An "Image Roll-back" at Wal Mart?

[thetrailboss]

http://money.cnn.com/2005/01/13/news/fortune500/walmart_critics.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes

They took out full page ads in the major papers today proclaiming that "they are good for all Americans," and that, "Wal Mart is good for everyone."

I watched the PBS Frontline special...interesting. I'm not a fan of the chain, but you have to give the credit for being as successful as they are. Your thoughts? :-?

 

[JimG.]

General Motors once said that what's good for GM is good for America. That was back in the 1950's. Look what happened to them.

Like all big companies, Walmart takes itself too seriously.

 

[smitty77]

They'll soon go the way of Woolworth, K-Mart, and the like. Too big for their own britches. It will take a while, but it will happen eventually. It's too hard to be everything to everyone. Target seems to be giving them some good competition, but you still can't beat Wal-Mart prices. I can't buy some items in bulk at BJs wholesale for what I pay off the shelf at Wal-Mart. For a one-income family like mine, price often trumps buying American-made.

 

[thetrailboss]

For a one-income family like mine, price often trumps buying American-made.

And that is the real irony in all of it...the people who don't have the money have to shop there and then as a result lose their manufacturing/retail/other job because of it.

 

[Joshua B]

I have a good friend who only shops at indie (mom & pop) stores. In fact he's got a real indie mindset which I admire.

When it comes to shopping, for the most part, I'm out for myself. I'll go where the shopping's convenient and inexensive. I live near a Walmart so I'm there about once a week grabbing an item or two. I like their Totino's frozen pizzas for 98 cents and when it comes to DVDs, I shop between Walmart, Best Buy, and Target for the best price. All three are within about 7 minutes from me and each other.

 

[thetrailboss]

I just heard a Wal Mart ad on NPR...now that is unusual!

 

[riverc0il]

I just heard a Wal Mart ad on NPR...now that is unusual!

they're not ads, they are "corporate underwriter segments" :lol: what a flipping joke that is, NPR sells ad space plain and simple, and it gets worse and worse everyday. pretty soon we ARE going to hear jingles, that's my prediction.

i hate walmart, but i shop there. :-? it's all part of what one book i read called "the race to the bottom" in which standards keep getting dropped. those low prices come from somewhere, and it's largely low paying jobs both at the retailer itself and from the third world countries that produce a lot of the goods at nickels and dimes on the hour. but when you don't make a huge amount of money and walmart sells at 25% less than the competition, it's hard not to go on principle when the principle of the wallet and bank account says just do it. :-?

maybe it's just my generational apathy, but i tried sticking it to the man for two years going all indie and mom & pop shops, no soda or fast food or walmart or anything slightly main stream. one person does not make a difference on a global scale by "thinking global, actting local." it takes a large scale movemement and more importantly, extremely negative media that makes the masses of people consider altering their behavior.

bah, now i'm just down on the world again. whatev :lol:

 

[Charlie Schuessler]

I just heard a Wal Mart ad on NPR...now that is unusual!

...corporate america damage control plan, when in trouble in the commercial press, underwrite NPR....

 

[noreaster]

Walmart is all about lowest prices creating an artificial market for the lowest cheapest products. Consumers did not create this market Walmart did. I would prefer to spend 10 percent more for everyday products if the products were produced in America. Walmart on the other hand forces large corporations to sqeeze every last cent out of productiokn costs which typically means move production overseas.

I refuse to shop at Walmart in our town.

 

[Max]

For the record, I am pretty sure my vehicles are American made, they say Ford and Chevrolet on them.

The funny thing is, they're probably Canadian!

 

[TenPeaks]

I almost never shop at Walmart simply because the 2 stores near my house are a pain in the @#$ to get to. Besides that I really don't like the quality of products Walmart sells.

When I can I try to support the small local stores. However, sometimes the mega-stores are just more conveient. For example, a month ago I needed a box of screws so I headed to the small hardware store near my house. The place was a mess, there was no help and they didn't have the screw size I was looking for. I got back in my car and headed to Home Depot where they had exactly what I needed. If the little guys want to compete they need to step it up a notch and give the consumers what they want.

 

[bvibert]

When I can I try to support the small local stores. However, sometimes the mega-stores are just more conveient. For example, a month ago I needed a box of screws so I headed to the small hardware store near my house. The place was a mess, there was no help and they didn't have the screw size I was looking for. I got back in my car and headed to Home Depot where they had exactly what I needed. If the little guys want to compete they need to step it up a notch and give the consumers what they want.

Thats funny I've had the exact opposite experience here when looking for hardware. Home Depot is a mess with no help. The local guy, while not being all that clean or organized, has helpful employees. In the local Home Depot when an employee sees you coming they run the other way, alot like the local Wally World... Both of which I avoiding shopping at whenever possible...

 

[Joshua B]

bvibert, I've noticed that about Home Depot too!

 

[Caleb]

I try to buy local/American, but I refuse to get my face ripped off by the mom and pops who overprice just because they think they can.. for example, camping fuel is almost 200% more expensive at the local mom/ pop than it is at walmart. ($7 vs $2.50) . There's no way Walmart's outsourcing, lower wages, and market power add up to this price differential. The fact is, Walmart out-innovates and out hustles the mom and pops every day of the week. They price their stuff as low as possible and still make a profit. The mom/pops price as high as possible and still move product. It's two different worlds, two different business models.

Of course all my friends hate me. I pretend not to see them when they sneak in to Walmart for 'one or two' items. C

 

[smitty77]

If you've got the time, I've got the rant...

Wal*Mart - My previous comments on low prices notwithstanding, they're the only gig in town, or in a couple of towns. How about the nearest k-mart (now offering 60% off everything because they going down the toilet) is 30 miles away. The nearest Target is 60 miles. If I don't go to WM, I'm polluting the earth by driving 60 miles round trip for toilet paper. I'll be darned if I'm going to pay $2 more per package for said toilet paper at the local Hannford, which by the way bought out Victory which was our only other local supermartket. I love being left with no choices, Makes my life so easy!!!

Home Depot - This store used to be my favorite. They had everything at the lowest prices and the associates were gems. Well, not anymore. The associates all seem bothered to help you, you can't find anything there anymore, and the prices suck. Case in point: A 5 lb box of 2 1/2" drywall screws was $19.62. At my local lumber/hardware store (an ACE hardware affiliate) the same product, name and all, was $11.99. A 100ft roll of 10/2 wire was $65 at Home Depot. At ACE it was $42.

Buyer beware. End of rant.
Smitty

 

[Caleb]

Another source of conflict in my household is my refusal to shop regularly at the local health food store, where my vegan girlfriend is happy to spend 60-70$ for a BASKET of food. I will admit the food is better, but the price premium is too severe for my liking.

These 'niche' markets slap on an exorbitent mark-up that is totally out of proportion to the cost of the food, even out of proportion to the higher costs of organics. I love organic and local, but I am not a slave when prices thoroughly violate my economic self-interest. I will buy at a premium from producers only...in the summer I buy as much as possible from local growers..But I'll be damn if I'm going to line the pockets of a retailer whose only real function is providing point-of-purchase convenience. Clif BArs wholesale for 30 cents apeice. No wonder the owner of the health food store smiles so nice when I plunk down 1.49 to make my 5 yr old happy.

Needless to say, mine is not happy househlod at the moment. My GF is certain I'm going to hell for ethical intransigence. It didn't help that I recently wondered out loud what dog tasted like (I was rereading Undaunted Courage about Lewis and Clark) Oh well. I just hope hell has mountains. C

 

[hammer]

I guess the Walmart strategy doesn't work everywhere:

Wal-Mart Concept Fails in Germany

 

[smitty77]

Oh well. I just hope hell has mountains.

Look on the bright side. You may find a few friends there. You won't need crampons or an ice axe, and you can forget everything you ever learned about layering.

That is, unless I give up meat, then hell will have surely frozen over and you will need many of the previous items.

 

[Vortex]

I try to avoid Home Depot cause you can't get help just to big. I will go to Walmart to buy a name brand item because of the price. I don't buy my kids clothes there or any generic brand products. I do use the Superstore Walmart in Plymouth Nh for food sometimes. In rural areas they are nice.

 

[Stephen]

Well, this ougtta fuel the fire:

WALMART TO GET $1.3M IN FEDERAL AID TO BUY LAND...

-Stephen