how does walmart do it!
12-13-2006, 12:21 PM
#131
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pine Hill Alabama USA
Posts: 1,280
RE: how does walmart do it!
First let me say that Wal-Mart like any huge company has their big ugly warts and skeletons in their closet just like any company of that size and I certainly wouldn't want to have to be their designated defender for everything they do. ButI find it a little unfair the way that people single Wal-Mart out and attack them for things that virtually every large retailer in America does. You hear tons of rants about made in China goods on Wal-Mart shelves. Well I got a news flash for you. Start flipping stuff over and reading labels in Target, K-mart, Sears, Circuit City or any large clothing store. You'll get a real eye opener. And guess what? Those little mom and pop stores you Wal-Mart haters all love so much? Yep, shelves loaded with made in Korea, Taiwan, Mexico, or China merchandise. EVERYBODY DOES IT!! But for some reason only Wal-Mart gets *Deleted* at for it. Probably because they happen to be the biggest comapny right now and attacking them gets you the most publicity. No news cameras show up if you protest outside Ed's Hardware in Goat Testicle, Iowa. But hold a rally in front of a Wal-Mart supercenter and you are sure to make the nightly news.
Furthermore, I grew up in a town with one redlight here in Alabama. Believe me, I know what it's like to have to depend totally on Mom and Pop stores for all your shopping needs. And let me tell you. *Deleted*I often wonder what kind of LSD laced crack pipe these nostalgic for the mom and pop days suckers have been puffing on. Expensive? My God. Pitiful selection of goods. The stores in my area were open 8 to 5 Monday, Tuesday Thursday and Friday. They opened 8 to noon on Wednesday and Saturday and were closed all day Sunday. Meaning? A Monday through Friday working man had 4 hours Saturday morning to do all his shopping for the next week. Yep, those were the good ole days there boy!
Wal-Mart on the other hand is open from 6am to 11pm here every day. Very people friendly hours. Low prices and a huge selection. Plus Wal-Mart is willing to put stores in small rural places that most big chain stores wouldn't spit on.
I hear a lot about how the benefit package Wal-Mart offers it's employees sucks. I'm sure it does but it's has to be better than nothing. Cause that's what kind of benefits the hired help gotat the little mom and pop stores around here. NOTHING!!! No health insurance, no life insurance, no dental plan, no 401k retirementplan, no stock sharing, no paid sick leave and no paid vacation. I don't know the exact details but Wal-Mart does offer those things. Hell, since most of the mom and pop stores had less than 13 employees they wereexempt from federal wage laws. Meaning?Most of them didn't even paynewly hiredhelp minimum wage! I know people who used to work at some of the local grocery stores. They were paid so littlethat sometimes at the end of the week they would owe the store money because they had purchased more dollars worth of food on credit for their family than they had earned. OOOOOHHH yeah baby, bring back them good ole days.
I hear about how Wal-Mart kills little towns. Well it may close down some of the small stores but it attracts dozens more. The Wal-Mart supercenter that opened in Thomasville 10 miles from my house has BOOMED that little town. People come from all over the county to shop there. And while there of course they buy gas, eat at local restaurants and shop at other stores. I'll bet 20 or more new businesses have moved in down there since that store opened. One of them a sporting goods store. So much for the town killer myth.
Furthermore, I grew up in a town with one redlight here in Alabama. Believe me, I know what it's like to have to depend totally on Mom and Pop stores for all your shopping needs. And let me tell you. *Deleted*I often wonder what kind of LSD laced crack pipe these nostalgic for the mom and pop days suckers have been puffing on. Expensive? My God. Pitiful selection of goods. The stores in my area were open 8 to 5 Monday, Tuesday Thursday and Friday. They opened 8 to noon on Wednesday and Saturday and were closed all day Sunday. Meaning? A Monday through Friday working man had 4 hours Saturday morning to do all his shopping for the next week. Yep, those were the good ole days there boy!
Wal-Mart on the other hand is open from 6am to 11pm here every day. Very people friendly hours. Low prices and a huge selection. Plus Wal-Mart is willing to put stores in small rural places that most big chain stores wouldn't spit on.
I hear a lot about how the benefit package Wal-Mart offers it's employees sucks. I'm sure it does but it's has to be better than nothing. Cause that's what kind of benefits the hired help gotat the little mom and pop stores around here. NOTHING!!! No health insurance, no life insurance, no dental plan, no 401k retirementplan, no stock sharing, no paid sick leave and no paid vacation. I don't know the exact details but Wal-Mart does offer those things. Hell, since most of the mom and pop stores had less than 13 employees they wereexempt from federal wage laws. Meaning?Most of them didn't even paynewly hiredhelp minimum wage! I know people who used to work at some of the local grocery stores. They were paid so littlethat sometimes at the end of the week they would owe the store money because they had purchased more dollars worth of food on credit for their family than they had earned. OOOOOHHH yeah baby, bring back them good ole days.
I hear about how Wal-Mart kills little towns. Well it may close down some of the small stores but it attracts dozens more. The Wal-Mart supercenter that opened in Thomasville 10 miles from my house has BOOMED that little town. People come from all over the county to shop there. And while there of course they buy gas, eat at local restaurants and shop at other stores. I'll bet 20 or more new businesses have moved in down there since that store opened. One of them a sporting goods store. So much for the town killer myth.
12-13-2006, 01:51 PM
#132
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 2,435
RE: how does walmart do it!
Excellent post Todd!Nobody forces anybody to workor shop there. They are a capitalism success story. If you don't like capitalism move to China or Cuba or anyplace else you can find that has a socialist economy. Yea that's it, move to China and then tellus about how bad your wages are.
12-13-2006, 02:15 PM
#133
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location:
Posts: 179
RE: how does walmart do it!
what walmart has done through its success in the retail world, is dictate the prices that their suppliers sell them their goods. Many companies have been forced by walmart to shut down manufacturing locations in the U.S. and go overseas. This is nothing new but they have strongarmed american retailing and manufacturing like no other company.
12-13-2006, 02:54 PM
#134
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: MN USA
Posts: 1,489
RE: how does walmart do it!
OK, I'll admit I only read up until page 8 so I apologize if anyone posted this already. Here is the readers digest version of how walmart works. Contact is made between walmart and a potential new supplier. Walmart agrees to purchase some of their product. Walmart says that they will pay $1 per unit for the first 2 years, then 90 cents for the same unit in thethird year.In return, walmart will buy a crapload of the suppliers goods. New supplier sees dollar signsand agrees to it, worry about the third year later. Year 3rolls around andsupplier realizes theyhave to cutcosts tocomply with the walmart contract. Solution? Cheaper domestic materials or have in made in China. In short it is the manufacturers who provide the lesser product to Walmart, only because Walmart threw a bunch of money at them in the beginning and now they are contractually bound to do so.
12-13-2006, 02:59 PM
#135
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Elkin, N.C.
Posts: 811
RE: how does walmart do it!
WOW!!!!!!
Very good points on both sides. 99% of my guns and stuff come from local dealers. They charge a little more, but I don't mind. I actually know them, and they are very informative and NOT pushy when it comes to buying like some places are. [:'(]
Thought this was in the "politics" section though? [&:]
Very good points on both sides. 99% of my guns and stuff come from local dealers. They charge a little more, but I don't mind. I actually know them, and they are very informative and NOT pushy when it comes to buying like some places are. [:'(]
Thought this was in the "politics" section though? [&:]
12-13-2006, 04:23 PM
#136
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: WI
Posts: 165
RE: how does walmart do it!
It is amazing that one company is demonized so much for doing the same thing that everone else does, but better.
Does Walmart treat its employees good, no, but tuff luck. If they were working at some other no skill, no education job, they would get treated like crap there too. Others have posted it already, but once again, the mom and pops and the fast food joints aren't going to make them rich or give them great benifits either. If you want a good job and good benifits, get an education or learn a skill. Why should Walmart pay 35 year old drop-outs good money and benifits for doing a job that a sixteen year old high schooler can do. If you are an adult that works at Walmart, I appologize. I do not mean to insult you, but that is reality. I am not going to pay someone $20 bucks an hour and benifitsto cut my grass even if he has kids, the kid next door will do it for $5 and probably quicker. Walmart just does the same thing. And once again, no offense meant, but I would rather have the high school kid at Walmart help me than the thirty five year old anyways. There is normaly a reason they are working at walmart at that age. And besides, I think a walmart minimum wage employee can make there own few dollars go further at walmart that a mom and pop employee can make their few dollars go at mom and pop shops.
As for quality, I agree that not everything at Walmart is top of the line, but most people understand they are getting what they pay for. To say that the same make and model of a product is somehow worse because it came from walmart is completely wrong. If someone chooses to buy the half priced(or less) lower quality model that walmart may also have, then good for them. If it breaks they can buy a new one and still be ahead. Someone commented on a thermostat available at walmart vs. through a serviceman. If you can buy four of them at walmart (2 year wauranty each) or one from a service man (five year wauranty) for the same price, I say you are ahead if you buy at walmart.
Walmart products are being made in China. At one point in time that may have been a legitamate arguement. Not anymore. Those manufacturing jobs have left and it was everyone that sent them there, not just walmart. People want cheaper products and want to be able to afford as much on the little that they make. If walmart doesn't sell it cheap then some other big store will and walmart will be out of business.
As for America being ruined by this change in manufacturing jobs, that is not completely correct. While many jobs are being eliminated, I do feal terrible for those that have lost jobs, many more new and better jobs are being created. Personally I would rather my child grows up to do one of the new high tech jobs, than sewing in a textile mill.
In Menomonie, WI where I live there is a SuperWalmart. It definately hurt the mom and pop places to begin with. Now though, there are more jobs than ever. The old mom and pop places in downtown have been replaced with antiquish types of stores typical of other small town down towns and the area around the walmart has been comercialized with restaurants and strip malls. Is it the prettiest thing to look at? No, but there are more jobs than ever and many more places to eat that probably wouldhave nevermoved to our town if it were not for the walmart.
Once again, I am not for out-sourcing jobs, paying people poorly, or low quality products, but places like walmart are in business to make money. Should they be faulted because they are good at it. I personally will continue to shop there and save my family money and save my valuable time.
Does Walmart treat its employees good, no, but tuff luck. If they were working at some other no skill, no education job, they would get treated like crap there too. Others have posted it already, but once again, the mom and pops and the fast food joints aren't going to make them rich or give them great benifits either. If you want a good job and good benifits, get an education or learn a skill. Why should Walmart pay 35 year old drop-outs good money and benifits for doing a job that a sixteen year old high schooler can do. If you are an adult that works at Walmart, I appologize. I do not mean to insult you, but that is reality. I am not going to pay someone $20 bucks an hour and benifitsto cut my grass even if he has kids, the kid next door will do it for $5 and probably quicker. Walmart just does the same thing. And once again, no offense meant, but I would rather have the high school kid at Walmart help me than the thirty five year old anyways. There is normaly a reason they are working at walmart at that age. And besides, I think a walmart minimum wage employee can make there own few dollars go further at walmart that a mom and pop employee can make their few dollars go at mom and pop shops.
As for quality, I agree that not everything at Walmart is top of the line, but most people understand they are getting what they pay for. To say that the same make and model of a product is somehow worse because it came from walmart is completely wrong. If someone chooses to buy the half priced(or less) lower quality model that walmart may also have, then good for them. If it breaks they can buy a new one and still be ahead. Someone commented on a thermostat available at walmart vs. through a serviceman. If you can buy four of them at walmart (2 year wauranty each) or one from a service man (five year wauranty) for the same price, I say you are ahead if you buy at walmart.
Walmart products are being made in China. At one point in time that may have been a legitamate arguement. Not anymore. Those manufacturing jobs have left and it was everyone that sent them there, not just walmart. People want cheaper products and want to be able to afford as much on the little that they make. If walmart doesn't sell it cheap then some other big store will and walmart will be out of business.
As for America being ruined by this change in manufacturing jobs, that is not completely correct. While many jobs are being eliminated, I do feal terrible for those that have lost jobs, many more new and better jobs are being created. Personally I would rather my child grows up to do one of the new high tech jobs, than sewing in a textile mill.
In Menomonie, WI where I live there is a SuperWalmart. It definately hurt the mom and pop places to begin with. Now though, there are more jobs than ever. The old mom and pop places in downtown have been replaced with antiquish types of stores typical of other small town down towns and the area around the walmart has been comercialized with restaurants and strip malls. Is it the prettiest thing to look at? No, but there are more jobs than ever and many more places to eat that probably wouldhave nevermoved to our town if it were not for the walmart.
Once again, I am not for out-sourcing jobs, paying people poorly, or low quality products, but places like walmart are in business to make money. Should they be faulted because they are good at it. I personally will continue to shop there and save my family money and save my valuable time.
