compensation.

Plus, we can never forget the 8 year old making our lamps, sewing our pillows, and hammering our picture frames together. That bothers me too.

That's just some info, facts, and opinions as to why I'm anti Wal Mart. To be honest, I was pre employed at Wal Mart (waiting for drug test results) and I would work there in a heartbeat, because around here any job you can get, you appreciate. That's just another control factor Wal Mart offers us here in Sophia.

I just wanted to share that, bored I guess.

There's so much that Wal-Mart does that isn't cool.

There are no Wal-Marts where I am ... but I don't think we have this sort of thing going on with our chain stores. Fortunately!!

We have a Wal-Mart within 25 miles in each direction of us, North, South, East, and West. Our small town has shut down the furniture store, one of the hardware stores, a clothing store, and a shoe store. There's almost nothing we can buy locally. A small Family Dollar opened up a year ago and we still have the Ace Hardware store, but probably only because it's also owned by the feed mill and their prices are still competitive. The True Value's prices were outrageous and no one could afford to buy there anymore. They just finished up the going out of business sale two weeks ago - $30 for a hand mixer that you could get for $10 at Wal-Mart (or Target, or Shopko, or K-Mart,...). That's just crazy.

I try to avoid Wal-Mart at all costs now. I wonder if the other large chains are just as bad, but since I KNOW Wal-Mart is evil, they don't get my business. Target Greatland is closing in on Wal-Mart Supercenter for amount of items available (not including auto services), and I find their quality much better at comparable prices.

Hi All,

Without the three Walmarts that are 30 and 45 miles away from me, I would have to drive at least 70 miles to get to a store carrying comparable merchandise. If you ask a person which is there favorite department store, and they say "Walmart" you know they live in rural America. Never thought I'd be living here, but HERE I AM.

Hugs,

EJ

Wal-Mart is not the bad guy. The United States is a capitalistic society. Big business is encouraged. The poor (if educated) don't have the luxury to boycott big business.

Who wants to do business with a locally-owned insurance company? Not me.

Locally-owned banks are friendly but can they guarentee all my online purchases in case of identity theft? No. Only big big banks do that.

Locally-owned restaurants are nice but are more expensive than the restaurant chains. Again, where shall the poor people go to eat?

Also, local businesses mostly specialize in certain products. Time is money. Who wants to wait for items to be shipped to the store days later?

We are stuck. Globalization of corporations has become the commonplace. The little guy loses unfortunately.

Jennie, we have State Farm and American Family Insurance in my town of 3300 people.

You don't need to do business with a major bank to have your online purchases protected. I bank with our two-locations bank "chain" but my credit cards that I use for online shopping are from conglomerates - WAMU, Bank of America, and Juniper. I'm as protected as if I banked where people have no clue who I am.

I can go and eat a huge meal of real food at our local mom and pop restaurant for less than I can get a chemically engineered "value" meal. I always have leftovers for a smaller second meal, so it's even more of a value. Plus I get to sit in a cozy atmosphere without blaring music and bright colors that are trying to get me to hurry up and eat to make room for the next herd of cattle.

I buy the majority of my clothing at Goodwill. I get to buy items that came from Gap, The Limited, Abercrombie and Fitch, just to name a few, and I pay pennies on the dollar, all while providing local support and jobs for people who might not be able to work anywhere else. I could buy a $6 flimsy T-shirt from WM that's going to rip apart after two wearings, or I can take that same $6 and get a pair of DKNY jeans and a Limited shirt that are going to last several years, or at least until I get bored with them and donate them back to Goodwill.

It might take slightly more effort than walking into Wal-Mart to do your one-stop shopping, but the individual payoffs are well worth it.

with the price of gas and the lenght of my drive to get there, temptation evaporated and my committment to shop locally increased. we must stick together locally or it's all over. The immediate extra money gets saved elsewhere in the budget and it keeps our friends and neighbors employed. Farmers Markets rock. (Patience is a virtue.)

Another thing, if you can buy something online and wait a week or more to get it, plus pay shipping, why can't you give the local business your money and get it the next day? That argument really doesn't hold a lot of water.

The poor people can eat at home if they're that poor. Really. A pack of English muffins, a dozen eggs, some cheese, and ham will feed 6 people for less than the cost of two McMuffins, and they're better. I use whole-wheat muffins and non-slimy, non-plastic-wrapped American cheese. My kids love them.

Hill bunny, you've got that right. It now costs me $15 round trip to go in to the big city. If I have to pay $1 or $2 more to buy something locally, I'll do it. It makes no sense to spend $15 in gas to save $1. We have two grocery stores here. The selection is limited, but I shop the sales and always, ALWAYS spend less than if I go to a large store and have unlimited options. I end up buying stuff I really don't need. Here, I buy the basics and do just fine.

The money that doesn't go in the gas tank goes toward something else, renting a movie and buying movie snacks, or treating ourselves to Dairy Queen, or put away in the entertainment fund to go on one of our yearly mini vacations.

Our farmer's market starts this weekend. The honey seller alone makes it a bargain. I can buy 2 lbs. of honey from her, from bee hives that are only 5 miles away, for less than I can get an 8 oz. bottle in the grocery store. I bought three houseplants last year for a total of $1.50. Again, we're a REAL small town, and yet I have plenty of options that don't include Wal-Mart. I don't have anything against the employees, hHey, you have to make a living somehow, but I think their policies bite the big one.

edited for typo

Well, I do love DKNY jeans . . . The problem with clothing value is the way the textiles are made . . . not the label placed on them or the place you buy.

Some labels buy fabrics that have been stretched excessively in the textile mill because it's cheaper per square yard. You also have to consider thread count and the if the fabric edges are double or quadruple sewn.

There are some quality Wal-Mart clothing. I've found cheap, quality stuff there, occassionally. They just started carrying 300-count sheets

I have a love-hate relationship with Wal-Mart.

giggle . . . did i fire you up? (((((((wi_fighter)))))))

I shop online because I have PTSD. I don't have to worry who's gonna physically hurt me or my baby by leaving my residence to go shop.

I prefer big business because they are cheaper and have more choices.

Sure the poor can eat at home. It's not always the best option, though. Especially, if the someone has "issues" like me and my hubby do.

You mean 12 McMuffins?

I hear you on the love/hate thing. My pocketbook loves it. My conscience hates it.

It really bothers me how they under schedule their employees just enough to not have to pay benefits, and that the pay is at poverty level.

Oh, and Ol' Roy dog food has been the cause of many dogs prematurely losing their teeth and developing severe dental problems.

I don't know whether this sort of clothing is sold at Wal Mart or not ..

but today my son and I were shopping and he spotted some jeans with patches and "scratches" and the like. He did not even bother to whisper ... he simply shouted out that they were second hand!!!! (I guess he is not fashion conscious) .....

We were in a Woolworths (probably like Marks & Spencer).

What would a South African equivalent be to Wal Mart? Anyone know?

Where would I go to get Eukanuba® without PETSMART? That's big business.

Since Dairy Queen marketed past Texas, it became big business. We are stuck using big business.

What choice did Wal-Mart have?

Jen, since eggs come in 12s and muffins come in 6s, I figured it as only making six sandwiches. There are 12 packs of muffins, but I never use them up before they get moldy or stale.

Nah, you didn't fire me up. I'm not foaming at the mouth or having steam shooting out of my nostrils, LOL. I just think Wal-Mart's policies are horrendous. You have special considerations, so if online shopping and Wal-Mart help you have a better quality of life, more power to you. Fortunately, I have other options, so I try to enlist the most ....ethical? (for me anyway).....of the choices.

Sabrina, I have no clue what would compare to Wal-Mart in South Africa. It has everything from tires on one end of the store to live lobsters on the other, and everything in between.

Well, we have a few of those ... but the closest thing would be our Pick 'n Pay ...... And I shop there whatever their policies .... they are most often the cheapest!!

Well I guess I also have the love/hate relationship with WM. We have a small, dirty, dingy one in the town I live in. It isn't a supercenter, the town will not allow it. So I have to drive more than 20 miles to do most shopping. We have a pick n save, but there are just some things that they don't carry so occassionally for certain products I will shop a Supercenter which is 45 miles away. This town has nowhere else to buy clothing either and one very very expensive flower shop. There are plenty of local artist boutiques but for the majority of people that live here they don't come downtown to shop at all. Off to Madison for everyone or Watertown or Janesville. Real pain with gas prices now too. It seems to be a no win situation. A town of 4000 plus people and one grocery store and one clothing store, doesn't seem quite right. .... okay I am done spouting excuse me while I step off my soapbox...... thank you

I've worked big business management. All big business cycles through upsizing and downsizing. All are concerned with per capita sales.

I've also worked at Wal-Mart (twice). It's a good company to work for. You can buy their stock. You have opportunity to work your way up to corporate positions. Sadly, most of the floor managers are idiots and jerks.

Government and military jobs are no different. I've worked both. It's the nature of the beast.

Supply and demand . . . cut cost . . . cross-train times two times three times four . . . automize . . .

More money is poured into new technologies to "streamline" the business, but quality and work efficiency always declines . . . thus consumer satisfaction declines . . . blah blah blah

i'm sorry i'm rambling . . .

You go to Janesville to shop? I'm FROM Janesville. Well, lived in the country off Hwy. 11 West. Our mailing address was Janesville, but I lived on the side of the road that went to Footville/Orfordville schools.

I see both sides of it. My bf hates to shop at Wal-mart, because they have poor air conditioning, and he sweats easily in such an atmosphere. I don't like it much myself.

I've also found that Wal-mart no longer carries as many of my favorite things as they used to. It seems that, lately, I don't find much of what I used to buy. We don't go very often at all--mostly, only when my mom wants us to take her. And my bf usually waits in the car.

Pretty much all my clothes are Wal-mart clothes. Some I've had for years, without holes in them. However, they get stretched out and their colors dull pretty quickly.

On this theme, I recommend a horror book called The Store by Bentley Little. It really reminds me of Wal-mart.

Wal Mart is a vericious company. You know they pay employees like my husband to go around to the local Krogers, Foodland, K Mart, and other competitors, and comp their prices, that way their prices always stay the lowest. Thanks to all the comp shopping and getting kicked out of every other grocery store, besides Wal Mart, around town, my husband cannot go to any of them for a quick pick me up.

They literally attack their surrounding competition. They do not care of they lose profit on merchandise, as long as they gain the customers.

comp shopping has been going on much longer than walmart has been around. I personally like walmart. it is not expensive really except their groceries I can do better at kroger. I use to buy all my clothes there but they don't really have the styles I like for my body type anymore.

That is just one business practice of big business. Capitalism is survival of the fitist. A business is smart to adjust prices lower compared to other retailers.

Seems you are more anti-capitalism not anti-Wal-Mart. Maybe?

Hmm - I feel the same about Target.... so to each their own.


LoVe,
Rhapsody -