bigwavegirl2006
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While I agree with you that the free market allows people to choose where they work, some of Wal-Marts business practices are not ethical or in the best interests of the consumer or employees. And it is the right of a company to earn the greatest revenue, or as they say in investment circles, maximize shareholders wealth, but a busines/corporation should also be a responsible member of their community and help to make their community better. This is where WalMart seems to be lacking.
The PBS show Frontline did a really good program on Walmart and if it was good for America. While I assumed PBS would find things wrong with WalMart, it was interesting. They forced Rubber Maid to lay off thousands of employees, a television manufacturer in Tennessee (I think) to go out of business and close its factory, and their marketing practice of the low price point is almost a bait and switch tactic. The web site is below:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/...
Also, WalMart has been repeatedly sued and found guilty of making employees work off the clock and not paying overtime. That is not right for any business and I cannot think of any employee who enjoys not being paid for their work. That is simple fairness.
http://www.theconservativevoice.com/ap/a...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/12/2...
Lastly, the whole issue of health insurance. I know that health insurance is a benefit that is offered as part of the entire employee compensation. However there have been reports and testimony in the Maryland senate that WalMart encourages their employees to sign up for state health insurance and pays the least of its overall revenues towards employee health care.
Once again, their is a difference between an admired company that is profitable and helps better their employees and community and a greedy company that sucks the value and resources out of their employees and communities and leaves nothing of value when they are done. |
soconfused
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Well,,I worked for Wal-Mart for 13 years. It was a good experience....the only bad thing was the medical insurance was outrageously expensive, and I did not have any because i could not afford it. it was about 300.00 everytwo weeks over 600.00 a month! Sad to say,,,but that was the only negative thing about working there. As far as the store goes, there are too many in a town, and it does hurt the smaller stores business! Wal-Mart does employ alot of people, that is a great thing for a community though, and the prices for groceries and goods are great and unbeatable! So pro's and cons. like with just about everything else!!! |
2 Happily Married Americans
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1. WalMart is directly responsible for the loss of many small town business districts. They go into local stores and see if there is anything they carry, then mark it way below cost until they drive the competition out of business, then raise the prices once the competition is gone.
2. WalMart is both directly and indirectly responsible for putting American manufacturers out of business or forcing them to go overseas to make their products cheaper and cheaper. When a buyer meets with a company, they place a huge first order, which maximizes the company capacity, and then every time they go back, they say, they want it, but you have to make it for less. Meanwhile, the quality has to be cut, the materials aren't as nice, and the product loses its original value to other stores. Within a year or so, the constant cost cutting drives them to shut down American factories and send the jobs to China. All so people can get cheap stuff.
3. As WalMart grows and is known for "falling prices", all other mass retailers have had to change, because the actual shopper mentality of a good share of the American shoppers want more for less, like they (think) they are getting at Wal-Mart. So there are price wars, cheapening of everything, and the result is a lot of cheap crap that breaks down and ends up in landfills instead of being long lasting and durable.
4. WalMarts prices vary alot. I am quite a shopper, being raised in retailing, and their food is actually higher on about 60% of the stuff they sell, but the milk, cereal, beer, baby food and a few other commonly shopped for things are less, giving you the illusion of lower prices. But compared to shopping at a local chain store like a Spartan store, Kroger, Safeway, etc with lots of buy one get one free specials, weekly sales, etc, you will actually spend more overall by shopping at WalMart. They have a very deceptive pricing strategy,and it outsmarts most people.
There is a great PBS series on Wal Mart, and even a South Park episode that is a very true parody on how that company destroys so much of our towns, our country and our values. Also, Sam Waltons biography outlines his undercutting the competition strategy then raising prices right back to his first store.
We had a Wal Mart come to our town 2 years ago. We have lost over 40 businesses since. The prices are higher in our store than some other towns. I have spent a good share of my time teaching companies how to not be affected by WalMart, and use their traffic to boost shoppers in their stores by offering better quality products, exceptional service, knowledgable employees, expanding into service areas as much as possible, and giving frequent shoppers reward bonus cards for their loyalty.
For over 45 years, my parents had clothing stores in small towns. About 80% of the merchandise was made in America, with heavily embroidered shirts coming from India, sweaters from all over the world, and some purses and jewelry being imports. When our family could see the effects of the "cheapening" of good, solid brands and the outsourcing of manufacturing on everything to make it cheaper, more competitive with the Wal Mart cheapers better philosophy, my parents decided to retire, and we closed the store at a high point, while we still had our good name and reputation. Now I help our other retailers, opticians, hairdressers, pharmacies, grocery stores and pet shops build their businesses.
Read the transcript on PBS website for the walmart stories, and you will get your actual facts. |
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