commorancy
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Wal-Mart needs to take its own share of responsibility for the workforce it hires and to the communities around where it builds. To date, it does neither.
Sure, Wal-Mart supplies cheap goods to the middle class. But, at what a cost? They do hire lots of people, but they don't treat those people properly. Much of Wal-Mart's workforce can't even afford the health insurance they offer on what they get paid. Even Wal-Mart's CEO has stated that the 'free' healthcare systems may offer better coverage than Wal-Mart's plans. Only Wal-Mart can get away with shoving off their employee's health concerns to the state and local free healthcare system.
What people need to realize is the difference between what Wal-Mart sells and how they operate their business. While Wal-Mart does offer good deals on items, the way they operate their business is separate from the goods they sell. So, as a discriminating consumer, you have to diffentiate between Wal-Mart the corporation (with shady business tactics) and Wal-Mart the store (out to sell discount items)... it's basically two different things (although still connected). While I agree we need discount stores, we don't need corporations willing to do anything to make a buck even at the expense of other businesses, workers and the local economy.
Corporate Wal-Mart decides where stores are to be built and how to manage all of the details around procurement of the land, building, construction details and stocking the stores (including tax abatement and various other incentives to get them to build there). After the store is built, however, then it's operated by the store manager who tries to do the right thing (obviously directed by regional directors and corporate HQ). Likely most, if not all, of the not-so-savory ways of doing business are handed down by corporate WM and not by the stores or the store managers. |
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greekmoose
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Not really bad, but bad for the small buisness think about it Wal-Mart is so HUGE it makes up 7% of the total U.S. economy, and is China's #7 world trading partner! |
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*****
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How can you say that? If it were not for Wal-Mart, most middle class working people wouldn't be able to afford all the necessities of life. They provide jobs for the community, and have been a good corporate citizen throughout the entire U.S.If you have an axe to grind with Wal-Mart, I'm sorry. |
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Obi-Wan Kenobi
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It's not bad for America. It might be bad for your local little town USA who might have a bunch of old mom n pop stores shut down if a Wal-Mart came to town. But overall, they provide cheap goods and employ many hundreds of thousands of people, so no, not bad for America as a whole per se. |
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sean1201
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If you feel Walmart is bad for competition, shop around and give other companies a little of your business. I for one don't do a lot of shopping so I go to the most convenient place. If Walmart helps some to stay within their budget, then how can one argue about shopping at Walmart. If someone shops at Walmart simply because that person is cheap and looking for a bargain, then it's the people that are the problem, not Walmart. |
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A Baby Ate My Dingo
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Overall, WalMart is probably a net positive on the economy.
They employ a tremendous number of completely unskilled, socially inept and physically unattractive people who would otherwise be on welfare.
They save consumers billions of dollars and have forced manufacturers to become more efficient.
They do, however, close down many "mom-and-pop" stores in the towns where they open stores. |
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Centurion
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I really don't understand everyone's obsession with Wal-Mart. For some reason, the media has labeled them an evil empire like they did Halliburton and alot of you people bought it. We truly live in strange times..........
"Good will become evil, and evil will become good"........ |
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carroll3d
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Just remember that Wal Mart often creates the illusion of a better bargain. Yes, they can take advantage of economies of scale. But in many cases the consumer gets a lower quality product at that lower price. For example, Walmart electronics are cheap, but do they offer such quality brands as Sony? Walmart uses a reverse bidding puchasing style to obtain the lowest purchase prices from vendors.
Also, they have recently addressed hiring issues pertaining to women. FYI: Hillary Clinton was on the Board of Directors for quite a while. I guess that alone makes Wal Mart evil. |
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lala
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Never because walmart is the cheapest store for regular familys |
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mizzgov_08
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It's not. Wal-Mart is the largest retail supply chains in the world. It saves US customers $20 million (estimate) a year, not to mention contributes to college students, military families, and other non profit organizations. Now, there are some things they need to work out, such as benefits for their employees, but for the US economy, Wal-Mart is the real money maker. |
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